WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE?

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 197, 4 August 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

WHO WROTE SHAKESPEARE?

THE POINTS IN THIS GREAT AKGUMENT SIMPLY DISCUSSED

This year marks the 300 th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. Most of us believe he wrote the famous plays which bear his name. But thero are many thosuands who are convinced that the read author wa.-s Fiances Bacon. Ths Bacon theory was first propounded n the year 1847. when Delia Bacon published a book in which she tried to show first that William Shakespeare could not possibly have written any of these plays, and secondly, that Francis Bacon was their tiTte author. We must, first consider the facts that we know about there men s lives. Farn Shakespeare was born at Strat-ford-on-Avon somewhere about 1->G-J He lived in that little village until lie was nearly thirty years of age; then he went to seek his fortune in Wo know that he became an actor, anu that- in middle age he settled doivn to fairly prosperous life in Stratfoid, having purchased twenty acres (if pasture hind. He d'ed on April 23rd, 1616. , , There is nothing to show that lie was a learned man ; wo have only five hadH written signatures to prove that ho coudl wti'te at all.

BAC'OX WAS AX EDUCATED .MAX Bacon 011 the other hand, was a very well-educated man and a great scholar. Born in 1561, he entered Irinity College. Cambridge, at the age ot twelve, and at lift wen knew all that the I niversity could teach him. He travelled abroad for a year and a half, and on his return studied lor the Bar, being admitted while still only twenty-two. Two vears later k.e was elected a member of Pa ilia men 1. and remained-so tor thirty years, publishing essays 011 various subjects Ironi time to tune. Judging ])iirely from the eircunisian(os of their lives, .Bacon seems the moor likely man to be the writer of great books. How could Shakespeare—who, so far as we know, was never out of England —write such a play Merchant of Venice ? Isn t probable that it was written who had quite cortanly been Don't a',l the plays scholar and a of th^^^^H rather than of an uneducated^^^^| Another important proof the "Prom 11s" argument. us of formularies and notebook prepared by for his own use, in which he ten down all kinds of words, caught None of t made use 01 in his but they continually in How could Shakespeare have l ; ar with Bacon's private not^^^^J Asia than world. The largest vineyard in S'ope, California * Wont ens' l.iuidon^^^^H larger provincial cities are now prosperity gro^^^^H any other "Somewhere Pharoah w torpedoed" is .soldier friend at A\ * soldiers marry marry Italy, to recent bv tlieir re-pective x -xOnlv te the as si ■ iini^^^^H 70,0(10 phosphate boras'. < • r• I'r. and lead. Holland i as- over 10.000 windmills. ri of wli'-ji drain- nboul .'>lo a.-n»s 1 land.