That the blunt monster with uncounted heads, Can play upon it."-2 Henry IV., Ind. "And as for Maximilian, upon twenty respects, he could not have been the man."— Hist. Henry VII. -"so that acts of this nature (if this were one) do more good than twenty bills of grace." - Letter, 1617. ["Twenty" is an habitual expletive of this author.] "Each substance of a grief hath twenty shadows." "And I as rich in having such a jewel Richard II., Act II. Sc. 2. As twenty seas, if all their sand were pearl."- Gent. of Ver. "Than to accomplish twenty golden crowns." 3 Henry VI., Act III. Sc. 2. -"twenty times his worth."-2 Henry VI., Act III. Sc. 2. -"twenty thousand times." — Ibid., Act III. Sc. 2. 66 twenty times so many faces." Ibid., Act II. Sc. 4. -"twenty times their power."— Ibid., Act II. Sc. 4. "With twenty thousand soul confirming oaths." Gent. of Ver., Act II. Sc. 6. "I am yours surer to you than your own life; for as they speak of the turquoise stone in a ring, I will break into twenty pieces before you have the least fall."- Letter to Essex, XII. 292. "Tub. One of them shewed me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey. Shy. Out upon her! Thou torturest me, Tubal; it was my turquoise: I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor." Mer. of Ven., Act II. Sc. 1. "Yet evermore it must be remembered that the least part of knowledge, passed to man by this so large charter from God, must be subject to that for which God hath granted it, which is the benefit and relief of the state and society of man."— Int. of Nat. use, "Nature never lends The smallest scruple of her excellence; But, like a thrifty goddess, she determines Herself the glory of a creditor Both thanks and use." — Measure for Measure, Act I. Sc. 2. "With regard to the countenance, be not influenced by the old adage, 'Trust not to a man's face.'' - De Aug., (Boston), IX. 272. "There's no art To find the mind's construction in the face."— Macbeth, Act I. Sc. 4. "Deformed persons are commonly even with nature; -for as nature has done ill by them, so do they by nature, being for the most part (as the Scripture saith) void of natural affection: and so they have their revenge of natures. Certainly there is a consent between the body and the mind, and where nature erreth in the one, she ventureth in the other: . the curse that the Psalm speaketh of, That it shall be like the untimely fruit of a woman, brought forth before it came to perfection. Whosoever hath ..... anything fixed in his person, that doth induce contempt, hath also a perpetual spur in himself to rescue and deliver himself from scorn; therefore all deformed persons are extreme bold. . . . . . But because there is in man an election, touching the frame of his mind, and a necessity in the frame of his body, the stars of natural inclination are sometimes obscured by the sun of discipline and virtue." - Ess., I. 46. "which had been the spur of this region." — Fel. Q. Eliz., I. 400. "Glos. For I have often heard my mother say, I came into the world with my legs forward. That I should snarl, and bite, and play the dog. 3 Henry VI., Act V. Sc. 6. "Glos. I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deform'd, unfinish'd, sent before my time Into this breathing world, scarce half made up, Why, I, in this weak piping time of peace, And hate the idle pleasures of these days." Richard III., Act I. Sc. 1 "Glos. Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York."— Ibid., Act I. Sc. L "I have no spur To prick the sides of my intent." - Macbeth, Act I. Sc. 7. As this list must have an end, let it be closed with a comparison of Bacon's "Office of Constables" (published in 1608) with the scenes of the Watch in the "Much Ado About Nothing", (written in 1599,) thus: Ans. They be men "4 Ques. Of what rank or order of men are they? as is now used, of inferior, yea, of base condition; . . . . and that they be not aged or sickly, in respect of keeping watch and toil of their place: nor that they be in any man's livery. . . . . . intended and executed for conservation of peace, and repression of all manner of disturbance and hurt of the people, and that as well by way of prevention as punishment. To take the ancient oath of allegiance of all males above twelve years. election of the petty constable is by the people." "Dogberry. Are you good men and true? The Verges. Yea, or else it were pity but they should suffer salvation, body and soul. Dogb. Nay, that were a punishment too good for them; if they should have any allegiance in them, being chosen for the Prince's Watch. First, who think you is the most desartless man to be Constable? 1 Watch. Hugh Oatcake, sir, or George Seacoal, for they can read and write. Dogb. Why you speak like an ancient and most quiet watchman." "and that the statutes made for the punishment of sturdy beggars, vagabonds, rogues, and other idle persons coming within your office be truly executed and the offenders punished. . . . . . Likewise the additional power which is given by divers statutes, it is hard to comprehend in any brevity." "Dogb. You are thought here to be the most senseless and fit man for the Constable of the Watch; therefore, bear you the lantern. This is your charge. You shall comprehend all vagrom men; and you are to bid any man stand in the Prince's name." "6 Ques. What if they refuse to do their office? . . . . . Command them in the king's name to keep peace, and depart, and forbear." "2 Watch. How if he will not stand? ... How if the nurse be asleep and will not hear us? Dogb. Why then, depart in peace, and let the child awake her with crying. 1 Watch. We charge you in the Prince's name, stand." "5 Ques. What allowance have the constables? Ans. They have no allowance, but are bound by duty to perform their office gratis; which may be endured, because it is but annual." "Dogb. .. for, for the watch to babble and talk is most tolerable and not to be endured." -"and to inquire of all default of officers, as constables, aletasters, and the like. . . . . . And so much for the peace." ..... "Dogb. Well, you are to call at all the alehouses, and bid those that are drunk get them to bed. . . . . . This is the end of the charge." ..... "The use of his office is rather for preventing or staying of mischief than for punishment of offences. Likewise the power which is given by divers statutes — ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ or when sudden matter ariseth upon his view, or notorious circumstances, to apprehend offenders, and to carry them before the justices of peace, and generally to imprison in like cases of necessity, when the case will not endure the present carrying of the party before the justices. the jury being to present offenders, and offences are chiefly to take light from the constable and to resist and punish all turbulent persons, whose misdemeanors may tend to the disquiet of the people. . . . That two sufficient gentlemen or yeomen shall be appointed constables of every hundred ; · the sheriff thereof shall nominate sufficient persons to be bailiffs." . . . . . "Dogb. You, Constable, are to present the Prince's own person: if you meet the Prince in the night, you may stay him. Five shillings to one on 't, with any man that knows the statues, he may stay him: marry, not without the Prince be willing; for, indeed, the watch ought to offend no man, and it is an offence to stay a man against his will.” — - Act 111. Sc. 3. "Sex. But which are the offenders, that are to be examined? let them come before Master Constable."— Act IV. Sc. 2. "Dogb. If there be any matter of weight chances, call up me: keep your fellows' counsels and your own and good night." — Act III. Sc. 3. "Dogb. One word, sir, our watch, sir, have, indeed, comprehended two auspicious persons, and we would have them this morning examined before your worship. Leon. Take their examination yourself, and bring it me. Dogb. It shall be suffigance.". "And the constable ought to seize his goods, and inventory them in presence of honest neighbours." "Dogb. Goodman Verges, sir, speaks a little off the matter: an old man, sir, but in faith, honest as the skin between his brows. ..... Verg. Yes, I thank God, I am as honest as any man living, that is an old and no honester than I. . . . man, Leon. Neighbours, you are tedious. . . 1 Dogb. Well, one word more, honest neighbours." — Act III. Sc. 5. 66 or do suspect him of murder or felony, he may declare it to the constable, and the constable ought, upon such declaration or complaint, to carry him before a justice of peace: and if by common voice or fame any man be suspected —. . If any house be suspected—" "Dogb. If you meet a thief, you may suspect him, by virtue of your office to be no true man. . . . . . 2 Watch. If we know him to be a thief, shall we not lay hands on him? Dogb. Truly, by your office you may; but, I think, they that touch pitch will be defiled.”-Act III. Sc. 3. "Dogb. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years?"-Act IV. Sc. 2. "You shall swear that you shall well and truly serve the king." "Dogb. Masters, do you serve God? Bor. Yes, sir, we hope Dogb. Write down-that they hope they serve God." — Act IV. Sc. 2. "There is a clerk of the peace for the entering and engrossing all proceedings before the said justices. called justices of peace and quorum. custos rotulorum." .... Others there are of that number ..... "Dogb. We will spare for no wit I warrant you; here's that [touching his forehead] shall drive some of them to a non. com.: only get the learned writer to set down our excommunication, and meet me at the goal." Act III. Sc. 5. "Slen. In the County of Gloster, justice of peace and coram. Shal. Ay, cousin Slender, and cust-a-lorum. Slen. Ay, and rotolorum too." - Merry Wives of Windsor, Act I. Sc. 1. The list of these similitudes might be greatly extended, without loss to the force of evidence which they exhibit: indeed, the comparison would be almost without limit, if it could be carried, in this form, to all those individual peculiarities, minute resemblances, more delicate touches, and finer shades of meaning, which impress the mind of the critical reader no less palpably, but which must lose their force when wrenched from the context in this manner. Like the character of a handwriting, the identity can be distinctly seen and felt, while the particulars wherein it consists can scarcely be pointed out, or described. But surely, here is enough to establish such a correspondence, nay, absolute identity, in the thought, style, manner, and diction, and in the distinguishing peculiarities of these writings, as was never known to exist in the compositions of any two different authors that ever lived. It is safe to say no such list can be produced from the writings of any two authors of that or any other age: no similarity of life, genius, or studies ever produced an identity like this. And |