hyperbolical praise, now in carping tones of censure. That is the
obvious solution of "the Jonsonian riddle."

I must apologise if I have in places spelled the name of the Swan of
Avon "Shakespeare" where Mr. Greenwood would write "Shakspere," and
vice versa. He uses "Shakespeare" where he means the Author;
"Shakspere" where he means Will; and is vexed with some people who
write the name of Will as "Shakespeare." As Will, in the opinion of
a considerable portion of the human race, and of myself, WAS the
Author, one is apt to write his name as "Shakespeare" in the usual
way. But difficult cases occur, as in quotations, and in conditional
sentences. By any spelling of the name I always mean the undivided
personality of "Him who sleeps by Avon."



CHAPTER I: THE BACONIAN AND ANTI-WILLIAN POSITIONS



Till the years 1856-7 no voice was raised against the current belief
about Shakespeare (1564-1616). He was the author in the main of the
plays usually printed as his. In some cases other authors, one or
more, may have had fingers in his dramas; in other cases, Shakespeare
may have "written over" and transfigured earlier plays, of himself
and of others; he may have contributed, more or less, to several
plays mainly by other men. Separately printed dramas published
during his time carry his name on their title-pages, but are not
included in the first collected edition of his dramas, "The First
Folio," put forth by two of his friends and fellow-actors, in 1623,