
Simon Roberts
Senior Specialist, Head of Sale
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Senior Specialist, Head of Sale
The first two letters were written to Wise in his capacity as Secretary of the Shelley Society, founded by F.J. Furnivall, soon after the Browning Society: 'Wise joined the Shelley Society when it was founded in 1885, and became its secretary two years later. This enabled him to produce a series of publications, partly in the society's name and partly on his own account (but using the society's funds), which bankrupted it in 1892. He was encouraged in this extravagance by F. J. Furnivall, the mainspring of both societies; they may have lost money by it, but Wise did not' (Alan Bell, ODNB). It was in this capacity that he initiated the series of reprints that launched his career as forger.