The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-25
Who Wrote shnkspeare's Plays

Who WrOte ShnkspeaTe's Plays!
An interesting controversy hes arisen in
The literary world in England. as we'll as in
this country, as to the authorship ofthe plays
generally attributed to William Shakespeare
Dir. Henry William Smith. OF London, has
impugned the validity Of his claims, and
transferred his laurels to Lord Bacon. This
bold hereto commences bis onslaught on
the Bard Of Avon by citing passage from
the writings of Alexander Pope, in which
the poet gives it as his opinion that the
"plnys attributed to Willism Shakespeare
were pieces produced by unknown authors,
or fitted up for the theatre while it was un.
der his administration, and, no owner claim.
ing them, they were adjudged to him, as they
give strsys TO the lord Of the manor"
Mr.. Emith describes Shakespeare as an un.
educated man, incapable Of producing the
dramas with which his usme is sssociated,
and represents him as no higher than the.
atrical factotGm, being sole owner Of the
wardrobe and the properties; in word, as
the manager and superintendent of the me-
chanical department ofthe theater.
In favor Of the pretensions OF Lord Bacon
he puts forward the following argument:
Bacon, in 1857, composed the "Dumb
Showes," acted before Queen Elizabeth, at
| Greenwich. 1t was a mask, and this il sd.
duced in proof of his dramatic capabilities;
besides, his familiar conversations is known
to have been peculiarly dramatic in tone.-
In 1921 he was politically disgraced. end
devoted himself TO collect and arrange His
literary works. In 1923 appeared the folio
OF the plays, including some and excluding
others which had always been attributed to
Shakespeare. Now, who made the selection!
| Who alone was competent to make it! Who
could classify the thirty six plays contained
in the folio! Clearly, no person but the au-
thor himself, or person deputed by the au.
thor. The folio appeared under the names
OF John lfeminge and Henry CoEdell, the
players, but Mr.. Smith considers the real ed
itor was Ben Jonson, who acted under the
directions OF Lord Bacon. Mr.. Smith, in
support Of his theory, quotes letter from
Tobie Matthew to the Lord Viscount st.
Albans, continuing this remarkable post.
cript: sH0h.'."-
1.-The most prodigious wit never knew Of
my nation, and of this side of the sea. is of
your Lordship's name, though he be known
by another" BY "another'' it is assumed
that Tobie ulludes to Shakespeare, who
usurped the honors due to Bacon.
1t is we'll known fact that Sh hnkspeare
was singularly regardless Of fame. His ed
itor, Malone, when criticislng the play call.
ed the London prodigal,' suys: Gone knows
not which most tc udmire-the impudence
of the printer in aliying our great poets
name to a comedy, publicly acted at his own
theatre. Of which it is very improbable that
he should have written single line, or
Shukspeare's negligence Of fume in suffer-
ing such piece to be imputed 10 him with
out taking the least notice Of it," This in
difference is indeed very startling circum.
stance, but was it not eqaally remarkable
in Lord Bacon, if he were the author Of the
dramas attributed to Shakespeare! MIR. Smith
denies that Shakespeare had sufficient tai
ents or learning to write these dramas; but
! he wrote the poems of"Venus and AIonis ;"
OF "Tarquin and Lucrece," and the "Son.
nets" These are proofs of his abilities, and
to make good Mr.. Smiths argument, he
must prove that Shakespeare was not their
author. But there other evidence Of
-Shakspeares genius in the praises of him
recorded by his cotemporaries and transmit
ted TO US. Take the following from Fuller:
"Many were the wit flombats between Shak-
speare and Ben Johnson. | beheld them
like Spanish great galeon and an English
man of war. Mr.. Johnson, like the former,
was built far higher in learning, solid, cut
slow in his performances; Shakespeare, like
the latter, less in bulk, but lighter in, rail
ing, could turn wi h all tides, tack about, and
take advantage Of all winds by the quick,
ness ofhs wit and invention .......
All educated persons must take lively
interest in whatever relates to the fame OF
the Bard of Avon, and VIC therefore give the
salient features ofthis new controversy
Each must decide for himself between Ba
con and Shakespeare. Mr.. Smith delivered
a lecture on the subject at the Beethoven
rooms, Harley street, London, hut it does not
appear. that he has as yet make any converts
COImpcMsation.