Francis Asbury Smith

Francis Asbury Smith (1837–1915) is the author of The Critics Versus Shakspere: A Brief for the Defendant, first published in 1907. The book presents the Shakespeare authorship question in the style of a legal case, arguing on behalf of the traditional view that William Shakespeare wrote the plays.

Very little biographical information about Smith was easy to confirm from reliable online sources during this search, so it is safest to describe him through his surviving work. What stands out is his clear, argumentative approach: instead of treating the debate as a purely academic puzzle, he framed it as a case to be tried, which gives his writing an energetic and accessible quality.

For listeners interested in literary controversies, Smith offers a snapshot of a debate that has fascinated readers for generations. Even when modern audiences disagree with his conclusions or assumptions, his book remains an engaging example of how passionately Shakespeare's legacy has been defended.