The Hawaiian gazette., 1898-09-30
Authorship is Questioned Along a
New Line.
CAREFUL AND LOGICAL ANAL USES
Considering the Actor and Writer IS Boy and
Msn-n,s Time and Connections.
Argument.

Whether Sir Philip Francis or Mr..
Burke wrote the Letters of Junius,
whether DR.. Gauden or Charles wrote
"Eikon Basilike" are questions that
will never cease to interest class,
thought it will be only a small class;
but as long as the best literature ever
vet produced by the human mind snail
continue to be read on any part OF the
globe men will be found willing to
hear further, II only rational conjec-
ture, on the question who wrote
Shakespeare" He that expects GER
tainty, or even, after a lapse or 900
years, expects an array Of facts and
course of reasoning that will leave the
inouisite mind satisfied, must be
disappointed Only a probable case Is
now possible, but a probable case will
he welcomed by the cultured mind.
Years ago Judge Holmes, of st. Louis,
a learned and strong writer, published
a book on the inquiry. He missed the
mark completely. A conclusive reason
against Shakespeare's authorship Oh
thirty-six plays, many OF them smohg
the best ever penned, Is that the TASK
Is too great for any one mind.
Holmes only increases the difficulty by
guessing that the plays came from the
pen OF Bacon, one OF the most fertlle
prose writer's Of that age. The world
is growing incredulous OF miracles as
modern and secular facts. UP to hfty
years ago 1t was believed that one
mind, Homer, produced the 'lliad,
and carried the whole twenty-four
books in his memory. Today all schol-
ars agree that that "Iliad" is made up
OF q number OF poems, composed by
bards who never saw each other, ana
gathered together and welded into one
great whole. In our day there remains
one literary miracle, the production of
the body of plays called Shakespeare
But is it in fact a miracle?
William Shakespeare was born IN
the village Of Stratford, in Warwick
shire, in 1864. His father, John
Shakespeare, was in early life rich, but
afterward became poor, quite poor In
childhood William went to the free
school, where, probably, only primary
studies were taught, but seems to have
left that school at an early age. AS
to the fathers vocation, there are two
traditions, one that he was a wool
dealer, another that he was butcher.
Probably both are true. In the middle
of the Sixteenth century cleared land
for meadows was scarce in England,
and to gather the clip of wool in the
neighborhood of village, clean 1t OF
burrs, wash and card 1t for the use OF
farmers wives, would be no great job.
The butchering business for SO small a
market would be light. A boy OF IA
with occasional help could do the
whole. william seems to have been
hayward. He married when barely
turned OF II, and appears to have mar
ried under compulsion. Nor did he
have a nice respect for the property
rights of his neighbors. He stole deer,
and when about 10 found it prudent to
flee from Stratford to London. In his
new abode immediate subsistence was
a necessity. London was then small
place, and people rode on horseback
to the theater, hiring persons to care for
their horses during the play. Young
Shakespeare took up the business OF
holding horses at the theater. BY his
promptness and politeness, perhaps
bOldness. he gave such satisfaction
that patronage increased, and he hired
otner poss, VINO wnen d snn ma,
roae up, stePpeu ior"al" WIN III
ohahespeare poy. Unless we eH.
Sept MS .act IN ssotins .an'on IN, .ns
70 INC ,'' S n.st pa.e VI n,,t , ,ho IaS,
W,,n ~ n 81 h,s ,a,at,n rarit
Soon our aSwentnrar cot emnlovmep,
inside the nIavbonse az callbov n,
snnernumerarv At that time the WORD
tbeater was not much used. hut in il,
steady playhouse. and the performers
were called. not actors, but players. In
. the tragedy of Hamlet they are called
players: There be players that have
seen play, etc" The playhouse was Q
large room in or attached to a tavern
and taking the name of the tavern, al
Globe, Blackiriars Fortune Red Bull
Bears Head
In Shakespeares DAY furitanism was
at It's height, ana IL mated ana detest'
ed pa! houses, players anu pays.
pIoeureu sharp i,, s.sias,on asa. nsa'ns
.he phe po auoan.a ms hao ~ ~
p inwod b bv p sntch &c have antborItva ,
The arcbhisbon Of Canterhnrv occas