The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1888-06-14

Let us, therefore, examine Mr.. Donnelly's
argument carefully, and add to it what
others have discovered, for the theory is no
new thing For nearly half a century it has
been gaining adherents; at least $50 books
and pamphlets thereon have been issued, and
literary men are already ranged in two hos
tile camps-the B%aconians and Shakespear-
lar This article is merely an attempt to
present the evidence in compact form, and
point out the strongest and weakest counts
in Mr.. Donnelly's plea, just issued.
I'll CONTRAsTED TWO.
: No two men could differ more widely than
tho known philosopher and the supposed
dramatist. Lord Bacon was nobly born,
rich Except during one period of his life) and
learned beyond all men of his time, re-
fined courtier, a profound lawyer and an
able judge, IN aristocrat in politics and q
life long companion Of noblemen and tho
adherents of royalty. OF the supposed
iramatist the exact reverse was true in
every respect until the middle or latter part
of his life, when he had gained fame and
fortune. The contrasted evidence is amaz-
ing and startlingly suggestive. Of Lord
Bacon we know as much as Of any man in
English history. He was born at York
house, in the Strand, London, Jan. %, 1861,
and died at Highgnte, April 8, 1926. His
father was a baronet, Sir Nicholas Bacon;
his mother of noble blood and extraordinary
talents. The few specimens extant Of her
letters are perfect models of graceful and
classical English. The style is noticeably
''Shakespearian." She adopted Puritan
views, and her letter warning her sons,
Francis and Anthony, against the theatre,
bears a striking similarity to passages in the
great dramas. Francis was precocious and
his health was delicate. At 6 years of age
io read the books usually perused by his
parents; at II he produced an essay on the
laws OF the imagination; at 10 he entered
Trinity college, Cambridge, whence be grad,
t;ated with high honors, and at the age OF 16
he issued a protest against the philosophy Of
Aristotle, then preferred ut the college, and
sgainst the general system Of teaching.
.''They learn nothing" he said, except to be-
love. They are like a becalmed ship. they
move but by the wind of other mems breath
and have no oars Of their own to steer
withal." From childhood he was polite and
witty. 4.
"How old are you, my pretty boyf' asked
Queen Elizabeth when his mother brought
him to court. ~- 49, ='
'Two years younger than your majesty's
happy reign" replied the witty little cour-
tier. ~
He read all the Greek and Latin authors
critically, spoke French and Italian, and
had some knowledge Of Danish and German.
He travelled on the continent Of Europe,
studied in Paris, read law two years, and was
admitted to the bar at the age Of 81 At %
he was made counsel extraordinary to the
queen at ~ he was chosen member Of parlia-
ment for Middlesex, and devoted himself to
q reform Of the laws. Subsequently he was
special counsel to King James 1; then solic-
itor general, attorney general, and finally
lord high chancellor. In 1918 he was created
Baron verulam. and in 1921 viscount Of
1T Albans. n
We turn now to the alleged dramatist, and
are ut once almost lost In obscurity. At first
view he would seem no more a real historical
person than Romulus or Aganemnon. We
know that there 10 9 name, Shakespeare. =
attached 70 immortal works, from which We
form exalted conceptions Of the author, and
nportrait accompanying the works, which is
admitted 70 be an sH~improyemept" or Hatter-
ing imitation Of q verydiherent picture We
allaO kno that there was an individual whose
s,asne bore 8 very slight similarity to the
sttltcr IN sound. and scloscr resemblance in