er dramatists,
like Preston, Gascoigne, and Whetstone, he knew, for he quotes
_Cambyses_, and from the two last he derives material for the plots of
_The Taming of the Shrew_ and _Measure for Measure_. Anonymous writers
supplied the older plays on which he based _King John, King Lear_, and
_Hamlet_, parts of _Henry V_ and _VI_, and of _Richard III_, and
probably others. Allusions prove a familiarity with all of Marlowe's
dramas; _Hamlet_ is indebted to the tradition of which Kyd was one of
the founders; Lyly taught him much in the handling of light comic
dialogue; and he quotes lines from Peele. Greene's contribution is less
specifically marked; but Shakespeare's profession of acting, as well as
that of play-writing, of necessity made him acquainted with the whole
dramatic production of the time. Thus, as has been stated in a previous
chapter, he acted in several of Jonson's plays, and a good case has been
made out for his modelling his last comedies on the new successes of
Beaumont and Fletcher.

No Englishman of that day was insensible to what was going on in
exploration and conquest of the Western World; and in _The Tempest_,
_Othello_, and other plays we have clear ground for stating that
Shakespeare shared this interest, and read books like Eden's _History of
Travayle in the West and East Indies_, Raleigh's _Discoverie of Guiana_,
and such pamphlets as were used in the vast compilation of Richard
Hakluyt. The scientific knowledge implied in the plays reflects current
beliefs, and must have been derived from such works as Pliny, _Batman
uppon Bartholome his Booke De Proprietatibus Rerum_, and from
conversation.

Finally, Shakespeare knew his Bible. Several volumes have been written
to exhibit the extent of this knowledge, and it has been shown by Anders
that he knew both the Genevan and the Great Bible, as well as the Prayer
Book.

Taken all together, the amount of literature indicated by this summary
account of the evidences in the plays and poems abundantly proves the
statement that Shakespeare, if not a scholar, was a man of wide and
varied reading. When it is further considered that only a fraction of
what any author reads leaves a mark that can be identified on what he
writes, we shall readily allow that in the matter of study Shakespeare
showed an activity and receptivity of mind that harmonizes with the
impression received from his creative work.

[Page Heading: His Reading Typical]

It agrees with our