Bacon is Shake-Speare: Together with a Reprint of Bacon's Promus of Formularies and EleganciesDurning-Lawrence, Edwin, Sir
History
Bacon is Shake-Speare: Together with a Reprint of Bacon's Promus of Formularies and Elegancies
Durning-Lawrence, Edwin, Sir
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Authorship -- Baconian theory
We next put before our readers the photo reproduction of the figure of
Nemesis, which will be found on page 484, of Baudoin's Emblems, 1638.
Baudoin had previously brought out in French a translation of Bacon's
"Essays," which was published at Paris in 1621. In the preface to his
book of Emblems he tells us that he was induced to undertake the task by
BACON (printed in capital letters), and by Alciat (printed in ordinary
type). In this book of Emblems, Baudoin, on page 484, placed his figure
of Nemesis opposite to Bacon's name. If the reader carefully examines
Plate 37 he will perceive that it is no longer a grinning hideous
figure, but is a figure of FAME, and carries a bridle in which there is
found to be no sign of any kind of bit, because the purpose of the
Emblem is to shew that Nemesis will unmuzzle and glorify Bacon.
In order to make the meaning of Baudoin's Emblem still more emphatically
explicit a special Rosicrucian Edition of the same date, 1638, was
printed, in which Baudoin's Nemesis is printed "upside down"; we do not
mean bound upside down, but printed upside down, for there is the
printing of the previous page at the back of the engraving. We have
already alluded on page 113 to the frequent practice of the upside down
printing of ornaments and engravings when a revelation concerning
Bacon's connection with Shakespeare is afforded to us.
[Illustration: Plate XXXV. Facsimile Title Page]
[Illustration: Plate XXXVI. "Nemesis," from Alcaiti's Emblems, 1531]
[Illustration: Plate XXXVII. Page 484 from Baudoin's Emblems 1638]
The writer possesses an ordinary copy of Baudoin's Emblems, 1638, and
also a copy of the edition with the Nemesis printed upside down which
appears opposite Bacon's name. The copy so specially printed is bound
with Rosicrucian emblems outside.
The reader, by comparing Baudoin's Nemesis, Plate 37, and the Title Page
of Henry VII., Plate 35, will at once perceive that the objects in the
right hand of the Virgin holding the salt box are correctly described as
representing a "bridle without a bit," and he will know that a
revelation concerning Bacon and Shakespeare is going to be given to him.
Now we will tell him the whole story. On the right of the picture, Plate
35 (the reader's left) we see a knight in full armour, and also a
philosopher who is, as the roses on his shoes tell us, a Rosicrucian
philosopher. On the left on a lower level is the same philosopher,
evidently Bacon, but without the roses on his shoes. He is holding the
shaft of a spear with which he seems to stop the wheel. By his side
stands what appears to be a Knight or Esquire, but the man's sword is
girt on the wrong side, he wears a lace collar and lace trimming to his
breeches, and he wears actor's boots (see Plate 28, Page 118, and Plate
132, Page 127).
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