The Washington times., 1912-01-18
CATEGORICAL ANSWERS
TO BACONIAN QUESTIONS

To the Editor Of THE TIMES;
The communication OF r. +. 11 In
The Times has indicated certain
number Of questions which 1t Is de-
sired to ask Mr.. e II. Sothern when he
comes to this city, regarding the so
called Baconian authorship OF the
Shakespeare plays. It would hardly
seem necessary to wait for Mr.. Soth-
ern's arrival. Any well filled library
Will answer the questions.
Q. /. Lord Macaulay proclaimed Bacon a
great poet. Is this not sgnifcant7
A. l. Lord Macaulay did not speak of
Bacon as poet. He merely said: "The
Eoetical faculty was powerful In Ba-
cons mind" as he might have said the
same thing concerning Jeremy Taylor.
Edmund Burke, or Daniel Webster.
O. 2. Is It not q fact that Shakespeare
was unknown to the people OF his own time.
except as player. not as poet7
A. O. 1t is not a fact that Shakespeare
wass unknown to the people of his own
time as a poet See Ingleby's Century
Of Praise" and wilder's Life Of
Shakespea are"
Q. 3. Is 1t not a fact that the only books
In stratford In the time Of Shakespeare were
chained to tables In noblemen's houses?
A; 1t Is not a fact that the only
books In Stratford in Shakespeare 8
nI'S " SiC thhiueu IiNts''o
The Stratford grammar school had been
long established and was one of the
best in England.
q. T.. What significance do you give to
the fact that Shakespeare was not mentioned
In any biography Of his time?
A. l. 1t is not true that Shakespeare
was not mentioned in any biography OF
the time, Meres and Aubrey both
refer to him
Q. s. Is II possible that a butchers son
of twenty-four could have written the SON
nets attributed to Shakespeare
A. g. A butchers son may have
ability as we'll as anybodv's else son,
written between 1894 and l5eS. when
Shakespeare was between thirty and
thirty-four years old.
Q. 9. Shakespeare gave his second best
bed to his wife. Can you marry this to
his verse?'
A. 6. There was nothing unusual or
discreditable In the provision OF Shakes
peare's will about the second best bed.
O. L Is illiteracy indicated by the fact
that Shakespeare wrote his name in four
teen ways?
+ A. Z. There Is no illiteracy indicated
10y the fat that the word Shakesreare"
was spelled in different ways. Racon's
name was spelled in different ways.
This does not indicate illiteracy, for
spelling was not then uniform.
Q. g. Would Lord Bacon, chancellor OF
England, be likely to put his name to a
stage play?
A. g. Lord Bacon did not become
chancellor until 1913. two years efter
Shakespeare's death. and he often as
sisted In the production of masks and
public entertainments, but playwriting
was not considered em!ncntly respect
able.
Q. .. Is It not a fact that all the testi-
mony indicates that Ben Jonson was brtbed
into silehce2
A. 0. Ben Jonson was not brbed TO
remain silent, nor was he silent. but
was an outspoken friend Of Shakespeare
as a poet.
Q. 10. II Ralph waldo Emerson was a
Baconian. do you think It fair to call US
idiots?
A. 10. Ralph Waldo Emerson was not
.. Baeonian. and his essay among his
"shakespeare or the Poet"
Q, II. Is not Bacons and Shakespeare
style the samef
a. II. shakespeare's style Is not the
style Of Bacon. nor do they even ap-
proach each other.
Ola. Is IL not a fact that all the great
students Of Bacon's works have been Of the
opinion that he was the author Of the plays
attributed to Shakespeare.
A. H. 1t is not a fact that even ON.
great student of Eacon's works is OF
the opinion that he was the author OF
the plays. Mr.. Abbot writes of him as
philosopher, a theologian. a politician,
and a moralist, but not as a poet. Mr.
Speeding says: ION this ground al..ne,
without inquiring further. believe that
the author Of the plays published in
1923 was a man called William Shakes.
peare. 1t was believed by those who
had the best means Of knowing, and
know nothing that should lead me to
doubt it." g.