744 The Bight Hon. D. H. Madden [May 20, 



I have suggested tliese possibilities with no intention of engaging 

 in the most fruitless of all inquiries — speculation as to what might 

 have been — but for a practical purpose. If we would clearly discern 

 the man Shakespeare in relation to the known facts of his life, it is 

 needful to close our eyes to the dazzling splendour of his later works. 

 I invite you to do this for a moment, and, forgetful of theories, fancies 

 and transcendental criticism, to fix your attention uj)on a few simple 

 facts, proved by clear evidence, in the hope that we may be thus aided 

 in the realisation of a personality, at once the most attractive and 

 the most elusive. 



For a reason, which will appear presently, I take the close of the 

 year 1592 as the termination of what I have called the early life and 

 Work of Shakespeare. Of the man as he then existed, of the life 

 which for some twenty-eight years he had lived on this earth, of the 

 knowledge which he had acquired, of the pursuits in which he had 

 engaged, and of the literary work which he had accomplished, we 

 have means of knowledge fuller and more certain than we possess 

 with regard to many great men whose lives are separated from ours 

 by a much shorter interval of time ; and the man, as we know him, 

 and his work as we possess it, are in complete accord. 



And yet Hallam wrote, with absolute truth, that of William 

 Shakespeare " it may be truly said that we scarcely know anything." 

 For he thus explained his meaning : " If there was a Shakespeare of 

 earth, as I suspect, there was also one of heaven ; and it is of him 

 that we desire to know something." Of the Shakesijeare of heaven ; 

 of the creator of Hamlet, Othello and Lear, our knowledge has been 

 fairly summed up in the words : " He lived, and he died ; and he was 

 a little lower than the angels." And yet one other fact is certain. 

 The Shakespeare of whom we would know something was one and the 

 same person with his eaidier self, and any knowledge which we may 

 gain of the one adds to our understanding and appreciation of the 

 other. 



I have chosen the end of the year 1592 as a point in Shakespeare's 

 life, because it is then that we obtain our earliest view of the man, in 

 the light of a contemporary notice. Every student of the life of 

 Shakespeare is familiar with the words in which he was denounced 

 by Greene, who, when repenting on his deathbed of many grievous 

 sins, somehow forgot to include " envy, hatred, malice and all un- 

 charitableness." The authenticity of this passage, and its application 

 to Shakespeare have not been questioned, but its full significance has 

 I think, been overlooked. 



In his ' Groatsworth of Wit ' Greene conveyed a solemn warning 

 to certain persons, three in number, whom he addressed as " Gentlemen, 

 his quondam acquaintances, that spend their wit in making Plaies." 

 Of these the first and third have been identified with reasonable 

 certainty as Marlowe and Nash. The second is probably either 

 Lodge or Peele. They are entreated to employ their rare wits in 

 more profitable courses than writing plays for play-actors. They are 



