The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-05-04
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
Shakespeare Versus Bacon.

EDITORS IRISH REPUBLIC: The English American news
papers have been recently discussing with great warmth the
question whether Shakespeare wonderful
long attributed to him whether they writ
ten by Lord Bacon Many of your readers WILL of course
laugh the idea of dehroning Shakespeare from his long
established and seemingly secure position the head of
Dramatic Literature. Nevertheless rscass scholars
have asserted and written books to prove that Shakespeare
not Shakespeare but Bacon There nobody
ed by the world those who would the popular
dols and there is little douot but that Shakespeare will now
and forevemore maintain his place in the hearts world
the of the unbeeve the puny strokes the
conocas Having read many of the arguments for and
against idol" sweet William "-and being one of those
whose faith in him remains unshaken Notwithstanding the
tempting dishes which the cooks have served their
venture to introduce onew witness prove that
Shakespeare Shakespeare after ALL us borrow the
wand of Propro and the long forgotten grave of the
old English Antiquarian Aubrey; and, waving it the
noay antiquity cry aubrey contemporary of Shakespeare
FORTH and confront those reurreconsts of whom
great prophet soul, he said
"Cursed be they that my bones"
In copy of The Genemans Magazine published in Lon
l76 and now in the possession of your correspondent
the following SKETCH from the Aubrey above
mentioned who lived in Shakespeare's time:
"In the Ashmolean Museum among the manuscripts of
Aubrey the Antiquarian there is very little known but
in some respects exceedingly valuable 1t is account of
English writer's particularly the poes with many of whom
Aubrey intimately acquainted and contains several
and curious anecdotes of their lives.
CIVILIAN SHAKEspEARE's father was butcher and I've
been heretofore of the neighbours he
was boy he exercised his fathers trade but when
calf he could do in high style, and make speech This
William being inclined naturally to poetry and acting
London-I guess about lsand in of the
play houses and did exceedingly WELL Now johnson
was good actor but excellent instructor He
Shakespeare began early to make essays in dramatque
poetry which that time very low and his plays took
WE'LL handsome, well shaped man. very good
pany and of ready and pleasant and smooth wit The
humour of the Constable in Midsummer Nights Drean he
happened take Crendon in Bucks think it mid
summerngh he happened to be here which is the road
London Straord and there living that Consta-
BILE about 1912 when first came to Oxon Mr. Joseph Howe
is the parish and knew him. Ben Johnson he did
gather humours of wherever they One he
the Smatford, he made this extemporary
eptaph,
Ten IN the hundred, etc.
"He go to his native country year.
think have been told that he left $500 sister, He
Latin pretty WE'LL for he had been in his younger
years a schoolmaster in the country"
So would appear by the above that there doubt
about Shakespeare writing Shakespeare his day. for if
there the slightest doubt old Aubrey searching through
the country for items would surely have mentioned
But here he expressly that Shakespeare
writing Dramatque poetry" which that time very
low, and that his plays took WELL" Lord bless your soul
friend Aubrey what would you say you knew plays
take now? Just imagine Shakespeare kng caf"but not
sabbng and sknnng it like Bowery Bridgeport butcher
but killing it in " high STYLE" No doubt at his fathers
door, fine spring day. believing calf hung up by
the heels aud young William the butcher boy with knife in
surrounded by the gns the town. after pungng the
knife the h into the victim stop its believing and draw
the aforesaid knife out all goy to his admiring
dence, and striking attudeknife aof and dppng-"I Is
this dagger that before Bind up my wounds
bring another horse" No doubt friend Aubrey that
such high kllng) style" took we'll with his chums and