The Irish standard., 1901-01-12

And now the Bacon Shakespeare
controversy is settled. Ignatius Don
nelly, the author of the cipher argu-
ment, is dead and the literary world
is ready to laugh at the needless pan
ic into which it was so easily thrown.
The quarrel is settled, for Bacon has
already been put back on his shelf
and Shakespeare still reigns supreme.
And yet, speaking Of shelves, there is
shelf at the public library which is
devoted to this very same argument,
says writer in the Chicago Chronicle.
It is crowded with much thumbed vol
umes which have, however, long since
gathered the dust without attention.
In the very center of the shelf and the
largest, drowsiest volume Of the lot is
that one written by Ignatius Donnelly
and called "The Great Cryptogram."
Every other volume on the shelf refers
respectfully to this one, rehashes its
argument, refuting or supporting its
thought. All the other volumes will,
no doubt, be thrown away in time, but
this one will remain to play a part in
literary history, but to make no more
converts; its work as missionary is
over.
Ignatius Donnelly, the author Of the
book and Of the thought, died Of heart
failure at Minneapolis at midnight
Jan. in the new century. In both a
political and literary way he has been
prominent in this country for 40 years.
He was an orator Of decided ability
and had been member of some Of the
famous debates Of his time. He was
q politician who ranged from one par
ty to another, influencing the policy of
each and domineering it's spirit during
the brief period of his power. He gave
to this country some excellent literary
contributions - Caesars Column"
1.-THE Golden Bottle" CDR. Huguet,"
1.-THE American Peoples Money" and
other volumes worthy of mention. It
is, however, none Of this work which
will keep Ignatius Donnelly's memory
green; it is 1.-THE Great Cryptogram," }"
which brought panic to the literary
world and, snatching Bacon and
Shakespeare from their dignified ped
estals, set them off at mad gallop afs
ter their laurels.
'"The Great Cryptogram" opens
thus: civilian Shakespeare did not
write the plays" Chapter the writ
er opens with the strongest argument:
"It was formerly the belief, enter
tained even among the critical, that
the writings which go by the name Of
William Shakespeare were the works
Of an untaught, unlearned man. Ad-
Olson compared Shakespeare to the
agate in the ring Of Pyrrhus, which
had the figure of Apollo and the nine
Muses. pictured in the veins of the
stone by the hand Of nature, without
any assistance from art. Voltaire re-
garded him as a drunken savage
Pope speaks of him as man Of no
education Richard Grant White says
Shakespeare was regarded even down
to the time of Pope as this bewitch-
ing but untutored and half-savage
child Of nature
"But in the last fifty years this view
is completely changed. The critical
world is now substantially agreed that
the man who wrote the plays was one
Of the most learned men of the world,
not only in that learning which comes
from observation and reflection, but
in booklore, ancient and modern, and
in the knowledge Of many languages"
The writer then proceeds with.
lengthy and well-substantiated argu-
ment concerning the learning Of
Shakespeare. There follows a consid-
erable discussion of the identity Of
style, with numerous parallelisms.
The chapter on parallelisms closes:
"In truth If any man would take
the pains to print the prose disquisi-
tions and monologues Of Shakespeare,
intermixed with extracts from as near
ly similar productions Of Bacon as
may be, the ordinary reader would
scarcely be able to tell which was
which. If such reader were handed
this passage and asked to name the
author I think the possibilities are
great that he would say it was from
the pen of Francis Bacon:
Novelty is only in request, and it
is dangerous to be aged in any kind
of course, as it is virtuous to be con-
slant to any undertaking. There is
scarce truth enough alive to make So
cieties secure. but security enough to
make fellowship assured; much upon
this riddle runs the wisdom Of the
world
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