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men。 The three spent at the university were coeval with the second and last three spent by the little Stratford lad at Stratford school supposedly； and perhapsedly； and maybe； and by inferencewith nothing to infer from。 The second three of the Baconian six were 〃presumably〃 spent by the Stratford lad as apprentice to a butcher。 That is； the thugs presume iton no evidence of any kind。 Which is their way； when they want a historical fact。 Fact and presumption are； for business purposes； all the same to them。 They know the difference； but they also know how to blink it。 They know； too； that while in history…building a fact is better than a presumption； it doesn't take a presumption long to bloom into a fact when THEY have the handling of it。 They know by old experience that when they get hold of a presumption…tadpole he is not going to STAY tadpole in their history…tank； no； they know how to develop him into the giant four…legged bullfrog of FACT； and make him sit up on his hams； and puff out his chin； and look important and insolent and come…to… stay； and assert his genuine simon…pure authenticity with a thundering bellow that will convince everybody because it is so loud。 The thug is aware that loudness convinces sixty persons where reasoning convinces but one。 I wouldn't be a thug； not even ifbut never mind about that； it has nothing to do with the argument； and it is not noble in spirit besides。 If I am better than a thug； is the merit mine？ No； it is His。 Then to Him be the praise。 That is the right spirit。
They 〃presume〃 the lad severed his 〃presumed〃 connection with the Stratford school to become apprentice to a butcher。 They also 〃presume〃 that the butcher was his father。 They don't know。 There is no written record of it； nor any other actual evidence。 If it would have helped their case any； they would have apprenticed him to thirty butchers； to fifty butchers； to a wilderness of butchers… …all by their patented method 〃presumption。〃 If it will help their case they will do it yet； and if it will further help it； they will 〃presume〃 that all those butchers were his father。 And the week after； they will SAY it。 Why； it is just like being the past tense of the compound reflexive adverbial incandescent hypodermic irregular accusative Noun of Multitude； which is father to the expression which the grammarians call Verb。 It is like a whole ancestry； with only one posterity。
To resume。 Next； the young Bacon took up the study of law； and mastered that abstruse science。 From that day to the end of his life he was daily in close contact with lawyers and judges； not as a casual onlooker in intervals between holding horses in front of a theatre； but as a practicing lawyera great and successful one； a renowned one； a Launcelot of the bar； the most formidable lance in the high brotherhood of the legal Table Round； he lived in the law's atmosphere thenceforth； all his years； and by sheer ability forced his way up its difficult steeps to its supremest summit； the Lord Chancellorship； leaving behind him no fellow craftsman qualified to challenge his divine right to that majestic place。
When we read the praises bestowed by Lord Penzance and the other illustrious experts upon the legal condition and legal aptnesses； brilliances； profundities and felicities so prodigally displayed in the Plays； and try to fit them to the history…less Stratford stage… manager； they sound wild； strange； incredible； ludicrous； but when we put them in the mouth of Bacon they do not sound strange； they seem in their natural and rightful place； they seem at home there。 Please turn back and read them again。 Attributed to Shakespeare of Stratford they are meaningless； they are inebriate extravagancies intemperate admirations of the dark side of the moon； so to speak； attributed to Bacon； they are admirations of the golden glories of the moon's front side； the moon at the fulland not intemperate； not overwrought； but sane and right； and justified。 〃At every turn and point at which the author required a metaphor； simile or illustration； his mind ever turned FIRST to the law； he seems almost to have THOUGHT in legal phrases； the commonest legal phrases； the commonest of legal expressions were ever at the end of his pen。〃 That could happen to no one but a person whose TRADE was the law； it could not happen to a dabbler in it。 Veteran mariners fill their conversation with sailor…phrases and draw all their similes from the ship and the sea and the storm； but no mere PASSENGER ever does it； be he of Stratford or elsewhere； or could do it with anything resembling accuracy； if he were hardy enough to try。 Please read again what Lord Campbell and the other great authorities have said about Bacon when they thought they were saying it about Shakespeare of Stratford。
CHAPTER X
The Rest of the Equipment
The author of the Plays was equipped； beyond every other man of his time； with wisdom； erudition； imagination； capaciousness of mind； grace and majesty of expression。 Every one has said it； no one doubts it。 Also； he had humor； humor in rich abundance； and always wanting to break out。 We have no evidence of any kind that Shakespeare of Stratford possessed any of these gifts or any of these acquirements。 The only lines he ever wrote； so far as we know； are substantially barren of thembarren of all of them。
Good friend for Iesus sake forbeare To digg the dust encloased heare： Blest be ye man yt spares thes stones And curst be he yt moves my bones。
Ben Jonson says of Bacon； as orator：
His language； WHERE HE COULD SPARE AND PASS BY A JEST； was nobly censorious。 No man ever spoke more neatly； more pressly； more weightily； or suffered less emptiness； less idleness； in what he uttered。 No member of his speech but consisted of his （its） own graces 。 。 。 The fear of every man that heard him was lest he should make an end。
From Macaulay：
He continued to distinguish himself in Parliament； particularly by his exertions in favor of one excellent measure on which the King's heart was setthe union of England and Scotland。 It was not difficult for such an intellect to discover many irresistible arguments in favor of such a scheme。 He conducted the great case of the Post Nati in the Exchequer Chamber； and the decision of the judgesa decision the legality of which may be questioned； but the beneficial effect of which must be acknowledgedwas in a great measure attributed to his dexterous management。
Again：
While actively engaged in the House of Commons and in the courts of law； he still found leisure for letters and philosophy。 The noble treatise on the Advancement of Learning； which at a later period was expanded into the De Augmentis； appeared in 1605
The Wisdom of the Ancients； a work which if it had proceeded from any other writer would have been considered as a masterpiece of wit and learning； was printed in 1609。
In the meantime the Novum Organum was slowly proceeding。 Several distinguished men of learning had been permitted to see portions of that extraordinary book； and they spoke with the greatest admiration of his genius。
Even Sir Thomas Bodley； after perusing the Cogitata et Visa； one of the most precious of those scattered leaves out of which the great oracular volume was afterward made up； acknowledged that 〃in all proposals and plots in that book； Bacon showed himself a master workman〃； and that 〃it could not be gainsaid but all the treatise over did abound with choice conceits of the present state of learning； and with worthy contemplations of the means to procure it。〃
In 1612 a new edition of the Essays appeared； with additions surpassing the original collection both in bulk and quality。
Nor did these pursuits distract Bacon's attention from a work the most arduous； the most glorious； and the most useful that even his mighty powers could have achieved； 〃the reducing and recompiling；〃 to use his own phrase； 〃of the laws of England。〃
To serve the exacting and laborious offices of Attorney General and Solicitor General would have satisfied the appetite of any other man for hard work； but Bacon had to add the vast literary industries just described； to satisfy his。 He was a born