possessed poetic genius. The proof cannot possibly be found in his
prose works. In the prose of Mr. Ruskin there are abundant examples
of what many respectable minds regard as poetic qualities. But, if
the question arose, 'Was Mr. Ruskin the author of Tennyson's poems?'
the answer could be settled, for once, by internal evidence. We
have only to look at Mr. Ruskin's published verses. These prove
that a great writer of 'poetical prose' may be at the opposite pole
from a poet. In the same way, we ask, what are Bacon's acknowledged
compositions in verse? Mr. Holmes is their admirer. In 1599 Bacon
wrote in a letter, 'Though I profess not to be a poet, I prepared a
sonnet,' to Queen Elizabeth. He PREPARED a sonnet! 'Prepared' is
good. He also translated some of the Psalms into verse, a field in
which success is not to be won. Mr. Holmes notes, in Psalm xc., a
Shakespearean parallel. 'We spend our years as a tale that is
told.' Bacon renders:

As a tale told, which sometimes men attend,
And sometimes not, our life steals to an end.

In 'King John,' iii. 4, we read:--

Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale
Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.

Now, if we must detect a connection, Bacon might have read 'King
John' in the Folio, for he versified the Psalms in 1625. But it is
unnecessary to suppose a reminiscence. Again, in Psalm civ. Bacon
has--

The greater navies look like walking woods.