t he throws out the masonic
signs of learning in almost every scene, to all who know what they are. And
this over and above every kind of direct evidence. First, foremost, and
enough, the evidence of Ben Jonson that he had "little Latin and less
Greek"; then Shakespeare had as much Greek as Jonson would call _some_,
even when he was depreciating. To have any Greek at all was in those days
exceptional. In Shakespeare's youth St. Paul's and Merchant Taylor's
schools were to have masters learned in good and clean Latin literature,
_and also in Greek if such may be gotten_. When Jonson spoke as above, he
intended to put Shakespeare low among the learned, but not out of their
pale; and he spoke as a rival dramatist, who was proud of his own learned
sock; and it may be a subject of inquiry how much Latin _he_ would call
_little_. If Shakespeare's learning on certain points be very much less
visible than Jonson's, it is partly because Shakespeare's writings hold it
in chemical combination, Jonson's in mechanical aggregation.]

7. An elderly man came to me to show me how the universe was created. There
was one molecule, which by vibration became--Heaven knows how!--the Sun.
Further vibration produced Mercury, and so on. I suspect the nebular
hypothesis had got into the poor man's head by reading, in some singular
mixture with what it found there. Some modifications of vibration gave
heat, electricity, etc. I {14} listened until my informant ceased to
vibrate--which is always the shortest way--and then said, "Our knowledge of
elastic fluids is imperfect." "Sir!" said he, "I see you perceive the truth
of what I have said, and I will reward your attention by telling you what I
seldom disclose, never, except to those who can receive my theory--the
little molecule whose vibrations have given rise to our solar system is the
Logos of St. John's Gospel!" He went away to Dr. Lardner, who would not go
into the solar system at all--the first molecule settled the question. So
hard upon poor discoverers are men of science who are not antiquaries in
their subject! On leaving, he said, "Sir, Mr. De Morgan received me in a
very different way! he heard me attentively, and I left him perfectly
satisfied of the truth of my system." I have had much reason to think that
many discoverers, of all classes, believe they have convinced every one who
is not peremptory to the verge of incivility.

My list is given in chronological order. My readers will un