SHAKESPEARE, BACON AND THE GREAT UNKNOWN




INTRODUCTION



The theory that Francis Bacon was, in the main, the author of
"Shakespeare's plays," has now been for fifty years before the
learned world. Its advocates have met with less support than they
had reason to expect. Their methods, their logic, and their
hypotheses closely resemble those applied by many British and foreign
scholars to Homer; and by critics of the very Highest School to Holy
Writ. Yet the Baconian theory is universally rejected in England by
the professors and historians of English literature; and generally by
students who have no profession save that of Letters. The Baconians,
however, do not lack the countenance and assistance of highly
distinguished persons, whose names are famous where those of mere men
of letters are unknown; and in circles where the title of "Professor"
is not duly respected.

The partisans of Bacon aver (or one of them avers) that "Lord
Penzance, Lord Beaconsfield, Lord Palmerston, Judge Webb, Judge
Holmes (of Kentucky, U.S.), Prince Bismarck, John Bright, and
innumerable most THOUGHTFUL SCHOLARS EMINENT IN MANY WALKS OF LIFE,
AND ESPECIALLY IN THE LEGAL PROFESSION . . . " have been Baconians,
or, at least, opposed to Will Shakspere's authorship. To these names
of scholars I must add that of my late friend, Samuel Clemens,