Anthony Grafton is the Henry Putnam University Professor of History at Princeton University. His many books include What was History? and Bring Out Your Dead.
“Grafton makes clear that the master forger must also be . . . a
scholar . . . as knowledgeable as those whom he is trying to fool.
. . . This elegant monograph ranges from Porphyry through Isaac
Casaubon . . . on to Scaliger, Chatterton and others, though its
focus remains the transmission of classical texts. Or, rather,
pseudo-classical texts.”—Washington Post
“Forgery is the pornography of erudition; and—combining scandal,
deception, and betrayal with tales of virtuoso detective work—it
has long exercised romantic attraction for historians, providing
illicit pleasures (when it has not provoked scholarly outrage). To
this fascinating and controversial aspect of the history of
scholarship Grafton’s book is a learned, insightful, and most
entertaining introduction.”—Donald R. Kelley, Renaissance
Quarterly
“A good read. . . . Grafton’s principal theme is the symbiotic
relationship between forgers and critics, and the spur provided by
the efforts of each to the development of new skills and techniques
by the other. . . . Grafton’s notes, as always, are superb . . .
providing lesser mortals with plenty of new and essential material
for study.”—Julia Haig Gaisser, Bryn Mawr Classical Review
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