The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-05-19

been written upon the subject. Some four
years ago Mr.. Donnelly announced to the
world shat he had discovered cipher story
interWoven in the plays which would end all
discussion. The proposition was one SO
astonishing, that its very statement almost
carried its own combination Even Bacon
ians stood aghast, as If in awe of the very
miracle they had invoked The whole dis
cusslon had grown out of the fact thas for
more than 200 years the production of
the plays by Shakespeare had beest
considered literary miracle, and the dispo-
sition OF an incredulous age to eliminate it;
ana now, what was the result of all this
labor but transposition and magnifying of
the mlraclef For what other is it than a
miracle if we add six cubits and span to
the stature of Goliah or increase the strength
of Hercules by superadding Samsons; or
augment the wisdom of Solomon with
that of Socrates, For surely he does
no less than these who doubles the In
teilectual stature of Francis Bacon, who.
from his known wcrk5, is aiijudged by almost
all great critics to have been the greatest man
that ever hved-Shakespeare alone, if any,
matching him in greatness. IL il should be
proved that Bacon should stand upon the
shoulders of his only supposed compeer to be
measured for his niche in flames temple;
taat, bisected, he was the greatest two men
that ever Hvel-have we not a mira clef No
But VIC have more, for there be phenomena
that are greater than any miracle and this
Is one IL the pen that wrote the Essays,
the Advancement of Learning ami the new
OrGaocn, wrote, also, not only Lear"
Hamlet" Macbeth" "Othelio'' ard "Ju-
lus Caesar" but Romeo and Juliet, "Mid-
summer Nights Dream" "As You Like tn
COMEDY Of Errors" and others, then in
deed, was il a magic pen, and be who welded
it the composite of all humanity, with a
quantum of divine leaven superadded, such
as has never been vouchsafed 10 any other
man.
For Shakspere, unlearned rs lie was, to
have sounded all the depths and shoalsn Of
learning. to have cullcd so much wealth from
the debris OF dead languages with which be
was not familiar, was a miracle: for Bacon
TO have added the production of the plays to
that of his other works, WAS a phenomenon:
and IS as much greater than the other as the
equIpoise and rotation OF the solar system is
greater than the floating Of an axe head or
the transformation Of rods into seIperts.
There are two facts worthy OF note: The
turning from SHAKESPEARE is en- expression
OF the widespread ubeiief i'll his ability: tic
turning to Bacon is an expression of the gen.
eral recognition of his transcendent gerius
Ii Shakspere did not write the plays. then
1t must have been the man who made ell
knowledge bis province It is also worthy
of note that the greatest merit OF the ones
charming poetry is its philosophy; and the
greatest charm Of the others meritorious
philosophy is its poetry. If the authors we're
not one, surely Shaks!ero borrowed Dacon's
sage and lett his muse for surety.
1t is natural that tie theory should be Wig
orously combated SO long as it is only
theory, for it may lie an injustice is being
done, but if it can be demonstrated. it would
seem that all men should hail 1t with joy for
1t raises the standard OF humanity to twice
its supposed hight. Il is a compliment to the
human race, 70 ahe planet on which we live,
and humanity shouid feel such a di!gtation
of the scui Is must, for q time, seen like in
f-tion.