The New York herald., 1874-10-19
SHAKESPFARE.
4 letter From tho Writer In Frsssrs
Magazine.

a letter From tho Writer In Frassr's
Magazine.
10 THE EDITOR TIE HERALD
Owing TO the limited space allowed tne esssJss
In the periodicals. OF the day the writer oi tue
article ssWho Wrote Shakespearef" In the August
number OF Frdser's Magazine was oouged 10
eliminate several curious items IN the network
or circumstantial evidence In order TO produce the
most seusatona facts OF the theory. In considera-
ton or the truly meritorious controversy sup
ported In the columns OF the HERALD. the wri-er
beQs leave 10 place few OF these hints before the
public as mere rays in the search for the slight OF
TRUTH
fMr. Horace Howard Furness refers to Bacon's
conference OF Pleasuren when he says, "Ar.
SPEEDING, the accomplished editor OF .Bacons
Life after devotng forty years I'm reality only
thirty TO the biography. within the past twenty
four months found among Bacon's manuscripts .
Sup OF paper upon which was written shake
speare, Shakespeare, Shakespeare repeated over
and over eight different and distinct times along
with the names OF q lew historical plays and the
names Of several more that we have never heard
o.' either the learned gentleman makes or the
reporter causes him to make, mistake the most
grave when the source Is considered whence IL
springs. We cannot doubt tina. this ''slip OF
paper" is identical in Mr. Furness' mind with the
covered IN 1867 by Mr.. John Bruce among collec-
sion OF papers more or less connected with tho
history OF the Percys. in northumberland House.
Mr. Bruce communicated with Mr.. SPEEDING,
and the latter gentleman edited the fragment
which throws fresh light upon the bacoh-ShaAes'
peare subject. This manuscript consists OF tWen-
rytwo leaves, laid one upon another, ioided as Ia
"a quire OF paper and was formerly fastened by
sutch through The centre. The edges have been
ma nnff h0
lines have been los;, though the writing Is per-
fectly legibe. Certain sheets are missing Is is
Indicated by the table OF contents upon the outer
leai
Mr. Speeding finds the mass OF matter 10 be
copies IRON BaconS works: and strangely enough,
tne index enumerates in sequence, certain 'Ora-
lions at Grales lime revels.n an address TO the
"Queene's Majesty by Mr.. Frauncis Bacon; the
"Essaies,'' by the same author, and then Richard
IL" and s'Richard H."
Inc first page is covered with scribb!ing. among
which appear the names OF "Wilam Shakespeare"
ana .'Mr. Frauncis Bacon.r Mr.. SPEEDING readily
conceives why the latter name should appear,
since the manuscript IS eminently Baconian.
"But,'' he adds, 1.-The only thing, SO far as 4 can
see, which requires any particular notice. Is the
occurrence in this way OF the name OF William
Shakespeare, ana the value OF that depends in .
great degree upon the date OF the writing. All
can say Is tina. find nothing either IN these later
scrbblings ,the names) or in what remains OF toe
book itself To Indicate date later than the reign
Of Elizabeth He then states that 1t was not
until 1897 that any Of Shakespeare's plays ap-
pearea in print, ana though the earliest editions
OF ''Richard H." and ''Richard ILL.," bear that
date, his name Is not on the title page OF
either OF them. They were set forth a. plays which
had been slately," or publicly or .,0iten with
great applause" acted by the Lord Chamberiain's
servants Their title TO iavor," observes this
acting plays at the Globe, and IL was not until
they came to be read as books that 1t occurred 10
people unconnected with the theatre to ask who
wrote them.r
Now, the most important bearing is with regard
70 these two plays which the book originally con-
tanned, but when now are missing the connecting
thread having been cut. 1t IS probable that this
manuscript was copied from one belonging to
Bacon, because none oi its contents had appeared
~ PRINT; for II they had 1t would nave oeen
nave bought .aem man 20 nave maze
have been written before 1897, the date OF the
appearance o. Richard H. as well as Of the
articles into one book would seem to indicate that
they were copied from the sole and original manu-
script preserved in one place OIL deposit. and as
the majority OIL The pieces were OF Bacon's compo-
sition, that the work was done by his permission
perhaps in his own house. Moreover, the copying
must nave been erected by some one unconnected
with the theatre, since before their publication
ousy guarded, mere drafts OF their parts being
distributed among the actors. These two plays
nnger OF suspicion is pointed toward certain
locality where dweit parsonage VINO mad the
q s a HDo
on the origin OF the English Stage. Particularly
the Historical PLAYS OF Shakespeare" II discov-
ered-and they may be--there will be new light.
Another curiosity unmentiOned In the Fraser
article has reference to the af1ars OF Ireland and
the Essex treason, which Is OF importance IN this
connection, since the appearance OF the play or
"Ricnard LII irritated the disturbed condition OF
affairs and the publication Of DR.. Hayward's book
added alarm to the already awakened fears OF
Elizabeth and aroused her anger against the play
and the theatres. Essex is placed under arrest
Hayward sent to the Tower, the book ts sup
pressed, and the Queen, IN an interview with
Bacon, distinctly - taunss him with, with "a matter
names = '.being, IN iact." urges Judge Holmes.
'no other than the play ITSELF" A brief account
year 1879, while Essex was under ar
rest, Bacon, having had access 10 Her
1e1stss the iooang spsa panscdose ISEs coaid
never prevail with her, and she plainly had me
had inward ana deep respect for my lord ESSEX
more than stood at tnat time with her will and
pleasure About the same time ! remember an
answer of mine IN matter which had some afin-
ltY with my lords cause, winch, though IL grew
rom me. went about In others names; Tor Her
Majesty. being mgh,iy incensed with that BOOK
which was dedicated to my Lord VI Essex, being
a story OF the first year Of King Henry w.. think
head holiness and faction, said she naa an opn
ION tnat there was treason in IT, and asFed me II
might be Drawn Within p'-S case Of treason.
whereto l answered, For treason surely
l find none; but for Felony, very many.,
And when Her Majesty hastily asked me wherein,
I told her that the author had committed very ap.
parent theft, for ne had taken most OF the SEN
fences Of Cornelius Tacitus and translated them
into English and put them into his text.n Now
1t is impossible not to agree with Judge Holmes
Snat this "bookn went only in the name Of Hay
ward himself. His name was signed to the dedi.
cation of IT. he was sent 10 the Tower for It; he
confessed himself the author OF II in apologetc let
ter. 1t was attributed TO else; and there is no
reason TO doubt the authorship OF IT. now that the
tact was well Known TO Bacon and the Queen.
Bu., considering the character OF the book Its
near affinity with the tragedy or "Richard H.,
Ms well as with Essex's and the
personal relations OF Essex, Bacon and Eliza
beth, II becomes highly probable, II not quite
tain that Ia thus bringing up this matter against
Bacon's lntercession with the suggestion Of trea.
son, she either knew or strongly suspected that
Bacon was the author Of the play and meant TO
throw tt up at him In this manner. BACON seea