The New York herald., 1874-09-11
A Graphic Interview with the
Disembodied Bard.
HE ADMITS BEING A BOUCIcAuLT.
Lord Bacon's Wrath Refuses
to Tell His Secret.
DID SHAKESPEARE WRITE BAcoNa
The Bench, the Stage, the Rostrum
on the Question.
THE GHOSTS {!

THE GHOSTS!
oLsxDowx1-I can call spirits from the Vastly deep.
Horsrvs-ywhy. so so can ], or 50 can any man,
them ~A' "A~A ''N ~ ~ '0'
With feeling somewhat akin TO that expert.
sncsd BY the country boy who whist ties his way
past lonely churchyard at the time Of the even
ing when the shadows begin TO skuk among the
tombstouesa HERALD reporter ascepded the steps
Of No. IA West Twenty.fourth street yesterday
afternoon and rang the bell. twas bright, clear
day; the house was modest, pretty one; but 1t
was the residence or Foster, the great Spiritual
siic medium, who holds intimate converse with
ine dead and keeps q variety OF spirits always on
lap. Hence the aRttation. The bell made no dole
ful Changing noise, however, and the door was not
opened by a luminous shadow. On the contrary
: remarkably healthy looking woman answered
Ihe reporters query.
''xR. FOSTER WAS At HONE"
Thus encouraged the HERALD man ascended the
stairs ana found Mr.. Foster In a pleasant back
htting room, surrounded by nowers ana sunshine.
When the great courier between
vEsFer THIS WORLD AND THE NEXT
was told that the HERALD had sought him for the
purpose Of having the shades OF Shakespeare and
Bacon summoned, so that We could all nave
comfortable chat about the authorship Of the plays
. sort OF private hearing, as 1t were--he remained
silent . moment, and then said, quite frankly
NJ am, as you are well aware, chiefly phenom.
email medium. The problem you give me to solve
is little out OF my line; but l win do what can
for you. Pray excuse me moment until finish
with party In the other room"
We waited among the nowers the birds and the
sunshine. willing away the time with the Brastle.
boro, VT, conclusion to the "Mystery OF Edwin
Drood," which claimed in the preface to have
been written by the dead hand OF Dickens, ana
nounced, with genuine business flourish, another
work from the great novelist, the winding sheets
or rather the advance sheets-of which would
soon be ready. In q few moments Mr.. Foster re.
turned, took chair, lighted cigar, and entered
into general conversation intended to lead him
gradually into the
PROPER PASSIVE STATE.
He looked remarkably well. and expressed himself
- highly pleased with his Australian visit
as this your first experience Of this kind ?" he
asked.
We answered that 1t was.
~ am ready now; let US 60 into the front
room"
1t tsa cosey room well lighted, neatly furnished,
with no mystic appearance whatever, and an utter
absence OF impressive paraphernaia. Ii there
were any spirits lounging about they were evi-
IDENTITY well bred and kept themselves politely
quiet. The reporter seated himself at one side OF
IN ordinary table, covered with red cloth Eos.
ss so.K * an opposite position. ,a card on which
sable; mat, and lew slips OF white paLer com.
prised @ the apparatus.
seven narrow slips OF white paper and write on
them the names OF as many dead people-some You
Knew ana some you did not know. You can IN.
clude the names OF Shakespeare and Bacon. The
latter may not come, or they may; we Will see.
Fold the pieces neatly, ana mix them up so that
cannot tell winch Is particular name.
have them ready tor me when come Dack.'' lie
.nen lett he room. On MS return the papers were
prepared as directed.
Tne intelligence must have travelled rapidly
OVER THE GHosTLY WIRES,
or hardly had the me0lum returned and taken his
teat when there was q nutter in the room. above
as below US and round about us, as II the visitors
present their cards. Il think they arc all here"
Foster quietly remarked. "No, tney are not, but
mark There we have Bacon aud Shakespeare"
aud he paused 70 listen to a tramplng over the
carpet made, apparently, by one or more pairs OF
heavy boots Ii the two late arrivals really were
thought would not down that they had been out
to dinner ana we're rather boister0us than other
pthers satisned themselves With genteeI tapping,
- they purported to be some OF his deceased reia-
ttves and friends.
There was necessarily great deal Of manifesto.
tion which had nothing to do with the subjeot Of
Shakespeare. Spirits that had been served with
were not content to be snuDbed, and, In some III
stances mad 10 be talked 10 before they were WILL
aug 10 return 10 Jnelr nOneS. w naJ the maniIcS.
tations were does not particularly matter, but
they were
DECIDEDLY STARTLING.
ana prepared the reporter lor experiences still
@S1s %sen Mr. Foster had satisfied himself tina. he
Avon, he slntinat ted that the interview should
begin. With some Irepidation we wrote Ques-
small compass, according to directions and handed
v to Foster. The question, which had not Deen
previously read by Foster was
Ynu od dva
to write the plays accredited to your"
The medium took the paper. pressed 1t across
ntenatble conversatlon with the poet. "Tne an
Iwer to your question:" Foster remarked pres
emily. rs, did not What Is your questions"
The following note was then written and handed,
folded, to Foster:--
whicn you enjoy, which you dd not writef'
Hardly were the words formed when there came
1. '.He says .Yes,'n Foster remarked.
''what are they ?' We asked.
At this point there seemed to be dinlculty;
and. II we might Judge by the animated rapping,
there was a deuce OF q row going on between
SHAKESPEARE AND BACON.
"He says that you shall write the names Of some
plays and he win selec. those that belong to him."
At random we wrote this list on separate sps:-
Caesar" ..Midsummer Nights Dream" "Timon OF
Athens" "Hamlet,n anu the metrlcal tragedy.
.Beie Lamar" but thought 1t would be taking TOO
much liberty with Shakespeare. He might have
said ne wrote It,
The papers were folded, and as Foster held them
up one by one he asked, "Dld you write thist"
There came q terribly emphatic mol" in response,
except IN one instance. The play was "Hanlet,"
''and even in that" said Foster, "he says ne was
assisted"
More nuttering, stamping and general mystery.
Foster seized pencil, and, pausing nrst mo-
ment, wrote one word, and passed 1t over. The
word was ''Bacon!'
'.Why, then, did bacon not acknowledge the
authorshlpgr
ANswER-There was reason for Bacon not &C.
enowledgng it2
"Wbat reasonf"
ANSw wER--I cannot tell.
Ibid YOU make use OF Bacons dover essays in
perdita = speechesr'
ANswER-"Yesn
.wili 1t ever be known to the public, through
any othcr channel than spirtualisnl,
WHO DID WRITE THE PLAYS ~
TO that enect, aud 1t Will not be long before the