is shakespeare dead-第12节
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the golden water of Parizade； conveyances more rapid than the hippogryph of Ruggiero； arms more formidable than the lance of Astolfo； remedies more efficacious than the balsam of Fierabras。 Yet in his magnificent day…dreams there was nothing wildnothing but what sober reason sanctioned。
Bacon's greatest performance is the first book of the Novum Organum 。 。 。 Every part of it blazes with wit； but with wit which is employed only to illustrate and decorate truth。 No book ever made so great a revolution in the mode of thinking； overthrew so many prejudices； introduced so many new opinions。
But what we most admire is the vast capacity of that intellect which； without effort； takes in at once all the domains of science… …all the past； the present and the future； all the errors of two thousand years； all the encouraging signs of the passing times； all the bright hopes of the coming age。
He had a wonderful talent for packing thought close and rendering it portable。
His eloquence would alone have entitled him to a high rank in literature。
It is evident that he had each and every one of the mental gifts and each and every one of the acquirements that are so prodigally displayed in the Plays and Poems； and in much higher and richer degree than any other man of his time or of any previous time。 He was a genius without a mate； a prodigy not matable。 There was only one of him； the planet could not produce two of him at one birth； nor in one age。 He could have written anything that is in the Plays and Poems。 He could have written this：
The cloud…cap'd towers； the gorgeous palaces； The solemn temples； the great globe itself； Yea； all which it inherit； shall dissolve； And； like an insubstantial pageant faded； Leave not a rack behind。 We are such stuff As dreams are made on； and our little life Is rounded with a sleep。
Also； he could have written this； but he refrained：
Good friend for Iesus sake forbeare To digg the dust encloased heare： Blest be ye man yt spares thes stones And curst be ye yt moves my bones。
When a person reads the noble verses about the cloud…cap'd towers； he ought not to follow it immediately with Good friend for Iesus sake forbeare； because he will find the transition from great poetry to poor prose too violent for comfort。 It will give him a shock。 You never notice how commonplace and unpoetic gravel is； until you bite into a layer of it in a pie。
CHAPTER XI
Am I trying to convince anybody that Shakespeare did not write Shakespeare's Works？ Ah； now； what do you take me for？ Would I be so soft as that； after having known the human race familiarly for nearly seventy…four years？ It would grieve me to know that any one could think so injuriously of me； so uncomplimentarily； so unadmiringly of me。 No…no； I am aware that when even the brightest mind in our world has been trained up from childhood in a superstition of any kind； it will never be possible for that mind； in its maturity； to examine sincerely； dispassionately； and conscientiously any evidence or any circumstance which shall seem to cast a doubt upon the validity of that superstition。 I doubt if I could do it myself。 We always get at second hand our notions about systems of government； and high…tariff and low…tariff； and prohibition and anti…prohibition； and the holiness of peace and the glories of war； and codes of honor and codes of morals； and approval of the duel and disapproval of it； and our beliefs concerning the nature of cats； and our ideas as to whether the murder of helpless wild animals is base or is heroic； and our preferences in the matter of religious and political parties； and our acceptance or rejection of the Shakespeares and the Arthur Ortons and the Mrs。 Eddys。 We get them all at second…hand； we reason none of them out for ourselves。 It is the way we are made。 It is the way we are all made； and we can't help it； we can't change it。 And whenever we have been furnished a fetish； and have been taught to believe in it； and love it and worship it； and refrain from examining it； there is no evidence； howsoever clear and strong； that can persuade us to withdraw from it our loyalty and our devotion。 In morals； conduct； and beliefs we take the color of our environment and associations； and it is a color that
can safely be warranted to wash。 Whenever we have been furnished with a tar baby ostensibly stuffed with jewels； and warned that it will be dishonorable and irreverent to disembowel it and test the jewels； we keep our sacrilegious hands off it。 We submit； not reluctantly； but rather gladly； for we are privately afraid we should find； upon examination； that the jewels are of the sort that are manufactured at North Adams； Mass。
I haven't any idea that Shakespeare will have to vacate his pedestal this side of the year 2209。 Disbelief in him cannot come swiftly； disbelief in a healthy and deeply…loved tar baby has never been known to disintegrate swiftly； it is a very slow process。 It took several thousand years to convince our fine raceincluding every splendid intellect in itthat there is no such thing as a witch； it has taken several thousand years to convince that same fine raceincluding every splendid intellect in itthat there is no such person as Satan； it has taken several centuries to remove perdition from the Protestant Church's program of postmortem entertainments； it has taken a weary long time to persuade American Presbyterians to give up infant damnation and try to bear it the best they can； and it looks as if their Scotch brethren will still be burning babies in the everlasting fires when Shakespeare comes down from his perch。
We are The Reasoning Race。 We can't prove it by the above examples； and we can't prove it by the miraculous 〃histories〃 built by those Stratfordolaters out of a hatful of rags and a barrel of sawdust； but there is a plenty of other things we can prove it by； if I could think of them。 We are The Reasoning Race； and when we find a vague file of chipmunk…tracks stringing through the dust of Stratford village； we know by our reasoning powers that Hercules has been along there。 I feel that our fetish is safe for three centuries yet。 The bust； toothere in the Stratford Church。 The precious bust； the priceless bust； the calm bust； the serene bust； the emotionless bust； with the dandy moustache； and the putty face； unseamed of carethat face which has looked passionlessly down upon the awed pilgrim for a hundred and fifty years and will still look down upon the awed pilgrim three hundred more； with the deep； deep； deep； subtle； subtle； subtle； expression of a bladder。
CHAPTER XII
Irreverence
One of the most trying defects which I find in thesethesewhat shall I call them？ for I will not apply injurious epithets to them； the way they do to us； such violations of courtesy being repugnant to my nature and my dignity。 The furthest I can go in that direction is to call them by names of limited reverencenames merely descriptive； never unkind； never offensive； never tainted by harsh feeling。 If THEY would do like this； they would feel better in their hearts。 Very well； thento proceed。 One of the most trying defects which I find in these Stratfordolaters； these Shakesperoids； these thugs； these bangalores； these troglodytes； these herumfrodites； these blatherskites； these buccaneers； these bandoleers； is their spirit of irreverence。 It is detectable in every utterance of theirs when they are talking about us。 I am thankful that in me there is nothing of that spirit。 When a thing is sacred to me it is impossible for me to be irreverent toward it。 I cannot call to mind a single instance where I have ever been irreverent； except toward the things which were sacred to other people。 Am I in the right？ I think so。 But I ask no one to take my unsupported word； no； look at the dictionary； let the dictionary decide。 Here is the definition：
Irreverence。 The quality or condition of irreverence toward God and sacred things。
What does the Hindu say？ He says it is correct。 He says irreverence is lack of respect for Vishnu； and Brahma； and Chrishna； and his other gods； and for his sacred cattle； and for his temples and the things within them。 He endorses the definition； you see； and there are 300；000；000 Hindus or their equivalents back of him。
The dictionary had the acute idea that by using the capital G it could restrict irreverence to lack of reverence for OUR Deity and our sacred things； but that ingenious and rather sly idea miscarried： for by the simple process of spelling HIS deities with capitals the Hindu confiscates the definition and restricts it to his own sects； thus making it clearly compulsory upon us to revere HIS gods and HIS sacred things； and nobody's else。 We can't say a word； for he has our own dictionary at his back； and its decision is final。
This law； reduced to its simplest terms； is this： 1。 Whatever is sacred to the Christian must be held in reverence by everybody else； 2； whatever is sacred to the Hindu must be held in reverence by everybody else； 3； therefore； by consequence； logically； and indisputably； whatever is sacred to ME must be held in reverence by everybody else。
Now then； what a
