St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-11-06
DoNNELUY MARCHES ON.

Great D0uleS move SLOWLY. NOnSt-
uuently 1t could not be expected that
Mr.. DoNNEILY's Cryptogram would
Jump into public favor in day. Yet,
Notwithstanding the apparent hardness
of its movements, it is gradually max
ing progress in the direction of under
mining public faith in SHAKEsPEARE
as an author and playwright. The late
JOHN BRIGHT made public announce
ment of his conversion to the DoNNELIY
theory; that famous old diplomat,
Count VITZHUNE D'ECKSTADT, sent
his congratulations to Mr.. DoSNELLY,
and expressed his belief in the exist
enee of cipher, and the opinion that
the sage of Nninger had discovered
the key. Prof. COLBERT. Mrs. HENRY
PorT, DR.. THEoBAID, GEORGE SrRoN-
ACH, Sir JOSEPH NEAL MCkENNA,
LABoUCHERE, GEORGE PARKER Bib
DER, and other literati of celeb
rity in the old countries, united
in their Endorsement of the Great
GryptOgram, and clfeerfully testified
to their faith in Mr.. DoNNEIIG's
exposition. But as prophet is not
without honor save in his own country.
so it fell to Mr.. DoNNEILY's lot to be
the butt of skeptieal ridicule among his
own countrymen, and to bear the brunt
of many joke and humorous criticism
that did not compOFt with the gravity OF
his subject. Still, he has demeaned
himself modestly. and has borne his
soul in patience until at last he begins to
baSk in the sunlight of favor at home.
Gen. BUTLER was am0ng-the first OF
Mr.. DoNNELLY'S cOuntrymen to ex-
press faith in the DoNNELLY cryptic
gram. Then Senator EDMUNDs came
along with modest Endorsement, to be
followed in turn with kind words from
JULIAN HAWTHORNE, and one from
Senator CUSH DAVIS. Still, SO great is
the force of press cenSure and of public
ridicule, that most of those who have
heretofore had occasion to signify their
approval of Mr.. DONNELIY'S work have
initiated the example of NIcoDEAIUS,
and have gone.tO him by night, rather
than encounter the jeers of the outside
literary rabble. 1t must, therefore. be
a source of infinite qualification to the
Sage. as he sits in the quiet shadows OF
his Nininger home. to observe the re-
cent manifestations ofpublic approval
as they are appearing in the leading
journals of this country. The news
papers of the Pacific coast were the
first to break the spell of tradition, and
to declare in favor of BACON against
SHAKESPEARE. The San Francisco
Argonaut, the Chronicle and the Alta
California all united in uphOlding the
Great CryptOgram. Then the tide OF
newspaper sentiment began to flow
eastward until it swept over the cities
lying intermediate between the oceans.
and is now flashing the life out of the
Atlantic coast SkepticS. Cultured BOS-
ton was the last stronghold to yield;
but even it is now counted among the
DONNELLY prophets. A recent number
of the Boston Christian Leader, the
organ Of the Universalists of the United
States, devOtes large editorial space to a
review of the "Cryptogram" of an eX-
ceediBgly favorable character, and con-
cludes its review with the statement
that 1.-The Baconian theory has, at least,
in the great work made case worthy
of sober consideration. If not of ulti-
mate acceptance" ''We confess" says
the Leader, that our faith in the bard
of Avon has been terribly shattered,
and we should turn our steps, should
we visit England, rather TO the ruins of
st. Albans than to the old church at
Stratford"
1t makes no difference how much
we may Qurrel with Mr.. DoNNELLY on
political questions, or however disposed
we may be to prod him with invectives
when he interposes himself as an Oh
stacIe to the accomplishment of some
darling design; yet every true son of
Minnesota is proud of his literary abili
ties, and will rejoice when he gains
fame for his state by winning distinc-
ton for himself.