Which manuscript did Baldrick actually burn.
After watching Blackadder many many many times, I decided to have a look and see what exactly happens in Ink and Incapability. I found that continuity errors make it look like Baldrick did in fact use the dictionary to start the hot orangy thing under the stony mantle, and not the Butler's Tale, as played out in the episode.
Follow me around the room:
Dr. Johnson arrives holding two manuscripts. One is his long awaited Dictionary, and the other is Edmund, a Butler's Tale by Gertrude Perkins.
There is a table in the center of the room, and another table next to an armchair.
Dr. Johnson puts the Butler's Tale on the table in the center.
When Blackadder offers Dr. Johnson his enthusiastic contrafibularities, The Dr is still holding the Dictionary, as he has realized that has in fact missed a single word, and writes down, in the dictionary, contrafibularities.
After Blackadder has gone to make some tea and to get Baldrick to start that damn fire, Dr. Johnson sits down on the armchair, the prince sits on the couch and they start talking about how the dictionary has a twist with the mother being the heroine. The Dr puts the Dictionary on the table next to the armchair.
During this conversation, the prince realizes that he knows what English words mean, and calls the Dr a thicko. The Dr gets angry, stands up, and proceeds to leave the room while leaving the dictionary on the table next to the armchair. When he reaches the door, Blackadder comes in and asks the Dr why he's not staying for his pendistitatury interlude.
Blackadder then puts the the tea tray on the table in the center of the room. The continuity error (where has the Butler's tale gone? The fire has yet to be lit) lets us assume that the tray is on top of the Butler's Tale.
Blackadder and Dr Johnson leave the room to discuss rare Norwegian speaking dogs, and then Blackadder returns to the room. Baldrick has started a nice fire.
Blackadder congratulates the prince on his joke, and the prince agrees that if he promised to patronize the Dictionary, then he must do it. And he remembers promising it distinctly. At this point, the prince sits down in the armchair, and for a brief moment we can see the table where Dr. Johnson left the Dictionary, but it is not there.
Where did it go? From this, I assume that Baldrick did in fact burn the dictionary and not the Butler's Tale.
This is of course all just fun theory, but your thoughts?
Sex is the game! Marriage is the penalty