The Mystery of Francis Bacon Part 12

If this line of reasoning be applied to the ill.u.s.trations in the emblem books, it is clear that they conceal some hidden meaning, for they are apparently unintelligible, and the accompanying letterpress does not afford any illumination.

Jean Baudoin was the translator of Bacon's "Essaies" into the French language (1626). Baudoin published in 1638-9 "Recueil D'Emblemes divers avec des Discours Moraux, Philos. et Polit." In the preface he says: "Le grand chancelier Bacon m'ayant fait naitre l'envie de travailler a ces emblemes ... m'en a fourni les princ.i.p.aux que j'ai tires de l'explication ingenieuse qu'il a donnee de quelques fables et de ses autres ouvrages." Here is definite evidence of Bacon's a.s.sociation with a book of emblems.

The first volume of Emblemata in which traces of Bacon's hand are to be found is the 1577 edition of Alciat's "Emblems," published by the Plantin Press, with notes by Claude Mignault. It is in this edition, in Emblem No. 45, "In dies meliora," that for the first time the light A and the dark A is to be found. In previous editions this device is absent. For this volume a new design has been engraved in which it appears.

In the emblem books written in Italian Bacon does not appear to have been concerned, unless an exception be made of Ripa's "Iconologia," a copy of which contains his handwriting and initials. In some way he had control of a large number of those written in Latin, and bearing names of Dutch, French, and some Italian authors, and also of several written in Dutch and of the English writers. The field is a very wide one, and only a few of the princ.i.p.al examples can be mentioned.

The most important work is the "Emblemata Moralia et Bellica" of Jacob a Bruck, of Angermundt, 1615. "Argentorati per Jacob.u.m ab Heyden." With many of the designs in this volume Oliver Lector has dealt fully in "Letters from the Dead to the Dead,"[46] before referred to. There is another volume bearing the name of Jacob a Bruck, published in 1598.

Only one copy of this book is known to be in existence, and that is in the Royal Library of St. Petersburg.

The "Emblemata Ethico Politica of Jacobus Bornitius, 1659, Moguntiae," is remarkable because many of the engravings contain portraits of Bacon, namely, in Sylloge Prima, Plates Nos. vii., xxiii., xliv., xlv., xlvix.; and in Sylloge II., Plates ix. and x.x.xvi. Oliver Lector says: "I have not met with an earlier edition of Bornitius than 1659. My conjecture, however, is that the ma.n.u.script came into the hands of Gruter with other of Bacon's published by him in the year 1653."

There are two productions of Ja.n.u.s Jacobus Boissardus in which Bacon's hand may be recognised--"Emblemes Latines avec l'Interpretation Francoise du I. Pierre Ioly Messin. Metis, 1588," and "Emblematum liber.

Ipsa Emblemata ab Auctore delineata: a Theodoro de Bry sculpta et nunc recens in lucem edita," 1593, Frankfort. Two editions of the latter were printed in the same year. The t.i.tle-pages are identical, and the same plates have been used throughout, but the letterpress is in Latin in the one, and in French in the other. In both, the dedications are addressed in French to Madame de Clervent, Baronne de Coppet, etc. The dedication of the former bears the name Jan Jacques Boissard at the head, and addresses the lady as "que come estes addonnee a la speculation des choses qui appartiennent a l'instruction de l'ame." The dedication of the latter is signed Ioly, who explains that he has translated the verses into French, so that they may be of more service to the dedicatee.

Otho Van Veen enjoys the distinction of having had Rubens for a disciple. A considerable number of emblem books emanated from him. In 1608 were published at Antwerp two editions of his "Amorum Emblemata."

In one copy the verses are in Latin, German, and French, and in the other in Latin, English, and Italian. There are commendatory verses in the latter, two of which are by Daniel Heinsius and R. V., who was Robert Verstegen, the author of "A Rest.i.tution of Decayed Intelligence in Antiquities." The dedication is "To the most honourable and worthie brothers William Earle of Pembroke, and Phillip Earle of Montgomerie, patrons of learning and chevalrie," who are "the most n.o.ble and incomparable paire of brethren" to whom the 1623 Shakespeare Folio was dedicated. In this volume Bacon has left his marks.

"Emblemata door Zacharias Heyns," published in Rotterdam in 1625, comprises four books bound together. The inscriptions over the plates are in Latin. The letterpress, which is in Dutch and French, apparently bears very little reference to the ill.u.s.trations.

Johannis de Brunes I.C. Emblemata of Sinne-Werck, Amsterdam, 1624, is written in Dutch. Emblem VIII. contains an indication that the number 1623 is a key.

The "Silenus Alcibiades sive Proteus" was published at Middleburgh in 1618. There is no author's name on the t.i.tle-page, but the Voor-reden, written in Dutch, is signed J. Cats. Attached to two of the preliminary complimentary verses are the names of Daniel Heyns and Josuah Sylvester, the translator of "Du Bartas." The verses are in Latin, Dutch, and French. Immediately following the t.i.tle-page is a preface in Latin, signed by Majores de Baptis. Over this is the familiar emblem containing the archers, rabbits, and dogs, with the note of query on the right-hand side, and the message on the arrow. This volume is one of the most remarkable of the emblem books. The Latin preface is autobiographical.

If the writer can be identified as the author of "Venus and Adonis," it becomes one of the most important contributions to his biography.

In 1616, the year of Shakespeare's death, was published at Amsterdam a book bearing on its t.i.tle-page the inscription: "Cornelii Giselberti Plempii Amsterodamum Monogrammon." It contains fifty ill.u.s.trations, with Latin verses attached. Emblem I. is reproduced (Fig. V.) On reference to it, it will be seen that Fortune stands on a globe, and with one hand is pushing off from the pinnacle of fame a man dressed as a player with a feather in his hat; with the other hand she is raising up a man who is wearing the Bacon hat, but whose face is hidden. The prophecy expressed by the emblem is now being fulfilled. It will be seen that the initial letters of each word in the sentence of the letterpress--Obscaenumque nimis crepuit, Fortuna Batavis appellanda--yield F. Bacon. Bacon's portrait is found in several of the ill.u.s.trations in this book. Other emblem writers whose works bear traces of Bacon's co-operation are G. Rollenhagen, J. Camerius, J. Typotius, D. Hensius.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. V._

_En Fortuna: manu quos rupem ducit in altam, Praecipites abigit: carnificina Dea est.

Firma globo imponi voluerunt fata caducam, Ipsa quoque ut posset risus, & esse iocus.

Olim unctos Sal qui praesiliere per utres, Ridebant caderet si qua puella male.

O quam saepe sales, plausumque merente ruina, Erubuit vitium fors inhonest a suum!

Obscaenumque nimis crepuit, Fortuna Batavis Appellanda; sono, quo sua curta vocant.

Quoque sono veteres olim sua furta Latini: Vt nec, Homere, mali nomen odoris ames._

C. PLEMPII.

EMBLEMATA EMBL. I.]

There yet remain to be mentioned two English emblem writers. A "Choice of Emblems" by Geffrey Whitney was published in 1586 by Francis Raphelengius in the house of Christopher Plantin at Leyden. The dedication is to Robert Earle of Leicester. There are only from fifteen to twenty original designs out of 166 ill.u.s.trations. The remainder are taken from other emblem writers, chiefly from Alciat, Sambucus, Paradin, and Hadrian Junius. On page 53 is the design headed "In dies meliora"

found in the 1577 edition of Alciat, but the letterpress, which is in English, is quite different from the Latin verse attached to it in the Alciat.

The "Minerva Britanna" of Henry Peacham was published in 1612. The emblem on the t.i.tle-page[47] represents the great secret of Francis Bacon's life, and on page 33 is an emblem in which the name Shakespeare is represented. The volume is full of devices which will amply repay a careful study.

Apart from any connection which Bacon may have had with this remarkable cla.s.s of books, they are of great interest to the student of the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. They contain pictorial representations full of information as to the habits and customs of the people. With the exception of Whitney's "Choice of Emblems," a facsimile reprint of which was published in 1866, edited by the Rev. Henry Green, no reprint of any of these curious books has been issued. As the original editions of many of them are very rare, and of none of them plentiful, their study is a matter of difficulty, and few students find their way to this fascinating field of research. How close Bacon's connection was with the writers of these books, or with their publishers, it is difficult to say, but there is considerable evidence that in some way he was able to introduce into every one of the books here enumerated, and many others, some plates ill.u.s.trative of his inductive philosophy.

FOOTNOTES:

[46] Bernard Quaritch, 1905.

[47] See page 105.

CHAPTER XX.

SHAKESPEARE'S SONNETS.

"Shakespeare's Sonnets never before Imprinted," have afforded commentators material for many volumes filled with theories which to the ordinary critical mind appear to have no foundation in fact. Chapters have been written to prove that Mr. W. H., the only begetter of the Sonnets, was Henry Wriothesley, Earl of Southampton, and chapters have been written to prove that he was no such person, but that William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, was the man intended to be designated.

Theories have been elaborated to identify the individuals represented by the Rival Poet and the dark Lady. Not one of these theories is supported by the vestige of a shred of testimony that would stand investigation.

There has not come down any evidence that Shakspur, of Stratford, knew either the Earl of Southampton, the Earl of Pembroke or Marie Fitton.

The truth is that Mr. W. H. was _Shakespeare_, who _was_ the only begetter of the Sonnets, and the proof of this statement will in due time be forthcoming. It may be well to try and read some of the Sonnets as they stand and endeavour to realise what is the obvious meaning of the printed words.

The key to the Sonnets will be found in No. 62. The language in which it is written is explicit and capable of being understood by any ordinary intellect.

"Sinne of selfe-love possesseth al mine eie And all my soule, and al my every part; And for this sinne there is no remedie, It is so grounded inward in my heart.

Me thinkes no face so gratious is as mine, No shape so true, no truth of such account, And for my selfe mine owne worth do define, As I all other in all worth's surmount But when my gla.s.se shewes me my selfe indeed Beated and chopt with tand antiquitie, Mine own selfe love quite contrary I read Selfe, so selfe loving were iniquity.

Tis thee (my-selfe) that for myself I praise Painting my age with beauty of thy daies."

The writer here states definitely that he is dominated by the sin of self-love; it possesseth his eye, his soul, and every part of him. There can be found no remedy for it; it is so grounded in his heart. No face is so gracious as is his, no shape so true, no truth of such account. He defines his worth as surmounting that of all others. This is the frank expression of a man who not only believed that he was, but knew that he was superior to all his contemporaries, not only in intellectual power, but in personal appearance. Then comes an arrest in the thought, and he realises that time has been at work. He has been picturing himself as he was when a young man. He turns to his gla.s.s and sees himself beated and chopt with tanned antiquity; forty summers have pa.s.sed over his brow.[48]

Francis Bacon at forty years of age, or thereabouts, unmarried, childless, sits down to his table, Hilliard's portrait before him, with pen in hand, full of self-love, full of admiration for that beautiful youth on whose counterfeit presentment he is gazing. His intellectual triumphs pa.s.s in review before him, most of them known only to himself and that youth--his companion through life. That was the Francis Bacon who controlled him in all his comings and goings--his ideal whom he worshipped. If he could have a son like that boy! His pen begins to move on the paper--

"From fairest creatures we desire increase That thereby beauty's rose might never die, But as the riper should by time decrease His tender heire might bear his memory."

The pen stops and the writer's eye wanders to the miniature:--

"But _thou_[49] contracted to thine own bright eyes."

And so the Sonnets flow on, without effort, without the need of reference to authorities, for the great, fixed and methodical memory needs none.

How natural are the allusions--

"Thou art thy mother's gla.s.se and she in thee Calls backe the lovely Aprill of her prime."

"Be as thy presence is, gracious and kind, Or to thyselfe at least kind hearted prove.

Make thee another self, for love of me That beauty may still live in thine or thee."

"Let those whom nature hath not made for store, Harsh, featureless and rude, barrenly perish; Look, whom she best indow'd she gave the more; Which bountious guift thou shouldst in bounty cherrish; She carv'd thee for her seale, and ment therby Thou shouldst print more, not let that coppy die."