What is Shakespeare? By L. A. Sherman. (Macmillan and Co.
6s. net.)—After a brief preliminary chapter—we could wish that it had been longer, but, the book being a class-book, the author wished, we suppose, to get to business at once—we have detailed criticism on Cymbeline, A Winter's Tale, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. Professor Sherman gives us something better than "notes" ; he gives the story of the play, with a continuous commentary. No one after reading this with attention could remain without a very fair appreciation of what Shakespeare really is. These criticisms are followed by a chapter on "Shake- speare the Man." Naturally in the course of this we come to the "Bacon theory." One reason adduced against this is Shake- speare's deficient scholarship. Bacon would not have used " Postn5mus," nor misquoted Terence (significantly enough, just as it is misquoted in "Lily's Grammar"). Chap. 7 is devoted to the "Grouping of the Plays." Finally, we have a copious supply of examination questions. In the very abundant Shakespearian literature there are not many volumes more practically useful than this.
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