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and translatable into a complimentcompliment coming down from
about the snow…line and not well thawed in the transit； and not
likely to set anything afire； not even a cub…pilot's self…
conceit； still a detectable complement； and precious。
Naturally it flattered me into being more loyal to Shakespeare
if possiblethan I was before； and more prejudiced against
Baconif possiblethat I was before。 And so we discussed
and discussed； both on the same side； and were happy。
For a while。 Only for a while。 Only for a very little while；
a very； very； very little while。 Then the atmosphere began
to change； began to cool off。
A brighter person would have seen what the trouble was；
earlier than I did； perhaps； but I saw it early enough for all
practical purposes。 You see； he was of an argumentative
disposition。 Therefore it took him but a little time to get
tired of arguing with a person who agreed with everything he said
and consequently never furnished him a provocative to flare up
and show what he could do when it came to clear； cold； hard；
rose…cut； hundred…faceted； diamond…flashing REASONING。 That was
his name for it。 It has been applied since； with complacency； as
many as several times； in the Bacon…Shakespeare scuffle。 On the
Shakespeare side。
Then the thing happened which has happened to more persons
than to me when principle and personal interest found themselves
in opposition to each other and a choice had to be made： I let
principle go； and went over to the other side。 Not the entire
way； but far enough to answer the requirements of the case。 That
is to say； I took this attitudeto wit； I only BELIEVED Bacon
wrote Shakespeare； whereas I KNEW Shakespeare didn't。 Ealer was
satisfied with that； and the war broke loose。 Study； practice；
experience in handling my end of the matter presently enabled me
to take my new position almost seriously； a little bit later；
utterly seriously； a little later still； lovingly； gratefully；
devotedly； finally： fiercely； rabidly； uncompromisingly。 After
that I was welded to my faith； I was theoretically ready to die
for it； and I looked down with compassion not unmixed with scorn
upon everybody else's faith that didn't tally with mine。 That
faith； imposed upon me by self…interest in that ancient day；
remains my faith today； and in it I find comfort； solace； peace；
and never…failing joy。 You see how curiously theological it is。
The 〃rice Christian〃 of the Orient goes through the very same
steps； when he is after rice and the missionary is after HIM； he
goes for rice； and remains to worship。
Ealer did a lot of our 〃reasoning〃not to say substantially
all of it。 The slaves of his cult have a passion for calling it
by that large name。 We others do not call our inductions and
deductions and reductions by any name at all。 They show for
themselves what they are； and we can with tranquil confidence
leave the world to ennoble them with a title of its own choosing。
Now and then when Ealer had to stop to cough； I pulled my
induction…talents together and hove the controversial lead
myself： always getting eight feet； eight and a half； often nine；
sometimes even quarter…less…twainas _I_ believed； but always
〃no bottom；〃 as HE said。
I got the best of him only once。 I prepared myself。 I
wrote out a passage from Shakespeareit may have been the very
one I quoted awhile ago； I don't rememberand riddled it with
his wild steamboatful interlardings。 When an unrisky opportunity
offered； one lovely summer day； when we had sounded and buoyed a
tangled patch of crossings known as Hell's Half Acre； and were
aboard again and he had sneaked the PENNSYLVANIA triumphantly
through it without once scraping sand； and the A。 T。 LACEY had
followed in our wake and got stuck； and he was feeling good； I
showed it to him。 It amused him。 I asked him to fire it off
READ it； read it； I diplomatically added； as only HE could read
dramatic poetry。 The compliment touched him where he lived。 He
did read it； read it with surpassing fire and spirit； read it as
it will never be read again； for HE know how to put the right
music into those thunderous interlardings and make them seem a
part of the text； make them sound as if they were bursting from
Shakespeare's own soul； each one of them a golden inspiration and
not to be left out without damage to the massed and magnificent
whole。
I waited a week； to let the incident fade； waited longer；
waited until he brought up for reasonings and vituperation my pet
position； my pet argument； the one which I was fondest of； the
one which I prized far above all others in my ammunition…wagon
to wit； that Shakespeare couldn't have written Shakespeare's
words； for the reason that the man who wrote them was limitlessly
familiar with the laws； and the law…courts； and law…proceedings；
and lawyer…talk； and lawyer…waysand if Shakespeare was
possessed of the infinitely divided star…dust that constituted
this vast wealth； HOW did he get it； and WHERE and WHEN？
〃From books。〃
From books！ That was always the idea。 I answered as my
readings of the champions of my side of the great controversy had
taught me to answer： that a man can't handle glibly and easily
and comfortably and successfully the argot of a trade at which he
has not personally served。 He will make mistakes； he will not；
and cannot； get the trade…phrasings precisely and exactly right；
and the moment he departs； by even a shade； from a common trade…
form； the reader who has served that trade will know the writer
HASN'T。 Ealer would not be convinced； he said a man could learn
how to correctly handle the subtleties and mysteries and free…
masonries of ANY trade by careful reading and studying。 But when
I got him to read again the passage from Shakespeare with the
interlardings； he perceived； himself； that books couldn't teach a
student a bewildering multitude of pilot…phrases so thoroughly
and perfectly that he could talk them off in book and play or
conversation and make no mistake that a pilot would not
immediately discover。 It was a triumph for me。 He was silent
awhile； and I knew what was happeninghe was losing his temper。
And I knew he would presently close the session with the same old
argument that was always his stay and his support in time of
need； the same old argument； the one I couldn't answer； because I
dasn'tthe argument that I was an ass； and better shut up。 He
delivered it； and I obeyed。
O dear； how long ago it washow pathetically long ago！ And
here am I； old； forsaken； forlorn； and alone； arranging to get
that argument out of somebody again。
When a man has a passion for Shakespeare； it goes without
saying that he keeps company with other standard authors。 Ealer
always had several high…class books in the pilot…house； and he
read the same ones over and over again； and did not care to
change to newer and fresher ones。 He played well on the fl