THE

PHILOSOPHY

OF

THE PLAYS OF SHAKSPERE

UNFOLDED.

BY DELIA BACON.

WITH

A PREFACE

BY

NATHANIAL HAWTHORNE AUTHOR OF 'THE SCARLET LETTER,' ETC

Aphorisms representing A KNOWLEDGE broken do invite men to inquire further LORD BACON

You find not the apostophes, and so miss the accent. LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST

Untie the spell.—PROSPERO

LONDON: GROOMBRIDGE AND SONS PATERNOSTER ROW. 1857

AMES PRESS NEW YORK

HARVARD UNIVERSITY LIBRARY DEC 6, 1972

Reprinted from a copy in the collection of the Harvard College Library Reprinted from the edition of 1857, London First AMS EDITION published 1970 Manufactured in the United States of America

International Standard Book Number: 0-404-00443-1

Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 73-113547

AMS PRESS, INC. NEW YORK, N.Y. 10003

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION.

I. The Proposition

II. The Age of Elizabeth, and the Elizabethan Men of Letters

III. Extracts from the Life of Raleigh.—Raleigh's School

IV. Raleigh's School, continued.—The New Academy

* * * * *

BOOK I

[The HISTORICAL KEY to the ELIZABETHAN ART of TRADITION, which formed the FIRST BOOK of this Work as it was originally prepared for the Press, is reserved for separate publication.]

THE ELIZABETHAN ART OF DELIVERY AND TRADITION.

PART I.

MICHAEL DE MONTAIGNE'S 'PRIVATE AND RETIRED ARTS.'

I. Ascent from Particulars to the 'Highest Parts of Sciences,' by the Enigmatic Method illustrated

II. Further Illustration of 'Particular Methods of Tradition.'—Embarrassments of Literary Statesmen

III. The Possibility of great anonymous Works,—or Works published under an assumed name,—conveying under rhetorical Disguises the Principal Sciences,—re-suggested and illustrated

PART II.

THE BACONIAN RHETORIC, OR THE METHOD OF PROGRESSION.

I. THE 'BEGINNERS.'—['Particular Methods of Tradition.'— The Double Method of 'Illustration' and 'Concealment']

II. INDEX to the 'Illustrated' and 'Concealed Tradition' of the Principal and Supreme Sciences.—THE SCIENCE OF POLICY

III. THE SCIENCE OF MORALITY. Section I. The Exemplar of Good

IV. THE SCIENCE OF MORALITY. Section II. The Husbandry thereunto, or the Cure and Culture of the Mind.—APPLICATION

V. THE SCIENCE OF MORALITY.—ALTERATION

VI. Method of Convoying the Wisdom of the Moderns

* * * * *

BOOK II.

ELIZABETHAN 'SECRETS OF MORALITY AND POLICY'; OR, THE FABLES OF THE NEW LEARNING.

INTRODUCTORY.

I. The Design II. The Missing Books of the Great Instauration or 'Philosophy itself'

PART I.

LEAR'S PHILOSOPHER;

[OR, THE LAW OF THE 'SPECIAL AND RESPECTIVE DUTIES,' DEFINED AND 'ILLUSTRATED' IN TABLES OF 'PRESENCE' AND 'ABSENCE.']

I. Philosophy in the Palace II. Unaccommodated Man III. The King and the Beggar IV. The Use of Eyes V. The Statesman's Note-Book—and the Play

PART II.

JULIUS CAESAR AND CORIOLANUS.

THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL;

OR,

'THE COMMON DUTY OF EVERY MAN AS A MAN, OR MEMBER OF A STATE,' DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED IN 'NEGATIVE INSTANCES' AND 'INSTANCES OF PRESENCE.'

JULIUS CAESAR;

OR, THE EMPIRICAL TREATMENT IN DISEASES OF THE COMMON-WEAL EXAMINED.

I. The Death of Tyranny; or, the Question of the Prerogative II. Caesar's Spirit

CORIOLANUS.

THE QUESTION OF THE CONSULSHIP; OR, THE SCIENTIFIC CURE OF THE COMMON-WEAL PROPOUNDED.

I. The Elizabethan Heroism II. Criticism of the Martial Government III. 'Insurrections Arguing' IV. Political Retrospect V. The Popular Election VI. The Scientific Method in Politics VII. Volumnia and her Boy VIII. Metaphysical Aid IX. The Cure.—Plan of Innovation.—New Definitions. X. The Cure.—Plan of Innovation.—New Constructions. XI. The Cure.—Plan of Innovation.—'The Initiative' XII. The Ignorant Election revoked.—A 'Wrestling Instance'. XIII. Conclusion