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Penzance； Mr。 Grant White； and other lawyers； who have expressed
their opinion on the matter of Shakespeare's legal acquirements。
。 。 。
Here it may； perhaps； be worth while to quote again from
Lord Penzance's book as to the suggestion that Shakespeare had
somehow or other managed 〃to acquire a perfect familiarity with
legal principles； and an accurate and ready use of the technical
terms and phrases； not only of the conveyancer's office； but of
the pleader's chambers and the Courts at Westminster。〃 This； as
Lord Penzance points out； 〃would require nothing short of
employment in some career involving CONSTANT CONTACT with legal
questions and general legal work。〃 But 〃in what portion of
Shakespeare's career would it be possible to point out that time
could be found for the interposition of a legal employment in the
chambers or offices of practicing lawyers？ 。 。 。 It is beyond
doubt that at an early period he was called upon to abandon his
attendance at school and assist his father； and was soon after；
at the age of sixteen； bound apprentice to a trade。 While under
the obligation of this bond he could not have pursued any other
employment。 Then he leaves Stratford and comes to London。 He
has to provide himself with the means of a livelihood； and this
he did in some capacity at the theater。 No one doubt that。 The
holding of horses is scouted by many； and perhaps with justice；
as being unlikely and certainly unproved； but whatever the nature
of his employment was at the theater； there is hardly room for
the belief that it could have been other than continuous； for his
progress there was so rapid。 Ere long he had been taken into the
company as an actor； and was soon spoken of as a 〃Johannes
Factotum。' His rapid accumulation of wealth speaks volumes for
the constancy and activity of his services。 One fails to see
when there could be a break in the current of his life at this
period of it； giving room or opportunity for legal or indeed any
other employment。 'In 1589；' says Knight； 'we have undeniable
evidence that he had not only a casual engagement； was not only a
salaried servant； as may players were； but was a shareholder in
the company of the Queen's players with other shareholders below
him on the list。' This （1589） would be within two years after
his arrival in London； which is placed by White and Halliwell…
Phillipps about the year 1587。 The difficulty in supposing that；
starting with a state of ignorance in 1587； when he is supposed
to have come to London； he was induced to enter upon a course of
most extended study and mental culture； is almost insuperable。
Still it was physically possible； provided always that he could
have had access to the needful books。 But this legal training
seems to me to stand on a different footing。 It is not only
unaccountable and incredible； but it is actually negatived by the
known facts of his career。〃 Lord Penzance then refers to the
fact that 〃by 1592 （according to the best authority； Mr。 Grant
White） several of the plays had been written。 'The Comedy of
Errors' in 1589； 'Love's Labour's Lost' in 1589； 'Two Gentlemen
of Verona' in 1589 or 1590；〃 and so forth； and then asks； 〃with
this catalogue of dramatic work on hand 。 。 。 was it possible
that he could have taken a leading part in the management and
conduct of two theaters； and if Mr。 Phillipps is to be relied
upon； taken his share in the performances of the provincial tours
of his companyand at the same time devoted himself to the study
of the law in all its branches so efficiently as to make himself
complete master of its principles and practice； and saturate his
mind with all its most technical terms？〃
I have cited this passage from Lord Penzance's book； because
it lay before me； and I had already quoted from it on the matter
of Shakespeare's legal knowledge； but other writers have still
better set forth the insuperable difficulties； as they seem to
me； which beset the idea that Shakespeare might have found them
in some unknown period of early life； amid multifarious other
occupations； for the study of classics； literature； and law； to
say nothing of languages and a few other matters。 Lord Penzance
further asks his readers： 〃Did you ever meet with or hear of an
instance in which a young man in this country gave himself up to
legal studies and engaged in legal employments； which is the only
way of becoming familiar with the technicalities of practice； unless
with the view of practicing in that profession？ I do not believe
that it would be easy； or indeed possible； to produce an instance
in which the law has been seriously studied in all its branches；
except as a qualification for practice in the legal profession。〃
This testimony is so strong； so direct； so authoritative；
and so uncheapened； unwatered by guesses； and surmises； and
maybe…so's； and might…have…beens； and could…have…beens； and must…
have…beens； and the rest of that ton of plaster of Paris out of
which the biographers have built the colossal brontosaur which
goes by the Stratford actor's name； that it quite convinces me
that the man who wrote Shakespeare's Works knew all about law and
lawyers。 Also； that that man could not have been the Stratford
Shakespeareand WASN'T。
Who did write these Works； then？
I wish I knew。
…
1。 From Chapter XIII of THE SHAKESPEARE PROBLEM RESTATED。
By George G。 Greenwood； M。P。 John Lane Company； publishers。
IX
Did Francis Bacon write Shakespeare's Works？ Nobody knows。
We cannot say we KNOW a thing when that thing has not been
proved。 KNOW is too strong a word to use when the evidence is
not final and absolutely conclusive。 We can infer； if we want
to； like those slaves。 。 。 。 No； I will not write that word；
it is not kind； it is not courteous。 The upholders of the
Stratford…Shakespeare superstition call US the hardest names they
can think of； and they keep doing it all the time； very well；
if they like to descend to that level； let them do it； but I
will not so undignify myself as to follow them。 I cannot call
them harsh names； the most I can do is to indicate them by terms
reflecting my disapproval； and this without malice； without venom。
To resume。 What I was about to say was； those thugs have built
their entire superstition upon INFERENCES； not upon known and
established facts。 It is a weak method； and poor； and I am
glad to be able to say our side never resorts to it while there
is anything else to resort to。
But when we must； we must； and we have now arrived at a
place of that sort。 。 。 。 Since the Stratford Shakespeare
couldn't have written the Works； we infer that somebody did。
Who was it； then？ This requires some more inferring。
Ordinarily when an unsigned poem sweeps across the continent
like a tidal wave whose roar and boom and thunder are made up of
admiration； delight； and applause； a dozen obscure people rise up
and claim the authorship。 Why a dozen； instead of only one or
two？ One reason is； because there are a dozen that are
recognizably competent to do that poem。 Do you remember
〃Beautiful Snow〃？ Do you remember 〃Rock Me to Sleep； Mother；
Rock Me to Sleep〃？ Do you remember 〃Backward； turn； backward； O
Time； in thy flight！ Make me a child again just for tonight〃？ I
remember them very well。 Their authorship was claimed by most of
the grown…up people who were alive at the time； and every
claimant had one plausible argument in his favor； at leastto
wit； he could have done the authoring； he was competent。
Have the Works been claimed by a dozen？ They haven't。
There was good reason。 The world knows there was but one man on
the planet at the time who was competentnot a dozen； and not
two。 A long time ago the dwellers in a far country used now and
then to find a procession of prodigious footprints stretching
across the plainfootprints that were three miles apart； each
footprint a third of a mile long and a furlong deep； and with
forests and villages mashed to mush in it。 Was there any doubt
as to who made that mighty trail？ Were there a dozen claimants？
Where there two？ Nothe people knew who it was that had been
along there： there was only one Hercules。
There has been only one Shakespeare。 There couldn't be two；
certainly there couldn't be two at the same time。 It takes ages
to bring forth a Shakespeare； and some more ages to match him。
This one was not matched before his time； nor during his time；
and hasn't been matched since。 The prospect of matching him in
our time is not bright。
The Baconians claim that the Stratford Shakespeare was not
qualified to write the Works； and that Francis Bacon was。
They claim that Bacon possessed the stupendous equipmentboth
natural and acquiredfor the miracle； and that no other
Englishman of his day possessed the like； or； indeed；
anything closely approaching it。
Maca