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FRANCIS BACON

AND HIS SHAKESPEARE.

CHAPTER I.

IT is a thrice-told tale of Gilbert Stuart, the painter, that having confided to a friend a secret in the mixture of colors, when this friend afterwards asked that it might be intrusted to another, Stuart refused; writing, "I know it, that is 1; you know it, that makes 11; tell your friend, and there are 111; but that is one hundred and eleven."

This graphic portrayal of the cumulative effect of numbers upon the disclosure of a secret illustrates equally well the multiplied potency of evidence in the revelation of the truth, when it links together in a continuous sequence, instead of being merely an aggregation of disconnected facts. That which before had only a nominal value of three, is thereby, under the established laws of evidence, raised to an actual probative power of one hundred and eleven while the addition of another unit in the like relations increases its value to one thousand one hundred and eleven. If we continue this process indefinitely, Arithmetic at length becomes "dizzy" and we arrive at certainty, the end of mathematics. Always provided that it is possible for the human intellect, unaided, to arrive at certainty regarding anything; -- for only the Infinite One can comprehend all the relations, which in their whole constitute the Truth.

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One after another, isolated parallelisms between the

plays and Bacon's acknowledged writings have been repeatedly pointed out, in ever-increasing numbers. But the general public still remains unconvinced of Bacon's authorship; evidently for some good reason, for it is but fair to presume the prevalence of sincerity and of a willingness to know and accept the reality, if only it be made clearly manifest.

The reason is to be found in that conservative instinct, dominant in the sound mind, which forbids the acceptance of a novel theory, if the facts presented in its support, interpreted in the light of experience, are fairly explainable in harmony with the old established beliefs.

This is altogether to be commended; for otherwise humanity, drifting from its moorings, without bearings or compass, would be perpetually tossed upon the waves of inconstant opinion, on a veritable mare incognitum.

Now, fairly stated, like parallelisms, though in much less numbers in each instance, have been found in the writings of many authors, ancient and modern, and where obviously, in many cases, they fall within the category of coincidences. Hence the attitude generally assumed towards these newly discovered parallelisms. While they are confessedly numerous, some of them very striking, nevertheless, this ready explanation, drawn from experience, is almost involuntarily applied to them; and in result, the conservative mind usually withholds its assent, regarding them merely as coincidences; interesting perhaps, and it may be inviting further investigation, but as wholly insufficient, in and of themselves, to establish the proposition advanced.

Coincidences, indeed, are in their essence simply developments of chance; capricious, intermittent, irregular, and desultory in their happenings. Such likewise are isolated parallelisms, and therefore the pertinent application of the theory of coincidences in their explanation.

But once eliminate these characteristics by the unfolding of a continuous parallelism, running through the whole of a material portion of one of the principal plays, involving a wide diversity of elements, and faithful both in detail and comprehensively, and obviously the theory of chance as an explanation would no longer be tenable, since it would cease to be applicable. We would then enter another domain, where law prevails, and where by continued application we must come at length to a definite and satisfactory conclusion; as surely as did Harvey, when he traced the blood through the veins and arteries till he arrived at the heart of the matter and the solution of the problem.

But is not the fulfilment of such a condition an impossibility with any author, comparing even his acknowledged writings, when upon different subjects? Truly, it would be so anomalous, so contrary to all recognized human experience, that to some minds, conservative ones too, if found in any production, it would be only explainable upon the hypothesis that it was thus written of purpose, with that design and intenta difficult but not impossible undertaking. The reader, however, must be the judge as to whether this onerous condition be indeed here fulfiled.

We have selected for comparison Prospero's narrative to Miranda of their previous history, in The Tempest, Act I., Scene 2, it being admirably adapted for the purpose. It is from beginning to end deeply interesting, a revelation of humanity in its stern reality, uncovering the recesses of the heart, bringing into view its motives, its choices and their consequences, and enabling us to follow continuously its devious workings. It is of considerable length, extending over five pages in the" Handy Volume" edition it is complete in itself, forming a well-rounded whole, and yet integral with the play, its very core, the central hub into which all the spokes converge,

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The following brief quotations from Mr. Denton J. Snider's able commentary on The Shakespearian Drama sufficiently indicate the relative importance of the selection:

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Tempest stands very high in the list of Shakespeare's dramas; in some respects it is his supreme work. Its wonderful types, its perfect symmetrical structure, its bright poetic language, but, above all, its profound signification, must always make it a favorite among the thoughtful readers of the Poet.'

"The play is often considered Shakespeare's last, and it may be regarded as a final summing up of his activity— or, indeed, that of any great poet."

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"The Poet clearly enters the realm of conscious symbolism, in the present drama, and the reader must follow him or remain outside. Hamlet is doubtless more fully delineated; still in Prospero the Poet is all his characters and himself too."

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"The second scene of the First Act, which now follows, is the most important one in the play, for it gives the key to the action. . . . He lays down his magic mantle-that is, he assumes the individual relation to his daughter — and then begins to give an account of his life and conflicts as an individual."

This ostentatious laying aside of the magic garment, and with it his subtle power over the elements, is evidently part of the symbolism of the play: it invites our attention and possibly influences our choice.

The intrinsic importance of the proceeding would seem to justify the length of the selection, if indeed it be not a necessity of the situation; while doubters, at least, should be the first to commend and the last to complain. Whatever be the outcome, however, the reader's patience may perhaps be amply rewarded by the attainment, incidentally, of a better comprehension of Francis Bacon him

self, and of his varied and wonderful powers; whose quality may be tasted even in the crumbs that have here fallen from his bountiful table. If the reader will kindly bear this in mind, the proverbial "dry crusts" of annotations may possibly be transformed, by his subtle alchemy, into both palatable and nutritious food.

The broader the lines traversed in the reader's mind, the more comprehensive the view that will open before him: and defects in details, incident to such a possibility, may perhaps be forgiven, in the greater satisfaction af forded by the enlarged prospect. Moreover, any structure is much more stable resting upon a base than upon a point : and certainly, in this case, the foundation will be the more solid, if the manifestation of the workings of one and the same unique mentality be made not only continuous, but continuously abundant.

(For convenient comparison, the quotations from Bacon's recognized writings are interposed between the lines of the play, the italics being in most cases our own.)

"Twelve years since, Miranda, twelve years since,"

The name Miranda is itself exquisitely significant, and according to ancient classic usage, symbolizes the quality therein expressed; thus delicately shadowing forth the essential character of the play.

"It may be that my reverence for the primitive time carries me too far, but the truth is that in some of these fables, as well in the very frame and texture of the story as in the propriety of the names by which the persons that figure in it are distinguished, I find a conformity and connection with the thing specified, so close and so evident, that one cannot help believing such a signification to have been designed and meditated from the first, and purposely shadowed out. . . Then again there is a conformity and significance in the very names, which

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