Thomas Chatterton Manuscript Project
Key People
(Samuel) William-Henry Ireland
1775 - 1835
A portrait of William-Henry Ireland, author of the Shakespeare Papers, along with the title page to his book 'The Confessions of William-Henry Ireland.'
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We know our favourite Shakespeare forger as William-Henry Ireland, for it was his given name. But it is said that William-Henry's father started calling him Samuel after his first son Samuel died - some psychological undertones at play here, which may have contributed to William-Henry's career as a famous forger.
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William-Henry provided huge entertainment at the latter end of the 18th century and on into the 19th, and continues to delight us more than 200 years later. So, give a guy a chance, read and enjoy his works from the links below.
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William-Henry, when only 20 years of age, and specifically to impress his father, perpetrated an audacious but hare-brained forgery that culminated in his self-penned play Vortigern, which he claimed was a long lost play by Shakspear (that's how his father thought Shakespeare should be spelled), being performed to ridicule and laughter at Drury Lane.
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​Description of Thomas Chatterton
​It is thanks to William-Henry that we have an interesting description of Thomas Chatterton, related to him by Chatterton's sister Mary.
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So, is Chatterton stout or skinny?
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William-Henry says that Mary told him her brother was 'neatly made', with a flashing left eye - see the statement below, taken from William-Henry's Confessions - read it below or View online. ​
We also have a recently rediscovered statement by a Mr William Seward who claims Chatterton was stout : View.
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The Works of William Henry Ireland
The Confessions of William- Henry Ireland, 1805 : View
Includes a description of Chatterton, gleaned from Mary Newton, his sister.
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Miscellaneous Papers and Legal Instruments Under the Hand and Seal of William Shakspeare : View
The book includes King Lear and a small fragment of Hamlet. Samuel Ireland produced the book but the forgeries are all by his son, William-Henry Ireland. [Shakespeare]
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Vortigern an Historical Tragedy in Five Acts...and Henry the Second an Historical Drama.. : View
Published in 1799, three years after the infamous performance at Drury Lane.
Interesting video on youtube about the book - click image below.
An Authentic Account of the Shaksperian Manuscripts, &c : View
Published 1796
Willliam-Henry has his say on the matter.
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Anecdotes sur Napoléon, publiées par Ireland : View
Obviously a French language book.
Willliam-Henry was a fluent French speaker
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If you want to grab a real feeling for the mind of William-Henry then you must read his poetry.
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A Poem. Illustrating the Untimely and Unfortunate Fate of many British Poets; from the period of Henry the Eighth to the Aera of the Unfortunate Chatterton containing Imitations of Their Different Styles, &c. &c.
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or, the Portrait-Collector and Printseller's Chronicle with Infatuations of every Description. A Humorous Poem. In Four Books. With Copious Notes Explanatory. By Satiricus Sculptor, Esq.
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Samuel Ireland (Father of William-Henry
Mr. Ireland's Vindication of his Conduct respecting....the Supposed Shakspeare MSS...1796 : View
By Samuel Ireland.
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Correspondence of William-Henry
Not ready yet - sorry.
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Books etc. about William-Henry Ireland
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William Henry Ireland’s ‘Authentic Original Forgeries’: An Overdue Rediscovery : View the article
By Professor Jack Lynch : View Jack's website
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The Great Shakespeare Fraud : no view
Patricia Pierce 2004 (cheap to buy online)
An enjoyable read but there are a couple of silly errors re the life of Chatterton.
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