The Bacon- Shakespeare Folly 367 



lieve that by the epithet " sweet swan of Avon " 

 Jonson really meant Francis Bacon! Dear me, 

 Mr. Keed, do you really mean it ? And how about 

 the editor of Beaumont and Fletcher in 1647, 

 when, in his dedication to Shakespeare's friend 

 the Earl of Pembroke, he speaks of " Sweet Swan 

 of Avon Shakespear " ? Was he too a participa- 

 tor in the little scheme for fooling posterity? Or 

 was he one of those who were fooled ? 



Whether Shakespeare had other chances for 

 book-lore than those which the grammar school 

 afforded, whether there was any interesting parson 

 at hand, as often in small towns, to guide and stim- 

 ulate his unfolding thoughts, upon such points 

 we have no information. But there were things to 

 be learned in the country town quite outside of 

 books and pedagogues. There, while the poet lis- 

 tened to the " strain of strutting chanticleer," and 

 watched the " sun-burn'd sicklemen, of August 

 weary," putting on their rye-straw hats and mak- 

 ing holiday with rustic nymphs, he could rejoice in 



" Earth's increase, f oison plenty, 

 Barns and garners never empty ; 

 Vines with clust'ring bunches growing- ; 

 Plants with goodly burthen bowing; " 



there he could see the "unbacked colts" prick 

 their ears, advance their eyelids, lift up their noses, 



