A Letter on Shakspere's Authorship of The Two Noble Kinsmen and on the characteristics of Shakspere's style and the secret of his supremacy

audiobook

A Letter on Shakspere's Authorship of The Two Noble Kinsmen and on the characteristics of Shakspere's style and the secret of his supremacy

by William Spalding

EN·~5 hours·12 chapters

Chapters

12 total
1

Transcriber's Notes:

0:49
2

A LETTER - ON - SHAKSPERE'S AUTHORSHIP - OF - The Two Noble Kinsmen.

0:04
3

A LETTER ON SHAKSPERE'S AUTHORSHIP OF The Two Noble Kinsmen; - AND ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF SHAKSPERE'S STYLE AND THE SECRET OF HIS SUPREMACY.

0:09
4

WILLIAM SPALDING, M.A., - FORMERLY PROFESSOR OF RHETORIC IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH AND AFTERWARDS PROFESSOR OF LOGIC, RHETORIC, AND METAPHYSICS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREW'S; AUTHOR OF 'A HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE,' ETC., ETC.

0:17
5

JOHN HILL BURTON, LL.D., - AUTHOR OF 'THE HISTORY OF SCOTLAND,' ETC., ETC.

0:15
6

FOREWORDS

18:40
7

SKELETON OF PROF. SPALDING'S LETTER.

2:02
8

LIFE OF PROFESSOR W. SPALDING,

28:35
9

A LETTER ON SHAKSPEARE'S AUTHORSHIP OF THE DRAMA ENTITLED THE TWO NOBLE KINSMEN.

4:43:16
10

A FEW INSTANCES OF SHAKSPERE'S PECULIARITIES AS NOTED BY SPALDING.

17:46

Description

The work presents a vigorous nineteenth‑century scholarly letter that wrestles with the long‑standing question of whether Shakespeare contributed to The Two Noble Kinsmen. Written by a former professor of rhetoric and logic, it blends disciplined argument with a lively, almost conversational tone. From the opening, the author frames the debate as both a literary puzzle and a test of critical method.

The letter dives into Shakespeare’s stylistic fingerprints—metrical patterns, recurring imagery, and character construction—citing passages that illuminate his distinctive voice. By juxtaposing these features with those in earlier dramas, the writer argues for a continuity that signals the playwright’s “secret of supremacy.” This close reading is interwoven with reflections on the nature of dramatic art in the Elizabethan era.

The result is a spirited essay that invites listeners to weigh the evidence while appreciating the craft behind the texts. Its blend of logical analysis and affectionate admiration makes it a useful resource for students, scholars, and curious readers alike. Even without taking a definitive stance, the piece leaves the debate open, encouraging further discussion and personal exploration.

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Details

Full title

A Letter on Shakspere's Authorship of The Two Noble Kinsmen and on the characteristics of Shakspere's style and the secret of his supremacy and on the characteristics of Shakspere's style and the secret of his supremacy

Language

en

Duration

~5 hours (344K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Mike Zeug, Lisa Reigel, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)

Release date

2011-03-19

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

WS

William Spalding

1809–1859

A Scottish man of letters who moved from law into literary criticism and teaching, he wrote with the broad curiosity of a nineteenth-century scholar. Best known for works on English literature and philosophy, he spent much of his career helping students think clearly and read closely.

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