396 A Century of Science 



reductio ad absurdum of the Bacon theory that we 

 hardly need spend many words upon the gross im- 

 probabilities which that theory involves. The plays 

 of Shakespeare were universally ascribed to him by 

 his contemporaries ; many of them were published 

 during his lifetime with his name upon the title- 

 page as the author ; all were collected and published 

 together by Hemminge and Condell, two of his 

 fellow actors, seven years after his death ; and for 

 more than two centuries nobody ever dreamed of 

 looking for a different authorship, or of associating 

 the plays with Bacon. But this Chimborazo of 

 prima facie evidence becomes a mere mole-hill in 

 the hands of your valiant Baconizer. It is all clear 

 to him. Bacon did not acknowledge the authorship 

 of these works because such literature was deemed 

 frivolous, and current prejudices against theatres 

 and playwrights might injure his hopes of advance- 

 ment at the bar and in political life. Therefore, 

 by some sort of private understanding with the 

 ignorant and sordid wretch Shakespeare, 1 at whose 

 theatre they were brought out, their authorship 

 was ascribed to him, the real author died without 

 revealing the secret, and the whole world was de- 

 ceived until the days of Delia Bacon. 



1 The Baconizers usually delight in berating 1 poor Shakespeare, 

 making much of the deer-stealing business, the circumstances of 

 his marriage, etc. 



