justasabrightladlikeme，rearedinavillageonthebanksoftheMississippi，mightbecomeperfectinknowledgeoftheBeringStraitwhalefisheryandtheshoptalkoftheveteranexercisesofthatadventurebristlingtradethroughcatchingcatfishwitha"trotline"Sundays。ButthesurmiseisdamagedbythefactthatthereisnoevidenceandnoteventraditionthattheyoungShakespearewaseverclerkofalawcourt。
ItisfurthersurmisedthattheyoungShakespeareaccumulatedhislawtreasuresinthefirstyearsofhissojourninLondon，through"amusinghimself"bylearningbooklawinhisgarretandbypickinguplawyertalkandtherestofitthroughloiteringaboutthelawcourtsandlistening。Butitisonlysurmise;thereisnoEVIDENCEthatheeverdideitherofthosethings。TheyaremerelyacoupleofchunksofplasterofParis。
ThereisalegendthathegothisbreadandbutterbyholdinghorsesinfrontoftheLondontheaters，morningsandafternoons。Maybehedid。Ifhedid，itseriouslyshortenedhislawstudyhoursandhisrecreationtimeinthecourts。Inthoseverydayshewaswritinggreatplays，andneededallthetimehecouldget。Thehorseholdinglegendoughttobestrangled;ittooformidablyincreasesthehistorian’sdifficultyinaccountingfortheyoungShakespeare’seruditionaneruditionwhichhewasacquiring，hunkbyhunkandchunkbychunk，everydayinthosestrenuoustimes，andemptyingeachday’scatchintonextday’simperishabledrama。
Hehadtoacquireaknowledgeofwaratthesametime;andaknowledgeofsoldierpeopleandsailorpeopleandtheirwaysandtalk;alsoaknowledgeofsomeforeignlandsandtheirlanguages:
forhewasdailyemptyingfluentstreamsofthesevariousknowledges，too，intohisdramas。Howdidheacquiretheserichassets？
Intheusualway:bysurmise。ItisSURMISEDthathetraveledinItalyandGermanyandaround，andqualifiedhimselftoputtheirscenicandsocialaspectsuponpaper;thatheperfectedhimselfinFrench，Italian，andSpanishontheroad;
thathewentinLeicester’sexpeditiontotheLowCountries，assoldierorsutlerorsomething，forseveralmonthsoryearsorwhateverlengthoftimeasurmiserneedsinhisbusinessandthusbecamefamiliarwithsoldiershipandsoldierwaysandsoldiertalkandgeneralshipandgeneralwaysandgeneraltalk，andseamanshipandsailorwaysandsailortalk。
Maybehedidallthesethings，butIwouldliketoknowwhoheldthehorsesinthemeantime;andwhostudiedthebooksinthegarret;andwhofrolickedinthelawcourtsforrecreation。
Also，whodidthecallboyingandtheplayacting。
Forhebecameacallboy;andasearlyas’93hebecamea"vagabond"thelaw’sungentletermforanunlistedactor;andin’94a"regular"andproperlyandofficiallylistedmemberofthat（inthosedays）lightlyvaluedandnotmuchrespectedprofession。
Rightsoonthereafterhebecameastockholderintwotheaters，andmanagerofthem。Thenceforwardhewasabusyandflourishingbusinessman，andwasrakinginmoneywithbothhandsfortwentyyears。Theninanoblefrenzyofpoeticinspirationhewrotehisonepoemhisonlypoem，hisdarlingandlaidhimdownanddied:
GoodfriendforIesussakeforbeareTodiggthedustencloasedheare:
BlestbeyemanytsparesthesstonesAndcurstbeheytmovesmybones。
Hewasprobablydeadwhenhewroteit。Still，thisisonlyconjecture。Wehaveonlycircumstantialevidence。Internalevidence。
ShallIsetdowntherestoftheConjectureswhichconstitutethegiantBiographyofWilliamShakespeare？ItwouldstraintheUnabridgedDictionarytoholdthem。Heisabrontosaur:ninebonesandsixhundredbarrelsofplasterofParis。
V
"WeMayAssume"
IntheAssumingtradethreeseparateandindependentcultsaretransactingbusiness。TwoofthesecultsareknownastheShakespearitesandtheBaconians，andIamtheotheronetheBrontosaurian。
TheShakespeariteknowsthatShakespearewroteShakespeare’sWorks;theBaconianknowsthatFrancisBaconwrotethem;theBrontosauriandoesn’treallyknowwhichofthemdidit，butisquitecomposedlyandcontentedlysurethatShakespeareDIDN’T，andstronglysuspectsthatBaconDID。Weallhavetodoagooddealofassuming，butIamfairlycertainthatineverycaseI
cancalltomindtheBaconianassumershavecomeoutaheadoftheShakespearites。Bothpartieshandlethesamematerials，buttheBaconiansseemtometogetmuchmorereasonableandrationalandpersuasiveresultsoutofthemthanisthecasewiththeShakespearites。TheShakespeariteconductshisassuminguponadefiniteprinciple，anunchangingandimmutablelaw:whichis:
2and8and7and14，addedtogether，make165。Ibelievethistobeanerror。Nomatter，youcannotgetahabitsoddenShakespearitetocipheruphismaterialsuponanyotherbasis。
WiththeBaconianitisdifferent。Ifyouplacebeforehimtheabovefiguresandsethimtoaddingthemup，hewillneverinanycasegetmorethan45outofthem，andinninecasesoutoftenhewillgetjusttheproper31。
Letmetrytoillustratethetwosystemsinasimpleandhomelywaycalculatedtobringtheideawithinthegraspoftheignorantandunintelligent。Wewillsupposeacase:takealap
bred，housefed，uneducated，inexperiencedkitten;takearuggedoldTomthat’sscarredfromstemtorudderpostwiththememorialsofstrenuousexperience，andissocultured，soeducated，solimitlesslyeruditethatonemaysayofhim"allcatknowledgeishisprovince";also，takeamouse。Lockthethreeupinaholeless，crackless，exitlessprisoncell。Waithalfanhour，thenopenthecell，introduceaShakespeariteandaBaconian，andletthemcipherandassume。Themouseismissing:
thequestiontobedecidedis，whereisit？Youcanguessbothverdictsbeforehand。Oneverdictwillsaythekittencontainsthemouse;theotherwillascertainlysaythemouseisinthetomcat。
TheShakespearitewillReasonlikethis（thatisnotmyword，itishis）。HewillsaythekittenMAYHAVEBEENattendingschoolwhennobodywasnoticing;thereforeWEAREWARRANTEDIN
ASSUMINGthatitdidso;also，itCOULDHAVEBEENtraininginacourtclerk’sofficewhennoonewasnoticing;sincethatcouldhavehappened，WEAREJUSTIFIEDINASSUMINGthatitdidhappen;
itCOULDHAVESTUDIEDCATOLOGYINAGARRETwhennoonewasnoticingthereforeitDID;itCOULDHAVEattendedcatassizesontheshedroofnights，forrecreation，whennoonewasnoticing，andhaveharvestedaknowledgeofcatcourtformsandcatlawyer
talkinthatway:itCOULDhavedoneit，thereforewithoutadoubtitDID;itCOULDHAVEgonesoldieringwithawartribewhennoonewasnoticing，andlearnedsoldierwilesandsoldierways，andwhattodowithamousewhenopportunityoffers;theplaininference，therefore，isthatthatiswhatitDID。SinceallthesemanifoldthingsCOULDhaveoccurred，wehaveEVERYRIGHTTO
BELIEVEtheydidoccur。Thesepatientlyandpainstakinglyaccumulatedvastacquirementsandcompetencesneededbutonethingmoreopportunitytoconvertthemselvesintotriumphalaction。Theopportunitycame，wehavetheresult;BEYONDSHADOW
OFQUESTIONthemouseisinthekitten。
Itispropertoremarkthatwhenweofthethreecultsplanta"WETHINKWEMAYASSUME，"weexpectit，undercarefulwateringandfertilizingandtending，togrowupintoastrongandhardyandweatherdefying"THEREISN’TASHADOWOFADOUBT"atlast
anditusuallyhappens。
WeknowwhattheBaconian’sverdictwouldbe:"THEREISNOT
ARAGOFEVIDENCETHATTHEKITTENHASHADANYTRAINING，ANY
EDUCATION，ANYEXPERIENCEQUALIFYINGITFORTHEPRESENTOCCASION，ORISINDEEDEQUIPPEDFORANYACHIEVEMENTABOVELIFTINGSUCH
UNCLAIMEDMILKASCOMESITSWAY;BUTTHEREISABUNDANTEVIDENCE
UNASSAILABLEPROOF，INFACTTHATTHEOTHERANIMALISEQUIPPED，TOTHELASTDETAIL，WITHEVERYQUALIFICATIONNECESSARYFORTHE
EVENT。WITHOUTSHADOWOFDOUBTTHETOMCATCONTAINSTHEMOUSE。"
VI
WhenShakespearedied，in1616，greatliteraryproductionsattributedtohimasauthorhadbeenbeforetheLondonworldandinhighfavorfortwentyfouryears。Yethisdeathwasnotanevent。Itmadenostir，itattractednoattention。Apparentlyhiseminentliterarycontemporariesdidnotrealizethatacelebratedpoethadpassedfromtheirmidst。Perhapstheyknewaplayactorofminorrankhaddisappeared，butdidnotregardhimastheauthorofhisWorks。"Wearejustifiedinassuming"this。
HisdeathwasnotevenaneventinthelittletownofStratford。DoesthismeanthatinStratfordhewasnotregardedasacelebrityofANYkind？
"Weareprivilegedtoassume"no，weareindeedOBLIGEDtoassumethatsuchwasthecase。Hehadspentthefirsttwenty
twoortwentythreeyearsofhislifethere，andofcoursekneweverybodyandwasknownbyeverybodyofthatdayinthetown，includingthedogsandthecatsandthehorses。Hehadspentthelastfiveorsixyearsofhislifethere，diligentlytradingineverybigandlittlethingthathadmoneyinit;sowearecompelledtoassumethatmanyofthefolkthereinthosesaidlatterdaysknewhimpersonally，andtherestbysightandhearsay。ButnotasaCELEBRITY？Apparentlynot。Foreverybodysoonforgottorememberanycontactwithhimoranyincidentconnectedwithhim。Thedozensoftownspeople，stillalive，whohadknownofhimorknownabouthiminthefirsttwentythreeyearsofhislifewereinthesameunrememberingcondition:iftheyknewofanyincidentconnectedwiththatperiodofhislifetheydidn’ttellaboutit。Wouldtheiftheyhadbeenasked？Itismostlikely。Weretheyasked？Itisprettyapparentthattheywerenot。Whyweren’tthey？Itisaveryplausibleguessthatnobodythereorelsewherewasinterestedtoknow。
ForsevenyearsafterShakespeare’sdeathnobodyseemstohavebeeninterestedinhim。Thenthequartowaspublished，andBenJonsonawokeoutofhislongindifferenceandsangasongofpraiseandputitinthefrontofthebook。ThensilencefellAGAIN。
Forsixtyyears。TheninquiriesintoShakespeare’sStratfordlifebegantobemade，ofStratfordians。OfStratfordianswhohadknownShakespeareorhadseenhim？No。ThenofStratfordianswhohadseenpeoplewhohadknownorseenpeoplewhohadseenShakespeare？No。ApparentlytheinquireswereonlymadeofStratfordianswhowerenotStratfordiansofShakespeare’sday，butlatercomers;andwhattheyhadlearnedhadcometothemfrompersonswhohadnotseenShakespeare;andwhattheyhadlearnedwasnotclaimedasFACT，butonlyaslegend
dimandfadingandindefinitelegend;legendofthecalfslaughteringrank，andnotworthrememberingeitherashistoryorfiction。
Hasiteverhappenedbeforeorsincethatacelebratedpersonwhohadspentexactlyhalfofafairlylonglifeinthevillagewherehewasbornandreared，wasabletoslipoutofthisworldandleavethatvillagevoicelessandgossiplessbehindhimutterlyvoiceless。，utterlygossipless？Andpermanentlyso？
Idon’tbelieveithashappenedinanycaseexceptShakespeare’s。
Andcouldn’tandwouldn’thavehappenedinhiscaseifhehadbeenregardedasacelebrityatthetimeofhisdeath。
WhenIexaminemyowncasebutletusdothat，andseeifitwillnotberecognizableasexhibitingaconditionofthingsquitelikelytoresult，mostlikelytoresult，indeedsubstantiallySUREtoresultinthecaseofacelebratedperson，abenefactorofthehumanrace。Likeme。
MyparentsbroughtmetothevillageofHannibal，Missouri，onthebanksoftheMississippi，whenIwastwoandahalfyearsold。Ienteredschoolatfiveyearsofage，anddriftedfromoneschooltoanotherinthevillageduringnineandahalfyears。
Thenmyfatherdied，leavinghisfamilyinexceedinglystraitenedcircumstances;whereforemybookeducationcametoastandstillforever，andIbecameaprinter’sapprentice，onboardandclothes，andwhentheclothesfailedIgotahymnbookinplaceofthem。Thisforsummerwear，probably。IlivedinHannibalfifteenandahalfyears，altogether，thenranaway，accordingtothecustomofpersonswhoareintendingtobecomecelebrated。I
neverlivedthereafterward。FouryearslaterIbecamea"cub"
onaMississippisteamboatintheSt。LouisandNewOrleanstrade，andafterayearandahalfofhardstudyandhardworktheU。S。inspectorsrigorouslyexaminedmethroughacoupleoflongsittingsanddecidedthatIkneweveryinchoftheMississippithirteenhundredmilesinthedarkandintheday
aswellasababyknowsthewaytoitsmother’spapsdayornight。Sotheylicensedmeasapilotknightedme，sotospeakandIroseupclothedwithauthority，aresponsibleservantoftheUnitedStatesGovernment。
Nowthen。Shakespearediedyounghewasonlyfiftytwo。
Hehadlivedinhisnativevillagetwentysixyears，oraboutthat。Hediedcelebrated（ifyoubelieveeverythingyoureadinthebooks）。Yetwhenhediednobodythereorelsewheretookanynoticeofit;andforsixtyyearsafterwardnotownsmanrememberedtosayanythingabouthimorabouthislifeinStratford。Whentheinquirercameatlasthegotbutonefact
no，LEGENDandgotthatoneatsecondhand，fromapersonwhohadonlyhearditasarumoranddidn’tclaimcopyrightinitasaproductionofhisown。Hecouldn’t，verywell，foritsdateantedatedhisownbirthdate。ButnecessarilyanumberofpersonswerestillaliveinStratfordwho，inthedaysoftheiryouth，hadseenShakespearenearlyeverydayinthelastfiveyearsofhislife，andtheywouldhavebeenabletotellthatinquirersomefirsthandthingsabouthimifhehadinthoselastdaysbeenacelebrityandthereforeapersonofinteresttothevillagers。Whydidnottheinquirerhuntthemupandinterviewthem？Wasn’titworthwhile？Wasn’tthematterofsufficientconsequence？Hadtheinquireranengagementtoseeadogfightandcouldn’tsparethetime？
Itallseemstomeanthatheneverhadanyliterarycelebrity，thereorelsewhere，andnoconsiderablereputeasactorandmanager。
Nowthen，IamawayalonginlifemyseventythirdyearbeingalreadywellbehindmeyetSIXTEENofmyHannibalschoolmatesarestillalivetoday，andcantellanddotell
inquirersdozensanddozensofincidentsoftheiryounglivesandminetogether;thingsthathappenedtousinthemorningoflife，intheblossomofouryouth，inthegooddays，thedeardays，"thedayswhenwewentgipsying，alongtimeago。"Mostofthemcreditabletome，too。OnechildtowhomIpaidcourtwhenshewasfiveyearsoldandIeightstilllivesinHannibal，andshevisitedmelastsummer，traversingthenecessarytenortwelvehundredmilesofrailroadwithoutdamagetoherpatienceortoheroldyoungvigor。AnotherlittlelassietowhomIpaidattentioninHannibalwhenshewasnineyearsoldandIthesame，isstillaliveinLondonandhaleandhearty，justasIam。
AndonthefewsurvivingsteamboatsthoselingeringghostsandremembrancersofgreatfleetsthatpliedthebigriverinthebeginningofmywatercareerwhichisexactlyaslongagoasthewholeinvoiceofthelifeyearsofShakespearenumberstherearestillfindabletwoorthreeriverpilotswhosawmedocreditablethingsinthoseancientdays;andseveralwhiteheadedengineers;
andseveralroustaboutsandmates;andseveraldeckhandswhousedtoheavetheleadformeandsenduponthestillnightthe"SixfeetSCANT！"thatmademeshudder，andthe"Mark
TWAIN！"thattooktheshudderaway，andpresentlythedarling"BythedeepFOUR！"thatliftedmetoheavenforjoy。[1]Theyknowaboutme，andcantell。Andsodoprinters，fromSt。LouistoNewYork;andsodonewspaperreporters，fromNevadatoSanFrancisco。Andsodothepolice。IfShakespearehadreallybeencelebrated，likeme，Stratfordcouldhavetoldthingsabouthim;
andifmyexperiencegoesforanything，they’dhavedoneit。
1。Fourfathomstwentyfourfeet。
VII
IfIhadundermysuperintendenceacontroversyappointedtodecidewhetherShakespearewroteShakespeareornot，IbelieveIwouldplacebeforethedebatersonlytheonequestion，WASSHAKESPEAREEVERAPRACTICINGLAWYER？andleaveeverythingelseout。
Itismaintainedthatthemanwhowrotetheplayswasnotmerelymyriadminded，butalsomyriadaccomplished:thathenotonlyknewsomethousandsofthingsabouthumanlifeinallitsshadesandgrades，andaboutthehundredartsandtradesandcraftsandprofessionswhichmenbusythemselvesin，butthathecouldTALKaboutthemenandtheirgradesandtradesaccurately，makingnomistakes。Maybeitisso，buthavetheexpertsspoken，orisitonlyTom，Dick，andHarry？Doestheexhibitstanduponwide，andloose，andeloquentgeneralizingwhichisnotevidence，andnotprooforupondetails，particulars，statistics，illustrations，demonstrations？
ExpertsofunchallengeableauthorityhavetestifieddefinitelyastoonlyoneofShakespeare’smultifariouscraft
equipments，sofarasmyrecollectionsofShakespeareBacontalkabidewithmehislawequipment。IdonotrememberthatWellingtonorNapoleoneverexaminedShakespeare’sbattlesandsiegesandstrategies，andthendecidedandestablishedforgoodandallthattheyweremilitarilyflawless;IdonotrememberthatanyNelson，orDrake，orCookeverexaminedhisseamanshipandsaiditshowedprofoundandaccuratefamiliaritywiththatart;Idon’trememberthatanykingorprinceordukehasevertestifiedthatShakespearewasletterperfectinhishandlingofroyalcourtmannersandthetalkandmannersofaristocracies;I
don’trememberthatanyillustriousLatinistorGrecianorFrenchmanorSpaniardorItalianhasproclaimedhimapastmasterinthoselanguages;Idon’trememberwell，Idon’trememberthatthereisTESTIMONYgreattestimonyimposingtestimony
unanswerableandunattackabletestimonyastoanyofShakespeare’shundredspecialties，exceptonethelaw。
Otherthingschange，withtime，andthestudentcannottracebackwithcertaintythechangesthatvarioustradesandtheirprocessesandtechnicalitieshaveundergoneinthelongstretchofacenturyortwoandfindoutwhattheirprocessesandtechnicalitieswereinthoseearlydays，butwiththelawitisdifferent:itismilestonedanddocumentedallthewayback，andthemasterofthatwonderfultrade，thatcomplexandintricatetrade，thatawecompellingtrade，hascompetentwaysofknowingwhetherShakespearelawisgoodlawornot;andwhetherhislawcourtprocedureiscorrectornot，andwhetherhislegalshoptalkistheshoptalkofaveteranpractitioneroronlyamachinemadecounterfeitofitgatheredfrombooksandfromoccasionalloiteringsinWestminster。
RichardH。Danaservedtwoyearsbeforethemast，andhadeveryexperiencethatfallstothelotofthesailorbeforethemastofourday。HissailortalkflowsfromhispenwiththesuretouchandtheeaseandconfidenceofapersonwhohasLIVED
whatheistalkingabout，notgathereditfrombooksandrandomlistenings。Hearhim:
Havinghoveshort，castoffthegaskets，andmadethebuntofeachsailfastbythejigger，withamanoneachyard，atthewordthewholecanvasoftheshipwasloosed，andwiththegreatestrapiditypossibleeverythingwassheetedhomeandhoistedup，theanchortrippedandcatheaded，andtheshipunderheadway。
Again:
Theroyalyardswereallcrossedatonce，androyalsandskysailsset，and，aswehadthewindfree，theboomswererunout，andallwerealoft，activeascats，layingoutontheyardsandbooms，reevingthestuddingsailgear;andsailaftersailthecaptainpileduponher，untilshewascoveredwithcanvas，hersailslookinglikeagreatwhitecloudrestinguponablackspeck。
Oncemore。AraceinthePacific:
Ourantagonistwasinherbesttrim。Beingclearofthepoint，thebreezebecamestiff，andtheroyalmastsbentunderoursails，butwewouldnottaketheminuntilwesawthreeboysspringintotheriggingoftheCALIFORNIA;thentheywereallfurledatonce，butwithorderstoourboystostayaloftatthetopgallantmastheadsandloosethemagainattheword。Itwasmydutytofurltheforeroyal;andwhilestandingbytolooseitagain，Ihadafineviewofthescene。FromwhereIstood，thetwovesselsseemednothingbutsparsandsails，whiletheirnarrowdecks，farbelow，slantingoverbytheforceofthewindaloft，appearedhardlycapableofsupportingthegreatfabricsraiseduponthem。TheCALIFORNIAwastowindwardofus，andhadeveryadvantage;yet，whilethebreezewasstiffweheldourown。
Assoonasitbegantoslackensherangedalittleahead，andtheorderwasgiventoloosetheroyals。Inaninstantthegasketswereoffandthebuntdropped。"Sheethometheforeroyal！"
"Weathersheet’shome！""Leesheet’shome！""Hoistaway，sir！"
isbawledfromaloft。"Overhaulyourclewlines！"shoutsthemate。"Ayeaye，sir，allclear！""Tautleech！belay！Welltheleebrace;haultauttowindward！"andtheroyalsareset。
Whatwouldthecaptainofanysailingvesselofourtimesaytothat？Hewouldsay，"Themanthatwrotethatdidn’tlearnhistradeoutofabook，hehasBEENthere！"ButwouldthissamecaptainbecompetenttositinjudgmentuponShakespeare’sseamanshipconsideringthechangesinshipsandshiptalkthathavenecessarilytakenplace，unrecorded，unremembered，andlosttohistoryinthelastthreehundredyears？ItismyconvictionthatShakespeare’ssailortalkwouldbeChoctawtohim。Forinstancefrom"TheTempest":
MASTER。Boatswain！
BOATSWAIN。Here，master;whatcheer？
MASTER。Good，speaktothemariners:fallto’t，yarely，orwerunourselvestoground;bestir，bestir！
（ENTERMARINERS。）
BOATSWAIN。Heigh，myhearts！cheerly，cheerly，myhearts！
yare，yare！Takeinthetopsail。Tendtothemaster’swhistle……Downwiththetopmast！yare！lower，lower！Bringhertotrywi’themaincourse……Layherahold，ahold！Sethertwocourses。Offtoseaagain;layheroff。
Thatwilldo，forthepresent;letusyarealittle，now，forachange。
Ifamanshouldwriteabookandinitmakeoneofhischaracterssay，"Here，devil，emptythequoinsintothestandinggalleyandtheimposingstoneintothehellbox;assemblethecompsaroundthefrisketandletthemjefffortakesandbequickaboutit，"Ishouldrecognizeamistakeortwointhephrasing，andwouldknowthatthewriterwasonlyaprintertheoretically，notpractically。
Ihavebeenaquartzminerinthesilverregionsaprettyhardlife;Iknowallthepalaverofthatbusiness:Iknowallaboutdiscoveryclaimsandthesubordinateclaims;Iknowallaboutlodes，ledges，outcroppings，dips，spurs，angles，shafts，drifts，inclines，levels，tunnels，airshafts，"horses，"claycasings，granitecasings;quartzmillsandtheirbatteries;
arastras，andhowtochargethemwithquicksilverandsulphateofcopper;andhowtocleanthemup，andhowtoreducetheresultingamalgamintheretorts，andhowtocastthebullionintopigs;
andfinallyIknowhowtoscreentailings，andalsohowtohuntforsomethinglessrobusttodo，andfindit。Iknowtheargotandthequartzminingandmillingindustryfamiliarly;andsowheneverBretHarteintroducesthatindustryintoastory，thefirsttimeoneofhisminersopenshismouthIrecognizefromhisphrasingthatHartegotthephrasingbylisteninglikeShakespeareImeantheStratfordonenotbyexperience。Noonecantalkthequartzdialectcorrectlywithoutlearningitwithpickandshovelanddrillandfuse。
IhavebeenasurfaceminergoldandIknowallitsmysteries，andthedialectsthatbelongswiththem;andwheneverHarteintroducesthatindustryintoastoryIknowbythephrasingofhischaractersthatneitherhenortheyhaveeverservedthattrade。
Ihavebeena"pocket"minerasortofgoldminingnotfindableinanybutonelittlespotintheworld，sofarasI
know。Iknowhow，withhornandwater，tofindthetrailofapocketandtraceitstepbystepandstagebystageupthemountaintoitssource，andfindthecompactlittlenestofyellowmetalreposinginitssecrethomeundertheground。I
knowthelanguageofthattrade，thatcapricioustrade，thatfascinatingburiedtreasuretrade，andcancatchanywriterwhotriestouseitwithouthavinglearneditbythesweatofhisbrowandthelaborofhishands。
Iknowseveralothertradesandtheargotthatgoeswiththem;andwheneverapersontriestotalkthetalkpeculiartoanyofthemwithouthavinglearneditatitssourceIcantraphimalwaysbeforehegetsfaronhisroad。
Andso，asIhavealreadyremarked，ifIwererequiredtosuperintendaBaconShakespearecontroversy，Iwouldnarrowthematterdowntoasinglequestiontheonlyone，sofarasthepreviouscontroversieshaveinformedme，concerningwhichillustriousexpertsofunimpeachablecompetencyhavetestified:
WASTHEAUTHOROFSHAKESPEARE’SWORKSALAWYER？alawyerdeeplyreadandoflimitlessexperience？Iwouldputasidetheguessesandsurmises，andperhapes，andmighthavebeens，andcouldhave
beens，andmusthavebeens，andwearejustifiedinpresumings，andtherestofthosevaguespectersandshadowsandindefintenesses，andstandorfall，winorlose，bytheverdictrenderedbythejuryuponthatsinglequestion。IftheverdictwasYes，IshouldfeelquiteconvincedthattheStratfordShakespeare，theactor，manager，andtraderwhodiedsoobscure，soforgotten，sodestituteofevenvillageconsequence，thatsixtyyearsafterwardnofellowcitizenandfriendofhislaterdaysrememberedtotellanythingabouthim，didnotwritetheWorks。
ChapterXIIIofTHESHAKESPEAREPROBLEMRESTATEDbearstheheading"ShakespeareasaLawyer，"andcomprisessomefiftypagesofexperttestimony，withcommentsthereon，andIwillcopythefirstnine，asbeingsufficientallbythemselves，asitseemstome，tosettlethequestionwhichIhaveconceivedtobethemasterkeytotheShakespeareBaconpuzzle。
VIII
ShakespeareasaLawyer[1]
ThePlaysandPoemsofShakespearesupplyampleevidencethattheirauthornotonlyhadaveryextensiveandaccurateknowledgeoflaw，butthathewaswellacquaintedwiththemannersandcustomsofmembersoftheInnsofCourtandwithlegallifegenerally。
"Whilenovelistsanddramatistsareconstantlymakingmistakesastothelawsofmarriage，ofwills，ofinheritance，toShakespeare’slaw，lavishlyasheexpoundsit，therecanneitherbedemurrer，norbillofexceptions，norwritoferror。"SuchwasthetestimonybornebyoneofthemostdistinguishedlawyersofthenineteenthcenturywhowasraisedtothehighofficeofLordChiefJusticein1850，andsubsequentlybecameLordChancellor。Itsweightwill，doubtless，bemoreappreciatedbylawyersthanbylaymen，foronlylawyersknowhowimpossibleitisforthosewhohavenotservedanapprenticeshiptothelawtoavoiddisplayingtheirignoranceiftheyventuretoemploylegaltermsandtodiscusslegaldoctrines。"Thereisnothingsodangerous，"wroteLordCampbell，"asforonenotofthecrafttotamperwithourfreemasonry。"Alaymaniscertaintobetrayhimselfbyusingsomeexpressionwhichalawyerwouldneveremploy。Mr。SidneyLeehimselfsuppliesuswithanexampleofthis。Hewrites（p。164）:"OnFebruary15，1609，Shakespeare。