The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-07-16
suAkEsPEARE AND BACON.

SHAK ESPEARE AND BACON.
More than twenty years have elapsed
since the FIRST argument was published
to prove that Francis Bacon wrote the
plays attributed to VIM Shakespeare.
but 20 many intelligent readers the
idea is still new. or unsupported by any
evidence worthy Of serious oonsidera.
ton. 1t is. however. gaining ground
rapidly. and in an eye given to feeling
little short Of veneratiOn for the grand
genius shown in the works Of the great
drsmatist. certainly deserves attention.
If any literary subject can be said to
pnssess general interest in IN English
or American city OF our time. Il 10 the
Authorship of Shakespeare. We pro
pose in this article to present . brief
summary of the evidence for the Bacon
theory, making free uss Of the sub
stance OF an able article by Appleton
Morgan. in Appleton's Journal for July.
1880.
Great authors always derive high
pleasure from their inselleotual laboss,
and feel strong pride in their peodue
tiona. There 10 no exception to THE
rule smsns men whose hissory is veil
knswn 10 %, nor have we rsason 70
suppose there 10 one among these of
whom We know but little. But, II
Shakespeare wrote the plays that went
by his name. be 10 IN exception. he
acted - il be cared nothing for the
dramas given to the public under his
name. save to get what he ceuld from
them in his eharacssr Of theatsical
manager. He never rublshed them:
two thirds Of them now Attyibnted TO
him were not put on the stage while b
lived. nor printed till sevsa years after
HE death; many trashy plays. now re-
iectsd by ell critics - spurious. we're
published under his name. while he
lived, without protect. and ho said
nothing in his will abeut his dramas.
and left no oral directions ahout bic
litsrsry executorship.
A great scholar and oslebfatsd mso
csnsos acqairs his learning witheat
some record beiag kept Of HE study;
and ws have ne record that william
ShakespoasU was . studeoe - any ti0s
Of his lite. He va . snpe, seknr.
theatrical manager and neasy lender
HE schooling was limited 70 TOO tsrns
in . village: hia deA1h occurred - the
result Of drinking boat: 10 was not
the associate Of sch0isrs; he took no
pride In schelarship. whas u vas rare
and precious. snd. for most men who
had Il. source of great Prids. And
vet the suthcs Of The plays wascesteis-
iy oas of the most learned msn in
England of Ais 1ay. at . hne vhen
learning VS. to - Obtained With ersst
difioalty, and was 70 be found alasst
exclusively 10 Latis. Greek and Italian.
But ShakrspeaSs knew little LATIN and
Greek. and no Italian.
AZ en- actor hs never ross toe0tnsuce.
The chsractors which he he's been cred.
tied with concsiving - coald net psF-
senate With distinsuished success. Nose
OF th. perseoagss in his plays vsre
designed 20 give special scope 10 Ais
talents n a actor. He was treated =
: manager. With . little skill in postsy.
by his acQuaiutspcas. None of them
took the trouble to. write more than .
fsv hines. Bacon. 0pssser. 0ydnsy.
aud many othsrs. did not Dcatisn hiD.
Ben Johnsou praised him. but With .
brsvity that gave no hist Of his pesesss
I>uo,esisn. There i. n faea. very
littls "a shsw thAt 0hAkeepeare bad -
appreciates Ia snything abese ~
rcetino a his ocoopat3oa. aove ~
playa and pce9s aftributed = Mn.