Bacon wanted it in poetry, and in poetry you have it.” Wentworth looked at Harrington steadily, with so curious an amazement on his countenance, that Harrington smiled. “Now, Richard, observe,” he pursued. “The Shakspeare Drama contains the Science of Man. A Science of Man cannot be formed accidentally, or by the mere spontaneity of genius; it involves design. The author of the Shakspeare Drama knew, therefore, what he was about; and the fact that his figures have the peculiarity of being types, sufficiently proves it. Now, science is preparatory to art, and a Science of Man is a preparation for an Art of Human Life. This makes of your ‘aristocrat’ and ‘conservative’ Shakspeare a Socialist of the most daring order—the largest innovator the world has ever known.” “By Jupiter!” exclaimed Wentworth, “it’s precious odd that nobody has noticed all this before.” “So it is, Richard,” returned Harrington, smiling good-naturedly at him. “About as odd as that Ulrici should have said that Shakspeare took no heed of the politics of his time, when Lear, Coriolanus, and Julius Cæsar are occupied, under the dramatic cover, and in the very face of the military despotism of the age, with the broadest sort of political discussion. About as odd as that you should think Shakspeare had no patriotism, when the historical dramas so overflow with passionate love for England that London theatres, at this day, rise and roar to it when Phelps or Macready gives it voice from the stage.” “Well,” said Wentworth, reddening and laughing, “I spoke too fast, no doubt. Besides, there’s Brutus—a splendid type of the pure country-lover. But the philanthropy—where’s that?” “So the man who drew up the Science of Human Nature, subtle, vast, exact, complete, the inevitable preliminary to the relief of the human estate that Bacon schemed for, had no philanthropy,” bantered Harrington. “That’s you exactly!” burst out Wentworth, coloring again, and laughing. “Thunder, Harrington! that’s the way you hook in a fellow. Of course, since I’ve accepted your first proposition, the rest follows. Well, at all events, you may show philanthropy as the genius of the plan, but I’m hanged if you can name a character that has it in the plays.”