And what was the private life of Shakespeare? In spite of all research we have learned almost nothing of it, and it is fortunate that we have not. Only all kinds of unverified, foolish tales have been told continually about his youth and life. So he is said, while employed by his father who was a butcher, to have slaughtered oxen. This was probably the surmise of certain English commentators who, probably out of ill feeling, attribute to him general ignorance and want of art. Then he was a dealer in wool, and did not succeed. Poor fellow, he thought perhaps that from wool he would come to sit on the woolsack. I do not believe a word of it all—'tis simply a great cry and little wool. I am more inclined to believe that he was a poacher, and came to prison through a fawn; for which, however, I do not condemn him. "Even Honour once stole a calf," says a German proverb.[1] Then he fled to London, and held gentlemen's horses for a fee before theatre doors. Something like this are the fables which one old woman chatters after the other in literary history.
The sonnets of Shakespeare are more authentic documents as to his life, which I, however, would not discuss, yet which, from the deep human misery
- ↑ There is a pun here, something of the spirit of which may be given by translating this as "even Pride once fawned."—Translator.
