Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-02
IGNATIUS AND BOB.
CRYPTOGRAM DONNELLY SAILS INTO RHAPSO-
DIST INGERSOLL AT MINNEAPOLIS.
Shaksspearss Ignorance" and IrgsrsOlrS 'Unbshsf
Dwell Upon at Length-COlOnel "BOb" Has
His Little Say-Phillps Brooks Fare
well to Trinity. Congregational
Memorable Occasion.


and IngerSoll Saturday, both talking
10 large audiences. Mr.. DOnnelly said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: l am here
tonight to speak to you on the question
OF the authorship of the so-called
Shakespeare plays, and incidentally to
answer some of the arguments recent
ly presented on this subject by Col.
Robt. G.. IugerSOu. II is matter or
regret 10 me that Col. IngerSOll is not
here upon this platform 10 disuSS this
question with me. An invitation was eX-
tended TO him some time ago, and SINH
larinvitati0n was extended him by gen.
tlemen in Chicago, who offered him
81. 600 if he would discuss the question
with me in the Auditorium. do not
think Mr.. IngerSOll should have de-
clined these invitations. He stands
very high in the estimation OF the pub
lie as an orator and diSputant, and
moreover, he has upon his side in this
discussion the public prejudice. Shakes
peare has enjoyed fer 300 years tho
reputation of having written these
plays: his claim is mOSS-grown with
age. 1t is only within % years that
his authorship has been doubted, at
least, since his DEATH think there Is
reason 10 believe that it was doubted
during his life.
"This is the first age of the world in
which men doubt, examine, will take
nothing for granted; and hence it is that
old beliefs Of mankind are being swept
away. PreScriptive right amounts TO
nothing in these controversies. Go to
Switzerland: people will still point to
the spot where William Tell stood when
he shot the apple off his sons head. In
vestigatiOn has demonstrated absolute
ly and cOneluSively that no such man as
William Tell ever lived; that no such
man as Gesler ever lived; that the
whole thing was myth. 1t has been
almost concuSively demonstrated that
no such man as Robin Hood ever lived.
The government of Switzerland has alb
solutely prohibited the teaching Of that
legend of William Tell in the schools Of
that country, and l believe the time IS
not far distant when, il necessary, the
government of these states will forbid
the teaching Of the doctrine that
Shakespeare wrote these plays.
"Col. IngersOll represents not the
critics OF literature, but the sentiment
alists, the rhapsojiSt. Why, be is filled
with a sentiment that would defend the
legend of Santa Claus as a reality. He
saws, We know very little about
Shakespeare, and yet he will not admit
particle of doubt.
Bacon put the plays forth he claims,
under the name of William Shakes
81 Ion. nj
the 10th century accepted them. The
fact that there were millions or hun
dreds of thousands in England who be-
lieved that Shakespeare wrote the plays,
proves no more than that millions be-
lieye il now No man ever saw him
write these plays; no man ever said he
saw him manifest the StudiOuSneSS or
diligence which would be necessary
There is no evidence that he ever wrote
anything except three signatures to his
will and one SignatuSe 10 4 mortgage.
Would it not be becoming for thought
full men TO proceed slowly, with their
minds open 10 new facts? For il must
be remembered that there is no evidence
that Shakespeare ever claimed that he
wrote these plays. At the time OF his
death many Of his plays were still In
manuscript. In his last will and tesla
ment he carefully diSpoSeS of his real es-
tate, his bow, even his old clothes, and
leaves his second best bed to his wife; yet
he SAYS not one word in that Will about
any books or any manuscripts, not one
word that would indicate that he wrote
these plays Can you imagine the au-
thor Of such grand productions retiring
to that mud house in StratfOrd TO live
without a single copy of the quarto that
had made his name famous? From the
time that Francis Bacon began to re-
ceive large salary, from that moment
the plays ceased to appear"
The speaker quoted Col. IngerSolrs
words: "IIS soul was dashed naked to
the horse Of love, fear and hate and
commented upon. them as follows:
That is a very beautiful sentence. II
one could get at the meaning OF it. His
soul was dashed naked TO the horse Of
love. fear and hate Why, what kind
of composite animal is that? 1t re-
minds one Of the man down in Ken
lucky who said he was half man and
half horse. with a little of the swapping
turtle. His soul was dashed naked TO
the horse OF love, fear and hate |
suppose that's the reason he so careful
ly disposed OF his old clothes when he
died. NV, this is the sort of thing
that passes among the ShakeSpearianS
for argument. A mere string Of pretty
words that mean nOthing,"
Mr. Donnelly did not agree with Col.
IngerSou that the SublimeSt declaration
ever involved by the human mind was:
Love is not love that alters
When 10 alteration finds.
Now, in the first place." he said,
THAT statement isn't true. Love does
alter when it alteration finds. The
only love that never alters is mothers
love Now, it seems 10 me that in the
whole range OF human thought Col.
Ingersoll could have found something
more sublime than that, 1t seems to
me that he could have found In the de-
SpiSed Christianity which he is so ready
To attack the grand sentiment, Love
thy God with all thy heart and thy
neighbor as myself. Applause. That
Is not at the basis of all civilization, not
a mere passing sentence like
Love is not love which alters
When II alteration finds.
LET us 60 on little further with
Mr. IugerSOll'S argument. 1t is an as
tOniShing thing that the colonel is will
ing 10 believe in miracle when IL APP
plies 10 a lad OF StratfOrd, but will not
believe in a miracle wrought by Him of
Bethlehem. Shakespeare was uncul-
tured: his ancestors back TO Adam could