The New York herald., 1874-09-08
WHO WROTE BACONq

To THE EDITOR OF THE HKRALD:-
Tread with interest the argument set forth BY
the Hon. Nathaniel Holiness the Harvard Protes-
sor Of Law. as commented on by Fraser's Hlga.
ztne and republlshed In the HERALD. Without
cons dering the few points OF similarity between
Bacon and Shakespeare-"the text Is old, the ora
tor tmysel0 too green"-I ask leave to PROFOUND
the question. II Bacon wrote Shakespeare's plays
who wrote Bacon's essaysP 1t is too much to sup
pose that one person wrote both. The distinction
between the poet and the essayist is consIltu-
tional-each choosing the mode OF expression
which Is easiest to him. Bacon and Shakespeare
were both natural philosophers, q fact not incon.
sistent with their differing forms of constructing
language, or with sometimes similar style Yet
this much for Shakespeare, he was man OF all
styles, though perhaps not successful in all.
In addition to the heritage Of well balanced
mind, Shakespeare doubtless acquired con-
siderable knowledge by reading, obser-
vation and inquiry. large capacity
is the reservoir OF the intellect, which, II
not filled by collegiate instruction, due diligence
and @ retentive memory will gradually supply.
1t is not probable that Shakespeare's limited
schooling was sufficient to ut him for his future
literary vocation. His must have been q mind Of
untring study in the leisure intervals from work.
love or reading Is the youthful beginning of
every literary scholar. have often thought that
Shakespeare kept two scrap books, one contain
ing varied cuttings from his readings ana the
other memoranda OF original suggestions, which
he used whenever the occasion was presented
He had rare gilt for the beautiful, alike In
moral and physical sense. and this he cultivated.
desire to show that Shakespeares proRress in
Knowedge and years marks the ascending scale
OF his works. Beginning his career as author at
very early period IN liie the rstlings of his genius
were characterized by many defects Of style, the
chief laut being prosiness. Witness the long and
play which IS throughout an exhibition OF native
genius struggling with inexperience; yet some OF
ITS passages are not exceled by anything he wrote
abounds In much that must have been considered
frivolous stun when 1t was first written ana best
few passages therein the general theme Of
love Let us consider "Perices Prince of Tyre,U
play In ShaKspeare's vein, Notwithstanding his
authorship has been doubted. Although the gen.
era drift OF the plot and some OF its characters
6sr IL ron stage presentation pure moral un
less Intended as moral spectacle, the denoue.
ment OF which Is expressed in coupet-
Virtue preserv'd from fell estructions 8 blast
Led on by Heaven and crownd with JOY at last
AS the stage and Its patrons became more re.
fined Shakespeare avoided the ill.considered
OF MS plays: yet with all the faults of percles
venture to say It's closing scene is the most emo
uonai OF any tnat can be found in the range Of
l would not class Titus Andronicus', as among
tne earliest ehuslons OF Shakespeare, owing to IT'S
completeness in poetical construction. The
COMEDY OF Errors" and 'Two Gentemen of
Verona" are light and airy in quality, and were
piocep,y ouSu Va IA I" huily W supply D WAuL vi
the Globe Theatre Tor something fresh Perhaps
the least mertorious In point OF ability ia "King
Shakespeare WAS yet in his teens when he wrote it,
king Henry W., "a Part" and "King Henry
VI, Sd Part" rewritten by Shakespeare from old
better. but yet ITO use his own description) are
'like the forced gait OF q stunning nag.n
II Is not safe to enumerate any more under this
category, for my opinions are founded on coniec-
tures and conjecture has no barrier strong enough
to lock itself up rom assault
II were TO say consider "Macbe tn" a play su-
perlor TO "Hamlet"-which privately do in point
OF dignity and style-I could find many TO take
issue with me. yet regard the first play as al.
fected and mannerlJ and the second as hne and
tedious do not place elmer one OF them as
among shakespeare's very latest productions.
''rhe winters Taen and "CSmDeine," among
the earliest, are nneiy conceived, but lacking In
polish. Probably they were never revised by
Shakespeare. ''The Tempest" AND Midsummer
Nights Dream,n both pure creations Of snake. |