We are not surprised to find Mr. Bucke adopting Mrs. Pott's theory
of the novelty of 'Good morrow.' He writes in the Christmas number
of an illustrated sixpenny magazine, and his article, a really
masterly compendium of the whole Baconian delirium, addresses its
natural public. But we are amazed to find Dr. Abbott looking not
too unkindly on such imbecilities, and marching at least in the
direction of Coventry with such a regiment. He is 'on one point a
convert' to Mrs. Pott, and that point is the business of 'Good
morrow,' 'Uprouse,' and 'Golden sleepe.' It need hardly be added
that the intrepid Mr. Donnelly is also a firm adherent of Mrs. Pott.

'Some idea,' he says, 'may be formed of the marvellous industry of
this remarkable lady when I state that to prove that we are indebted
to Bacon for having enriched the English language, through the
plays, with these beautiful courtesies of speech, 'Good morrow,'
'Good day,' etc., she carefully examined SIX THOUSAND WORKS ANTERIOR
TO OR CONTEMPORARY WITH BACON.'

Dr. Abbott thought it judicious to 'hedge' about these six thousand
works, and await 'the all-knowing dictionary' of Dr. Murray and the
Clarendon Press. We have deemed it simpler to go to the first
Elizabethan phrase-book on our shelves, and that tiny volume, in its
very first phrase, shatters the mare's-nest of Mrs. Pott, Mr.
Donnelly, and Mr. Bucke.

But why, being a great poet, should Bacon conceal the fact, and
choose as a mask a man whom, on the hypothesis of his ignorance,
every one that knew him must have detected as an impostor? Now, one
great author did choose to conceal his identity, though he never