The New York herald., 1921-06-26

El. BROWN reWerses the 9tti-
M tude of those who would take
W from Shakespeare to enlarge
Bacon's fame He makes the great
philosopher wiliing' aid to the poets
progress. His interpretations are not
asserted dogmatically, but he offers
plenty of circumstance that gives
plausible color to conjecture. And
his book has SO much matter o. in
trinsic interest that lovers Of the sew
enteenth century will be grateful for
it, aside from its argument. relating TO
the drama. The volume includes a
complete reprint of the "Gesta Cray
orum,' which has been reissued only
once, in 1923, since its first az pear
ance, in 1858.
The lawyers that frequented Gray's
Inn seem 10 have been a merry hot, bent
on revels and celebrations whenever
occasion offered. Here is Mr.. Browns
outline of their activities
From 1926 (perhaps earler) the
gentlemen of Gray's Inn hadat Christ
mas time a Lord of Misrule The Inns
of Court men composed their own plays
and acted in them. In 1929 one Simon
Fish of Gray's Inn acted,a part against
Cardinal Woolsey which so displeased
the great churchman than Fish had u
fly the country. In 1866 George Gas
coigne's Jocasta' was played by the
students of Gray's Inn. In 1873 the
poet Thomas Campion acted In a
comedy at Gray's Inn, and, in the fol-
lowing month several members of the
inn composed The Misfortunes Of Ar
thur which they performed az Green
wich before the Queen. The authors
of this 'Senecan' tragedy were Francis
Bacons (who acted in the dumb
shows). Christopher Yelverton. Nicho-
las Trot (who wrote the introductory
and five others. My own opinion is
that Grays Inn may be called the very
cradle and nursery of the English
drama
They had rare audiences-Queen
Elizabeth herself and lords knights
and right honorables without end Mr.
Brown believes that Shakespeare
wrote his COMEDY of Errors OF the
Christmas festivities of 1894.
up to the time of Gesta Grayorum,"
he writes, 'in fact. up to 1898, the
Shakespeare plays had appeared
anonymously but on the very date or
which the Comedy of Errors, was per-
formed at Gray's Inn Shakespeare's
name is for the first time recorded
among the Lord Chamberlain SER
wants. i. e.. the players
The great dramatist picked up
other. Bacon may have helped him
there Perhaps he translated for him
the old Norman French record of the
Hales case. which appears to have
given more than a hint for the grave
diggers' scene in Hamlet" But the
great William himself had direct ex-
perience with the courts. And Mr..
Brown notes the curious fact that IN
the legal documents relating to the
Stratford property, William Shakes
peare" at first stands alone. Five
years later Gentleman" was written
after the name!
There is a good deal of solemn fool
ing in the reprinted account of the
1894 Revels 1t contains a proclama-
ton of general amnesty with enough
synonyms to stock dictionary Every
body. including "naturals," was to be
forgiven from all maner of "inhibi-
tions. prohibitions. instructions, cor
rections. conspiracies. concavities
inanities, installations. Installations.
constillations"-and pages more Of the
like.
The hand of Bacon is said to be
plain in the speeches Of the Six Coun-
sellors. The first Of these advises war
in eloquent terms. But the second
is more worthy of this pioneer in mod
ern science and philosophy.
First. the collecting OF a most per-
feet and general library. wherein what
soever the wit of the man hath hereto
fore committed TO books of worth. be
they ancient or modern, printed or
manuscript, European or Of the other
parts, of one or other language. may
be made contrfbutary TO your wis
dom. Next. spacious wonderful gar
den, wherein whatsoever plant. the
sun of divers climates. out of the
earth of divers moulds. either wild. or
by the culture of man. brought forth.
may be, with that care that appertain-
WI W wv NV'h BiNCBfiliN AufltOls
set and cherished This garden TO be
built about with rooms. TO stable i'm all
rare beasts and 10 cage in all rare
birds; with two lakes adjoining. the
one of fresh water and the other Of
salt for like variety of fishes: and
so you may have. i'm n small com
pass. model Of universal nature made
private. The third goodly huge
cabinet. wherein whatsoever the hand
Of man, by exquisite art or engine.
hath made rare In stuff. form. or
motion. whatsoever singularity. chance,
and the shuttle OF things hath pro-
duced whatsoever nature hath wrought
in things that want life. and may be
kept shall be sorted and included The
fourth. such a Still-house so furnished
with mills. Instruments. furnaces and
vessels as may be n Palace fit for a
philosophers stone"
Faith