The New York herald., 1874-10-05
SHAKESPEARE.
Intellectual Distinctions as Classi.
fed by McDermOtt.
A LITERARY TEST PROPOSED.
The Literary Test.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
One OF your contributors OF the 10th ult., Ad-
olson B. Burk, OF Philadelphia deduces from q
meagre collection OF facts in the lives OF Bacon
and Shakespeare the following conciusions:-
First-As Shakespeare married Ann Hathaway,
who bore him a child SIX months alter marriage
and he did not during the i've years preceding his
death produce single play or poem, Shakespeare
could not have written Inc plays attributed to
him.
Second-Snakespeare produced his plays be-
tween che years 1890 and 1911. During this inter-
val Lord Bacon had .'much leisuren from his pub
hc duties. Ergo Lord Bacon must have Deen the
author OF Shakespeare's plays.
Mr.. Burk also states historical fact that
Bacon published his Essays in 1887, but did not
punlish his other WORKS until after he was ap-
pointed High Chancellor in 1918. The real facts
are
l596-Bacon wrote and published his first pollti-
Cal work.
l5s7-He wrote his Essays" or "Counsels Cvu
lS9s-He complied, rewrote and published his
"MaXlms OF Law.n
16oo-nls "hlstory of the Alienation once" was
written; about this time he wrote his .Memoriam
Ellzabethe Anglice Reglne,n which was not
published until alter his death.
l60l-Appeared ms second legal work on the
"use OF the Law Tor the Preservation OF Persons,
Goods, Good Name, &c.n
l603-He revised and wrote his great work. on
''Tne Advancement Of Learning
16o7-He was appointed Solicitor General, and by
professional diligence was crowned with dlstin-
guiShed success ana his legal practice much eX-
ten Ged. HIS DlOgrapler SayS:-"Inoush at THIS
time engrossed with the afars OF public ii1e, his
engagements did not turn him aside from his
great design formed IN his early youth and cher
isned In his mature years.
16os-Bacon published the GROUNDWORK or the
Novum Organon," VIZ. the developments OF his
improved plan ior studying the sciences.
l6oS-Appeared his "Cogltata Vida.n
1610-He published his extensive works ''On the
Wisdom OF the Ancents.n y which he wrote to pre-
pare persons OF all varieties OF opinion Tor reoev-
Ing with respect the most important work OF his
lile-Ths "Organon.r "t was wrought up and
polished win the sedulous industry OF an artist
who labors lor posterity. and was the result OF
painstaklng labor spread through many years. "
Bacon copied this work both in Latin and English
twelve tmes-reyising correcting and altering It
year BY year before It was reduced 20 tnat form
IN which II was committed to tue press in 1920.
From the above it Will be discovered how Bacon
occupied his "leisure time" from 1890 to 1911, and
the candid reader Is asked H. after Bacon had per-
formed his onerous public duties as member OF
Parliament, Judge Solicitor General and wrote
and prepared Tor publication the great works
enumerated above, he could nave had the leisure
time to write Shakespeares plays9
McDermott, the author OF a critical dissertation
the nature and principles or taste, and also or
valuable essays on the genius OF the English
poets, published in London in 1922, en-
tered into the investigation OF the original
causes that distinguish writers OF genius, Of
all times ana countries, from each other.
He divided them into four distinct classes. The
individuals OF each class were RELAXED TO each
other not In their intellectual powers or the
celebrity which they have. acquired BY their
works. but IN the original character OF their
minds and the congeniat impulses by which they
were directed and governed In their literary pur-
suits; The writer's belonging to the nrst and
which literature may proudly boast, stand in the
opposite extremes Of Intellect. They possess very
nttle in common and differ as much as possible Tor
one mode OF intelligence reasonlng from what we
know to differ from another. In these columns
stand the names OF Shakespeare in the frSt and