CONTENTS
Reading edition
PAGE
Introductory Scope and effect of the discussion 1-5
Chapter I The Sonnets contain a message from their author; they portray his real emotions, and are to be read and interpreted literally 7-18
Chapter II They indicate that the friend or patron of the poet was a young man, and of about the age of Shakespeare; and that their author was past middle life, and considerably older than Shakespeare 19-48
Chapter III Direct statements showing that the Sonnets were not written by their accredited author—were not written by Shakespeare 49-58
Chapter IV The known facts of Shakespeare's history reveal a character entirely inconsistent with, and radically different from, the revelations of the Sonnets as to the character of their author 59-72
Chapter V The general scope and effect of the Sonnets inconsistent with the theory that they were written by Shakespeare 73-96
Chapter VI The results of the discussion summarized 97-99
Appendix 100