An Essay on the Evidence, External and Internal, Relating to the Poems Attributed to Thomas Rowley (1784)

""An Essay On The Evidence, External And Internal, Relating To The Poems Attributed To Thomas Rowley"" is a book written by Thomas James Mathias and published in 1784. The book is a critical analysis of the poems attributed to Thomas Rowley, a supposed 15th-century poet from Bristol, England. Mathias examines the external and internal evidence relating to the authenticity of the poems, including historical documents, linguistic analysis, and literary style. The book is divided into three parts. The first part discusses the external evidence for the authenticity of the poems, including the historical context in which they were supposedly written and the various documents that mention Rowley as a poet. The second part focuses on the internal evidence, including the language and style of the poems and their similarities to other works of the time. The third part is a summary of Mathias's conclusions regarding the authenticity of the poems, in which he argues that they are likely forgeries created in the 18th century.Overall, ""An Essay On The Evidence, External And Internal, Relating To The Poems Attributed To Thomas Rowley"" is a significant work in the history of literary criticism, as it was one of the first attempts to critically examine the authenticity of a body of work attributed to a supposed historical figure. The book remains a valuable resource for scholars interested in the Rowley controversy and the history of literary forgery.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.