of the two.' My purpose is not so much to prove or to disprove as to correct the biographies as they stand to-day. A single point further should be added.

Mr. W. S. Booth has shown (4) that by applying to the first and last pages of the Shakespeare plays as printed in the First Folio, a variant of a commonly used mathematical cipher, one can read repeatedly a hidden acrostic of the name of Francis Bacon. The chief difference between this and the other ciphers which an unwilling world has had to examine from time to time is the fact that it works as its discoverer claims. That these acrostics are the result of human design has not, as this book goes to press, been definitely acknowledged. Mathematical analysis goes to show that intention is manifest and historical warrant is not wholly wanting. At any rate it is a remarkable fact that in the only document identifying William Shakespeare from Stratford with the poet the name of so illustrious a contemporary should be secretly embedded.

EPILOGUE.

"And now I have . . . marked the deficiencies. Wherein if I have differed from the ancient and received doctrines, and thereby given a handle to contradiction; for my part, as I am far from wishing to dissent, so I purpose not to contend. If it be truth,

Non canimus surdis, respondent omnia silvae:

the voice of nature will consent, whether the voice of man do or not. But as Alexander Borgia was wont to say of the expedition of the French to Naples, 'that they came with chalk in their hands to mark up their lodgings, and not with weapons to break in'; so I like better that entry of truth, which comes peaceably as with chalk to mark up those minds which are capable to lodge and harbor such a guest, than that which forces its way with pugnacity and contention."-From Francis Bacon's De Augmentis Scientarum, Book III., Chapter VI. (Spedding's translation.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

In the following Bibliography the attempt has been made to refer the reader, wherever possible, to easily accessible photographic reproductions or type fac-similes of original documents; and, failing this, to at least two easily accessible books containing the full texts of the documents. In several instances these texts are not available.

These abbreviations have been employed:

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H. P. "The Outlines of the Life of William Shakespeare," by J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps. Longmans, Green, 1908.-Lee Illust. "A Life of William Shakespeare,' by Sidney Lee. Illustrated Library Edition. Smith & Elder, 1899.-Lee="A Life of William Shakespeare," by Sidney Lee. The Macmillan Company, 1909.-Lambert "Cartea Shakespeareanae...." Arranged by

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D. H. Lambert. George Bell & Sons, 1904.-Allusion "The Shakespeare Allusion-Book: A Collection of Allusions to Shakespeare from 1591 to 1700. . . . Reedited, revised, and rearranged with an introduction, by John Munro." New York, Duffield & Co., 1909.— G. G. G. "The Shakespeare Problem Re-stated," by G. G. Greenwood. London, John Lane, 1908.

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CHAPTER ONE.

(1) H. P., ii. 73 et seq.

(2) H. P., i. 68, fac-simile.

(3) G. G. G., 24.

CHAPTER Two.

19.

(1) H. P., ii. 215 et seq.

(2) Fac-simile of the second draft (in part), Lambert,

(3) Fac-simile of the confirmation of the draft (in part), Lambert, 35.

CHAPTER THREE.

(1) Lee Illust., 8, fac-simile.

(2) Lambert, 3.

(3) H. P., ii. 55. Lambert, 4. (4) Lee Illust., 21, fac-simile.

(5) Lee Illust., 23, fac-simile.

(6) Lambert, 5. H. P., ii. 14 et seq.

(7) Lambert, 13. H. P., i. 121.

(19) H. P., ii. 57. Lambert, 27.

(20) Lee Illust., 156-157, fac-simile. Also H. P., i.