Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-25
THE BACONIAN THEORY.
tFor the Dispstch.l

he has discovered a cipher in the plays
of Shakespeare through which he estab-
fishes that the plays which the world has
accorded TO Shakespeare were written by
Lord Bacon, has induced the revival OF
the discussion of what is known as the
"Baconian theory" While deem this
contention of Mr.. Donnellys very alb
surd one. still the fact OF its assertion by
many intelligent people entities it to
consideration.
| think the source of Mr.. Donnelly's
theory Is in the fact that Lord Bacon at
one period OF his life studied the princi-
pies of the art of deciphering with a
great deal Of care, and to such skill did
he attain in it that he succeeded in in
venting one cipher that was so clever
that he gave it place in his De Ayg-
n,entis, and from this fact Mr. Donnelly
has derived his whole cipher theory.
The evidence that Shakespeare wrote
the plays that are attributed to him is
overwhelming. and it is such conternpo-
raneous evidence as must be relied upon
to support the fact of any great intellect
having existed in the world. Indeed, if
such proof is not accepted then it will
be impossible to attest anything, but TO
accept that process of reasoning which
was adopted by Bishop Wheatey, by
which he proved that Napoleon Bona
parte had never lived. Shakespeare was
born on the Odd of April, 1854, and died
on the same day OF the same month
viz, the 23d OF April, 1915. Lord
Bacon was born on the ODD OF Janu-
ary, 1861. and died April 9, 1925 /;
so he survived Shakespeare Just
ten years. In 1923, seven years after his
death, the first edition of Shakespesre's
plays was published in folio, under the
title, "Mr. William Shakespeare's Come
dies, Histories, and Tragedies, Pub
lished According to the True original
Copies" This publication is known in
Shakespearean literature as the first
folio, and is the only recognized au-
thority for the text of his dra-
matte works, and, rs Richard Grant
White says, cit contains all his
plays except one nineteen Which had
been surreptitiously or csrelessly printed
before its publication consolidation
having been published in quarto after
his DEATH, and seventeen which APP
peared in it for the first time. The play
not included is PcrietcS, Prince Of Tyre,
and it is conjectured that the refusal Of
the holder OF the copyright of that play
to part with it or to come into the en-
terprise of publishing the first folio
caused its OMISSION" The first folio was
printed in London by Isaac Jaggard and
Ed. Blount This publication was
made by John Hsmminge and
Henry Condell, both of whom
were Shakespeare's friends, fellow
actors, and his partners in the theatres
IN which he was interested. They indi-
cate the publication as follows-viz. !:
"To the Mott Noble and Incompatible
Paire of Brethren, William, Earle Of
Pembroke, &c., Lord Chamberlain to
the King'f Mott Excellent Maiefty, And
Philip, Earle of Montgomery. &c, Gen
tleman of his Maiefties Bed Chamber.
Both Knight of the Mott Noble Order
of the Garter and our fingular good
Lordf" and otter this dedication
they 90 on TO say, in portions
OF it. as follows-viz. Right
Honorable, Whit We ftufie to be
thankful in our particular for the many
fsuors we haue receiued from your Il.
L. We are falne vpon the i'll fortune
to mingle to the mott diuerfe things
that can bee, feare, and rafhneffe !;
rafhneh'e in the enterprise. and feare Of
of the fucceffe. For, when We valew
the places your d. Ii. fuftaine, we can
not but know their dignity greater than
10 defend to the reading OF thefe
trihes and while we name them trifies
We haue depriu'd our felues of the de-
fence OF our dedication. But fince your
J.. L. haue beene pleas'd TO thinke
thefe trihes fome-thing hereto
fore, and hsue profequuted both
them, and their Authout liulng
with 70 much favour, we hope that
they out liuing him, and he not bauing
the fate, common with fome, to be ex-
equator to his owne writings) you will
vie the like indulgence toward them,
you have done unto their Parent " And
further on, I'VE haue but collected
them, and done an office to the dead, to
procure his Orphanes, Guardians with
out ambition either Of felfe-proft, or
fame only 10 keepe the memory OF TO
worthy Friend, & Fellow aliue, as was
our SHAKESPEARE, by humble offer
of his playes, to your mott noble patron
age" And still further on, SIN that
name therefore, we mott humbly
confecrate to your H. II. thefe
remaines of yonr feruant Shakes
peake that what delight is in
them, may be euer your l.. i. the
reputation his, & the faults ours, II any
be committed, by payre TO CAREFUL to
thew their gratitude both to the liuing
and the dead" and, of course, to this
dedication they signed their names. On
another page, that publish an address
ITO the great Variety of Readers, in
which is the following passage-viz. ::
"It had bene thing, we confetfe.
worthie 10 haue bene wifhed, that the
Author himfelfe had lind to haue fet
forth, and ouerfene his owne writings ;
But fince it hath bin ordained
otherwife, and be IT death departed,
from that right, We pray you do not en-
vie his Friends, the office OF their care
and pains, to haue collected and pub
lifh'd them and 70 to haue publifh'd
them, as where (before) you were abus'd
with dluerfe ftolne, and furreptitious
copies, manned and deformed by the
frauds and ftealthes if injurious impos-
tors, that expos'd them euey thofe, are
now offer'd to your view cur'd and
perfect OF their limbes; and ell the reft,
abfolute in their numbers, as he conceiued
them. Who, as he was happie imitator
Of Nature, was mott gentle eXprefer OF
it. lis mind and hand went together
And what he thought, he uttered with
that eafinelfe that We haue fcarfe re-
ceived from him blot in his papers But
it is not our prouince, who onely gather
his works, and glue them you, to praife
him. 1t is yours that reade him." And
on still another page OF this first folio
published by Hemminge and Condell is
to be found the poem of Ben johnson,
who was Shakespeare's intimate friend,
and addressed TO Shakespeare, as fol-
lows-viz.
"To the memory Of my beloued,
The AVTHOR
Mr. William shakespeare,
And