THE UNSCRUPULOUS SCHOLAR

Turnbull Library Record, Volume XV, 1 November 1962, Page 22

THE UNSCRUPULOUS SCHOLAR

C. R. H. TAYLOR.

The recent acquisition of three rare volumes by John Payne Collier makes an occasion to examine the Library's holdings of the writings of this enigmatic scholar. These are “An old man’s diary, 1832 and 1833'', published in 1871-2, and “Trilogy: on the emendations of Shakespeare’s Text” 1874. These volumes were privately produced in editions of only 25 copies, and they are important to any study of the literary records, some laudable and valuable, some dishonourable and untrustworthy, of their author.

Collier was a most industrious student and scholar all his life (1789-1883) and published and edited many valuable texts rescued from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In producing an edition of Shakespeare, however, he forged into a 1632 Shakespeare Folio such emendations as he wished to validate in his texts, attributing these to an ancient authority. He fabricated or falsified other texts in other publications, so that much of his work is untrustworthy. It was exposed by literary authorities of the time, and he was discredited, but he never retreated from his position, or admitted any malpractice, even to his advanced old age.

It may be that because Collier edited two notable texts from Dulwich College, which Alexander Turnbull attended 1881-3, the Library's founder gathered a good deal of his writings, including a volume of manuscripts on the old dramatists. The following is thus a list of brief titles in the Library catalogue:

1. A bibliographical and critical account of the rarest books in the English language. 2 vols. 1865 2. A few odds and ends for cheerful friends. 1870 3. The history of English dramatic poetry to the time of Shakespeare, and annals of the stage. 3 vols. 1831 4. Illustrations to early English literature. 3 vols. 1867-70 5. Illustrations to early English poetry. 5 vols. 1866-70 6. Illustrations of early English popular literature. 2 vols. 1863-4 7. Illustrations of Old English literature. 3 vols. 1866 8. Memoire of Edward Alleyn, founder of Dulwich College. 1841

9. Nine historical letters of the reign of Henry VIII. 1871 10. Notes and emendations to the text of Shakespeare’s plays. 1853 11. The old dramatists from Lillis to Dryden. MS. with index by A. H. Turnbull. 12. The poetical decameron. 2 vols. 1820 13. Shakespeare’s library. 2 vols. 1843 14. England's Parnassus (edited by J.P.C.). 1867 15. The complaint of Rosamond (edited by J.P.C.). 1870 16. Delia (ed. by J.P.C.) (187—) 17. Endimeon and Phoebe (edited by J.P.C.) (187-) 18. The shepheards garland (edited by J.P.C.) (187-) 19. The plays of Shakespeare (edited by J.P.C.) 1853 20. Early prose and poetical tracts (edited by J.P.C.). 2 vols. 1853

21. The dramatic works of Thomas Heywood (edited by J.P.C.). 2 vols. 1853 22. Henslowe and Alleyn (edited by J.P.C.). 2 vols. 1853 23. John a Kent and John a Cumber (edited by J.P.C.). 1851 24. Lives of the original actors in Shakespeare’s plays. 25. A supplement to Dodsley’s Old Plays (edited by J.P.C. and others). 4 vols. 1853 26. Kynge Johan (edited by J.P.C.). 1838 27. The Egerton papers (edited by J.P.C.). 2 series edited by J.P.C. 28. The Camden Miscellany. 1855-56 29. Trevelyan papers prior to 1558 (edited by J.P.C.). 30. A book of Roxburgh ballads (edited by J.P.C.). 1847 31. The works of William Shakespeare (edited by J.P.C.). 8 vols. 1842-44 32. Extracts from the registers of the Stationers’ Company (edited by J.P.C.). 1853

Payne Collier was one of the leading early figures of the Camden Society, the Shakespeare Society and the Percy Society, and he actually retained much support and admiration throughout his life. Today it is often illuminating to turn to his editions, but to make some check before adopting any critical readings.