all the other possibilities is that, withnhim, everything suddenly makesnsense, down to the smallest detail,nwhereas with Shakspere nothingnmakes sense. No longer must we try tonbelieve, without a scrap of evidence orna single corroborating record, thatnShakspere—son, husband, and fathernof illiterates—was given a classicalneducation (but “small Latin, and lessnGreek”?) in that wide spot in the roadncalled Stratford, to rival that of anynmodern Ph.D. (Ironically, it is todav’snPh.D.’s who ask us to accept this.) Nonlonger must we try to believe thatnShakspere, on the strength of his overwhelmingngenius, traveled so widelynand in such royal company (althoughnthat royal company never talks aboutnhim) that he simply soaked up hisnboundless knowledge of falconry, fieldnsports, horsemanship, music, astrology,nhorticulture, law, mathematics,nand all the sciences, foreign countriesnand languages, classical literature, andnhis still-unsurpassed ability to hammernThree Outstanding New BooksnTHE RATZINGER REPORTnAn Exclusive Interview On the State of the ChurchnJoseph Cardinal Ratzinger with Vittorio MessorinIn this controversial, highly publicized interview. Cardinal Ratzingernspeaks candidly and forcefully about the state of the Church in thenpest-Vatican II era. Ratzinger’s forthright, measured criticism ofncertain forms of liberation theology, and his removal of thenimprimatur from two widely read books in the U.S., are wellnknown. In this extensive, wide-ranging interview, Cardinal Ratzingernaddresses a variety of critical issues in the Church, making clearnwhat he thinks the problems are—and their .solutions.n”It must be clearly stated that a real reform of the Churchnpresupposes un unequivocal turning away from the erroneousnpaths whose catastrophic consequences are already incontestable”.nSewn soft-cover, $9.95 — Joseph Cardinal RatzingernA CHESTERTON ANTHOLOGYnEdited by P. J. KavanaghnG. K. Chesterton is one of the most widely quoted 20th centurynwriters. His influence has been enormous, and this volume spearheadsnthe great revival of interest in Chesterton’s works. Thisnsubstantial work shows the many sides of Chesterton’s mind. Wenare given a wide variety of highly readable and enjoyable selectionsnfrom his novels, essays, poetry, and apologetics. The best summarynof Chesterton available.n”This deserves to become the standard introduction tonChesterton.” —London Times Sewn hardcover, $19.95nCOLLECTED WORKS OF G. K. CHESTERTONnVol. I: Orthodoxy, Heretics, Blatchford ControversiesnThis first volume of Chesterton’s writings contains three of hisnmost influential and engaging works.n”Chesterton’s writings are .so rich in good sense, in wit, and innplain, profound and cheerful truth that almost every page deservesna review to itself.”— The SpectatornSewn soft-cover, $12.95: Sewn Hardcover, $17.95n (HKSTKRTONnWTHOLOGVnfo^ iqnotius ) iSyyO San Francisco. CA 94118nnness ‘*nPJ *–‘ rnpiFs ‘ TITLEnTiTi FnAMOUNTnNamenStreetnCity State Zipn^ny atate £iip KnPlease include SI .50 for po.stage and handling. (California residents please add 6’/;% sales tax.)n221 CHRONICLES OF CULTUREnnnnew language out of old. No longernmust we try to believe the thousandnsubstanceless and contradictory “details”nof Shakspere’s undocumentednlife.nThis is not to say that there is proofnthat what we’ve been taught aboutnShakespeare is false, just that there isnno proof that it is true and an enormousnbody of otherwise-inexplicablenevidence that Edward de Vere wasnShakespeare. No human behavior isnperfecdy consistent, but why shouldnwe strain so hard to believe in Shaksperenwhen there is another so infinitelynsuited for the role that he deserves atnleast open-minded scholarship?nAye, but there’s the rub. There is nontelling how a new understandingnwould change the way we see thenworld. Even the sacrosanct OxfordnEnglish Dictionary may need reision.nFor instance, the 1981 O.E.D. creditsnShakespeare with the first use of “glutton”nor “gluttoning” as an intransitivenverb in 1600 (Sonnet 75), but Oxford’snfirst wife, Anne, used it in 1584 in ansad, ungainly litde poem mourningnthe death of her only son. The first usenof “base” meaning “low in the moralnsense” is given as Henry VI, 1593;nOxford uses it in his introductory letternto the publication of his friend ThomasnBedingfield’s Cardanus Comfort inn1573.nI am myself one of the multitudenwho never seriously questioned thatnthe man from Stratford WTOte thenplays. I made my pilgrimage to gaze onnhis tomb and the wall memorial inncharming Trinity Church. CharltonnOgburn, bless the man, makes me feelnlike a fool. But I have nothing to losenfrom admitting this, and if future discoveriesnmake me a double fool fornaccepting the de Vere theory, I will notnhave staked my career on it. An academicnis a different sort of animal, andntenure is a precious commodity. I havena great deal of sympathy for those withnmuch to lose by this book, who ignorenOgburn, or put words in his mouth hennever said, to make him look ridiculousnbecause they cannot show wherenhe is wrong.nOn the other hand, there is. thenpursuit of truth. ccn