then in danger of his head, and would have paid many thousand pounds to save it. In this account of the play and pamphlet we have endeavored to avoid the confusion into which those who have treated them seem to have fallen, caused, perhaps, by Bacon's ambiguous language. A critical examination, we feel sure, warrants our treatment of them. The fact that these plays in manuscript were in a book made up of Bacon's writings, coupled with what he says relative to the play, is a piece of evidence of their authorship by him so strong that ridicule of Baconian logic will not avail with reasonable minds. The trivial objection that the incriminating table of contents was left in the book will doubtless be urged against us, but it has passed into a proverb that culprits are forgetful. The contemporary character of the scribblings are unquestionable. Whether Bacon wrote them, or Davies, one of his scribes, does not particularly affect our interest in them. The word "Honorificabilitudino" is interesting, and most suggestive, as it is found in "Love's Labours Lost," as we have before said, with four syllables added. We believe that the unprejudiced reader will conclude that the Northumberland Manuscript is a strong link in the chain of evidence in favor of Bacon's authorship of the "Shakespeare" Works. Had we one as strong in favor of the actor's authorship it would be considered unbreakable by his friends. Consider for a moment what it would be to the Stratfordian cause, if a manuscript volume of pieces known to have been his, with a table of contents comprising the titles of the plays of "Richard II” and “Richard III," with the evidence that they had been removed from it. What meetings would be convened, what rejoicings we should hear. It would be a proud day for Lee and Robertson, and everybody interested in Shaksperian copyrights. IX THE SONNETS THE SONNETS have proved to be a treasure trove to literary faddists, and one who is lavish of time and patience to follow them in their wanderings can but realize how limited is human endeavor in speculative fields. Books galore have been written to discover the identity of "W. H." to whom the Sonnets were dedicated, as though this were matter of grave importance. One writer discerns behind the mysterious letters, which he reverses, Henry Wriothesley; others, William Harvey, William Hart, William Herbert, William Hathaway, and William Hughes. Mary Fitton, one of the actor's supposed mistresses, has also played an unsavory rôle in the discussion. The writer, therefore, has not the temerity, if he has the disposition, to advance any startling theory respecting these poetic gems, but we now have Bacon's life before us more fully than ever before, and we will venture to ask the reader, after a careful perusal of the Sonnets, - and they are amply worthy of very many readings, -to reread them in the light of Bacon's life, with this one suggestion, that it is quite natural for one whose mind is self-centered and introspective, to address himself in the third person: "Why art thou cast down, O my soul?" asks the psalmist; "And why art thou disquieted in me?" That they reflect the changing moods of the author and reflect his experiences is evident and admitted by all. That Bacon's experiences were peculiar is equally evident. Brought up in the atmosphere of a godless court, surpassing his contemporaries in learning, in brilliancy of mind, and in keenness of wit; with small means, but, for a considerable portion of his life, in expectancy of high official honors; constantly disappointed, owing to the Queen's distrust of him fostered by enemies enjoying official power, yet inspired by the highest ideals, and secretly devoting his life to the mental enfranchisement of his fellow men in an age when a knowledge of his work would have brought him to the block, it would be impossible for the work of such a man not to be colored by his life. Realizing this himself he expresses fear of discovery thus: LXXVI Why write I still all one, ever the same, And keep invention in a noted weed, That every word doth almost tell my name, Showing their birth and where they did proceed? Let us for a moment consider, if a poet were to write certain sonnet sequences embodying the experiences of his life, and in the Sonnets we are reviewing all critics have recognized that their author was doing this, how he would naturally proceed. Without doubt he would begin with springtime and youth, when both are brimming with life and the youthful heart is dominated by the Muse of Poetry. To her it joyously and wholly devotes its love, and pours out all the passion which inspires its song: I Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament And only herald to the gaudy spring, Within thine own bud buriest thy content And, tender churl, mak'st waste in niggarding. The singer's thought now becomes more self-centered, for he makes little distinction between his music and himself, and with the happy insouciance of the dreamer vibrates between them. To follow him in his varying moods this clue must not be dropped. The "gaudy spring" inevitably suggests the |