Sir Francis Bacon

(1561-1626)

Francis Bacon, the English lawyer, statesman, philosopher and author, is remembered in literary circles for the sharpness of a few dozen essays as well as for the rumors of his possible alter ego -- William Shakespeare.

An argument, first advanced in the mid-18th century, claimed that Shakespeare, a nobody from Stratford, lacked the social background, education and temperament to have written his masterpieces. Various people attempted to prove Bacon's authorship, however most Shakespeare scholars assume the Bard himself wrote the plays.

-- Benet's Reader's Encyclopedia

Pub Date: 08/29/99