The morning call., 1892-05-08
Jefferson on the Drama.


Mr.. Joseph Jefferson spoke at Yale Col
lege April q on the subject Of Dramatic
Art. His address was full of interesting
"reminiscences. He closed it with the fol-
lowing
ANSWER To IGNATIUS DoNNELI.Y.
Respected member OF the Bar and State:
In Law and Literature profoundly great;
As you have thrust at an immortal name,
l eialm the right OF parrying the same.
Tor though I'm neither skilled in Law Science.
The gauntlet you've thrown down in bold defiance
tESpUuSiGg Baeon's cause armed cap-a-pie),
/ here take up to have a tilt with thee.
\ on pose before me as the great II am"
And flourish forth that deadly cTyptogram:
That curious volume. mystic and misleading,
So-jointiy " To your case Of special pleading.
But defy them both, for good III,
And stand the champion OF Immortal Will"
SO snail my sword upon thine own impiuge,
The croaking Raven bellows forth Revenge"
The Actor doth tue Lawyer here oppose
The sock and buSRin for tAe wOoisack goes.
Lay on, Macduff.
With all your legal stuff,
And damned be ne
Who first cries, Hold, enough
Stay: Ere GENE to blows, with main and might
| beg 20 scan the ground on which we fight.
The questions this, II am not mlstskeH,
Did Shakespeare or did Francis Bacon.
Inspired by genius aud by learning, TOO.
Compose the wondrous works we have in view ?"
The scholar Bacon was man of knowledge,
But Inspiration isn't taught at college.
With al the varied gifts In Wits possession
The wondering world asks WHAT was his profess
lie must have been a lawyer. says the lawyer;
He surely wa a sawyer, says the sawyer;
The druggist says. OF course. he a chemist;
The sEilied mechanic dub5 him maclinist;
The thoughtful sage declares him but thinker,
And every tinman swears he was a tinker.
II Shakespeare was so poor piece of stuff,
How IS il Bacon trusted him enough
To throw these valued treasures AT his feet
And not so much as ask for rece pit
such confidence is almost monstro5ty
Aud speaks OF uneXamplsd generosity.
on, liberal Francis. tell US why we fiid
Pcpe calling thee the IN alest OF mankind"?
But now 10 Shakes peare let us turn | pray
Ia SaN
Fist, then Ben JonSon. jealous OF WHIPS wit,
Paid tribute when his epitaph he writ
II other proofs wanting than Rare Ben's
We viii consult forthwith group OF friends.
Awake Beaumont and Fletcher, spenser, Rowe,
Arise! and tell Us. for YOU surely know:
Was, or was not, my client the great poet?
Aud If he wasn't don I you think yon Enowit9
Gould they be hoodwinked Were they deaf or
bllndf
hnd IL stated TO our bard's d,scredit-
And lis the author OF the cryptic who said it
I hat ShakespeareS tastes were vulgar aud besotted
and all his family have been allotted
To herd and ,onsort with the low and squalid;
But whence the proof TO make this statement valid ,
They even say his daughter coult rot read:
o. such statement can take no heed
Except 10 marvel at the logic OF the slight:
So, II she couldn't read he couldn't wrItes
our proofs are too confusing. and as such
You've ouly proved that you have proved too much
Ihe details OF three hundred years ago
We can't accept, because do not know.
The general facts We are prepared swallow
W hle unlmpOrtant triheS beat hollow.
That Nero was sinner,
But We can't tell
What Nero had for dinner.
just take my hand and come with ne
To where once stood the famous mulberry tree.
Then onto StrattOru church, herc take ii peep
AT where the fathers OF the hamlet" sleep"
They hold the place OF honor for tire dead,
The family OF Shakespeare at the head
Before the altar OF this sacred place
They have been given buriai and grace.
our ysgue traditions are bat ! SurmiSe:
The proof ODER IS before your eyes
III.
And oil. my comrades. brothers all in art,
Permit me iuSt one moment 70 depart
From this my subject, urging you some day
o seek tbIs sacred spot aud humNiy pay
That Sbakespeare's rage toward as viii kindly
soften
Because, you know, we've murdered him SO often.
1 ASK this for myself poor comedian:
What should do had been tragedians
I could pie up Tot OF other stun.
But have taxed your patience quite enough;
10 fgFniBg Yer the matter iE my mud
This is the plain solution that ind;
II surely is-"whoe'er the cap may ht"-
Conceded that TheSa w1ndrous plays were writ
50 IL my ShaS espeare's not the very same.
1t must have been another OF that uame.