Two of the Sonnets of Francis Bacon, The True Shakespeare
Singed by Author
Compiled, Arranged, and Composed by Henry Hamilton Harwood
Richmond, Virginia, 1909
Description for Macoy.com:
A fascinating and scarce early-20th-century work promoting the Baconian theory of Shakespearean authorship. Two of the Sonnets of Francis Bacon, The True Shakespeare presents compiler Henry Hamilton Harwood’s argument that Francis Bacon, rather than William Shakespeare, was the true author of the celebrated Sonnets.
This edition features a frontispiece portrait of Bacon after the painting by Van Somer of Gorhambury, accompanied by a quote from historian Thomas Macaulay praising Bacon’s intellect. The title page credits Harwood as compiler and arranger, and this copy bears his handwritten inscription:
“Compliment of Henry Hamilton Harwood, Richmond, Va. 1909.”
Printed in Richmond, Virginia, this edition is printed in red and black on gray paper wraps with ornamental border and red typography. The cover, spine, and text show age toning and some staining, but remain intact and legible—a charming artifact of early Baconian scholarship with direct provenance from the author himself.
Author and Historical Context:
Henry Hamilton Harwood was an early 20th-century Virginian writer and Baconian theorist. His pamphlet reflects the American enthusiasm for the idea that Francis Bacon encoded his authorship of the Shakespearean plays and sonnets—a popular literary controversy in Masonic and Rosicrucian circles of the era.
Condition:
Fair to Good. Wraps edgeworn with stains and a tear along the spine. Pages clean but age toned. Frontispiece intact. Author’s presentation inscription on flyleaf adds significant collector value.
