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No traces of Bacon found in Act iii. Scenes 2, 3, and 4; nor in the Chorus, parts 1, 2, 3, and 4 (excepting a remark on highclimbing and deep-falling in part 3; see Promus, No. 484) none in the Argument nor in Act iv. 1.

Nothing lesse.

Act iv. Scene 2.

Promus, Nos. 308 and 1400a.

You speak in clouds.

(He) keeps himself in clouds. (Ham. iv. 5.)

My silence, and my cloudy melancholy. (Tit. And. ii. 3.)

The cloudy messenger. (Macb. iii. 6, &c.)

Unfold.

Compare Promus, Nos. 1012 and 1416.

No traces of Bacon in Act iv. 3; none in Chorus, parts 1, 2, and 3.

As mellow fruit falls.

Chorus, Part 4.

Like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree,

But fall unshaken when they mellow be. (Ham. iii. 2.)

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Shook down my mellow hangings. (Cymb. iii. 3, and Cor. iv. 6, 101.)

No traces in the Argument to Dumb Shows 1, 2, and 3, in Act iv. Scene 3.

Argument to Dumb Show, Fifth and last.

A target, depicted with a man's heart sore wounded and the blood gushing out, crowned with a crown imperiall, and a lawrell garland, thus written on toppe :- En totum quod superest.' Promus, No. 423.

Act v. Scene 1.

Linking friendship.

Promus, No. 594.

Fruit of fame.

Fruits of duty, R. II. iii. 4; fruits of love, 3 H. VI. iii. 2; Oth. ii. 3; fruits of wickedness, Tit. And. v. 1, Oth. v. 1 &c.

P P

Pillar of state.

Pillars of the state. (2 Hen. VI. i. 1.)

Double greefe.

'Tis a double labour. (1 Hen. IV. v. 2.)

He does me a double wrong. (R. II. iii. 2.)

Double, double toil and trouble. (Macb. iv. 1.)
Promus, No. 967.

He was in years but young, in wit too olde.
Promus, No. 152.

Death dreadless to the good.

Promus, No. 1113.

The Epilogue seems to have been written by Bacon.

APPENDIX I.

'CONTYNUANCES OF ALL KINDS.'

SOME curious particulars have been collected by means of a comparison of the 'Contynuances' which were used by Bacon in his prose writings at various periods of his literary life, with the 'Contynuances' which are to be found in Shakespeare's plays of the earlier and later periods. Only a few details can be given here, but these will show that the same progressive improvements may be noted in this particular, in both groups of works, and that if Bacon's note shows him to have felt that a poverty in contynuances' was a weak point in his own style, and a point which he set himself to work to improve, the author of the plays, at about the same period, noted the same defect in his own diction, and in a like manner set about correcting it. At any rate, it is a fact which anyone may prove for himself, that the number and variety of the 'contynuances' (or modes of resuming or continuing a subject of discourse), are found steadily to increase in successive plays later than the Taming of the Shrew, written, according to Dr. Delius, in 1594, and about the date of the Promus entries.

Thus, in Titus Andronicus (before 1591) there are about eighty 'contynuances.' We find the following words used for this pur

pose:-And, as if, ay, because, but, come, first, for, nay, now, so, surely, then, therefore, thus, well, why, yet.

Eleven of these eighteen words are used only once or twice; why, nine times, but, five times.

In this early play, and appears no less than forty-five times at the commencement of a line, or immediately after a full stop, and in act v. scene 2 there are sixteen lines (186 to 201 inclusive), of which ten begin with and.1

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Again, in 1 Hen. VI. (date 1591) there have been counted about 110 contynuances,' amongst which and occurs sixty-five times. The other forms are the same as in Titus Andronicus, excepting that the latter play has as if and because, whilst 1 Hen. VI. has besides and since, each once only.

If now we pass over the other plays of the so-called First Period, and examine in a similar manner the forms of continuation in a play written four or five years later than Titus Andronicus, the advance which has been made in regard to this point of style is very remarkable.

Let us take, for instance, The Merchant of Venice (date 1595). In this play there are about 150 'contynuances' which are found not only to include the eighteen or twenty words which have been already enumerated, but also at least twenty other forms, such as-Certainly, indeed, for my part, if this be so, it would seem that, in a word, in truth, well, believe me, &c. (some of which, it may be observed, are Promus entries). There is more equality in the use of the various forms than was found in the earlier plays, and, for instance, being used only fifteen times after a stop, whilst other words, such as, now, then, therefore, what, well, why, &c., are almost equally frequent. Conversation has become less abrupt and jerky, and the improvement in style is marked.

Turning next to Hen. VIII., which is reckoned as being the latest of the plays-(or, perhaps it should be said, an early play rewritten or touched up much later than the rest)--we may count upwards of a hundred continuances. The elegance of these is And has almost much superior to those in The Merchant of Venice. disappeared as a commencement of sentences (it has only been noticed in Act ii. Scene 2, 1. 43)—whilst the new forms are abundant, and for the most part now in such general use that it seems difficult to realise the fact that they were only introduced into ordinary conversation towards the end of Elizabeth's reign. Such

1 See also Sonnet lxvi., where, out of fourteen lines, ten begin with and. Comp. remarks in Philology (p. 119), J. Peile, M.A.

are- -After all, again, also, as for me, further, hence, now this follows, thence it follows, thus far, &c.

In comparing the earlier and later essays of Bacon the same differences may be observed, but in a minor degree, on account of the style being no longer colloquial.

In the first three essays, Of Studies, Of Discourse, and Of Ceremonies (written 1597-8), there are twenty-eight 'contynuances,' and they are the same as some of those found in Titus Andronicus. They ring the changes upon the following words :And, as if, because, but, for, so, that is, therefore, yet.

But if we turn to the essay Of Simulation and Dissimulation (written in 1625), which contains about the same number of lines as the other three essays together, we find not only all the 'contynuances' which are used in the first three essays, but many others which are also in Henry VIII. and in plays later than Richard III. Such are-Again,' in a few words,2 it followeth,3 it is good that, therefore set it down that, to say truth.6

There is no such gradual change or improvement to be seen in other authors of the Elizabethan period.

In Ben Jonson's first play, Every Man in His Humour (acted 1598), the 'contynuances' are effected by means of the same words which are used in Titus Andronicus, with the addition of six other expressions which all occur in plays from The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1591) to the Taming of the Shrew (1594) : Is it possible believe me; 'tis true (or you say truly); I'll warrant you; How now and O Lord, sir. These expressions are all entered in Bacon's Promus.

Let the student turn now to any of Ben Jonson's plays, written in or about 1625, the date of Bacon's latest essay. The Staple of News is the only regular play which Jonson wrote at this date. If this is examined in the same manner as the preceding pieces, no difference or improvement will be found in the ordinary 'contynuances' which are used, but-a noteworthy point -all the forms which appear to have been borrowed from Bacon have disappeared, with the exception of 'How now?'

1 Again, again, ask him his purposes. (Lear, v. 3.)

2 In few words. (Tim. Ath. iii. 5.) In few, Ophelia. (Ham. i. 3; and see 2 H. IV. i. 1 ; M. M. i. 1 ; Temp. i. It follows as the night the day.

4 'Twere good you let him know.

spoken with. (Ib. iv. 5.)

2.)

(Ham. i. 3.)

(Ham. iii. 4.) 'Twere good she were

Meet it is I set it down that, &c. (Ib. i. 5.)
To say the truth on't. (Cor. iv. 5, rep. iv. 6.)

Of the latest of Ben Jonson's works, The New Inn, The Magnetic Lady, A Tale of a Tub, The Sad Shepherd, and The Case is Altered (all written about 1632), the same remarks may be made. The forms of continuation are the same which were in general use at the date when Bacon began to write. The newer and peculiar forms, which he invented or collected with a view to introducing them into his own writings or conversation, have dropped out of Ben Jonson's memory, and the only trace which has been noticed of Bacon's influence on Ben Jonson's language in these later plays is the solitary use, in The Case is Altered, i. 2, of the exclamation 'O Lord, sir!' which forms the Promus entry No. 1405.

Examples have been drawn from the works of Ben Jonson, not because they are more striking than those which can be offered by other authors of the same period, but because his works are so voluminous, and extend over so many years, that they seem to afford the most ample materials for forming a judgment as to the common or rare use of certain expressions. The remarks which have been made apply equally to other contemporary writers.

In Lyly's Euphues (1579–1580), the 'contynuances' are more varied than in any works, excepting Bacon's, until nearly a century later. Besides all the common introductory or continuing words, we find a variety of more elegant forms used once or twice as introductions: but suppose that1 (or suppose now), but why talk I of this, but here will I rest myself,3 but I let pass, concerning that, hereof it cometh (or followeth), I perceive

2

1 Suppose, my Lord, he did it unconstrained. (3 Hen. VI. i. 2; ii. 4, 2; iv. 1, 14; v. 5, 18, &c.; eight times.

2 But what talk we of fathers. (As Y. Z. iii. 4.) But what talk I of this? (T. Sh. iv. 1; Win. T. iv. 3; Cor. iii. 1; Cor. iv. 6, &c.) What shall I speak of . Don Anthony? (Discourse in Pr. of the Qu.; Sped. L. L. i. 135, 138 (rep.), 139, 142 (rep.).

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But let it rest. (1 Hen. VI. iv. 1.) I rest perplexed. (Tb. v. 5.) I rest assured. (Jul. Cæs. v. 3, &c.) And so I rest. (Adv. to Duke of Rutland.)

But let it pass. .(L. L. L. v. 1.) But let that pass. (Mer. Wiv. i. 4.) * Concerning Jaquenetta. (L. L. L. i. 1.) Concerning this. (Oth. v. 1, &c., twelve times.) Concerning the materials of seditions. (Ess. Of Seditions.) Concerning those that are more or less subject to envy. (Ess. Of Envy.) Concerning the means of procuring unity. (Ess. Of Unity.) • Thereof comes it. (Com. Er. v. 1.) Thereof comes the proverb. (Tw. G. Ver. iii. 1.) Hence comes it that. (Tam. Sh. 2, ind.) Whence comes this restraint. (M. M. i. 3.). Then it follows thus. (Tam. Sh. i. 1.) It follows not. (Tw. G. Ver. iii. 2.) What follows? (John, i. 1.) Then

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