Category: Philosophy

William Shakespeare & Francis Bacon

Shakespeare: Mark Twain Was On the Scent! (12.3.2024)

Only then did the newly franchised Bourgeoisie begin to routinely mimic the upper-class they had politically replaced as controllers of the means of production – following the 1649 CE execution of King Charles I – and extensively educate their children in literacy (and all kinds of other academic subjects). After 1649 CE – this type of Bourgeois education slowly began to develop – but certainly did not happen to any great extent prior to this date. In this regard, Shakespeare seems historically out-of-place – like a technologically sophisticated and advanced artefact discovered on the floor of an ancient cave – how did such an object arrive in this position?

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Marching Smartly!

Qing Dynasty: When the Last Chinese Imperial Ship Visited the West! (11.3.2024)

Afterwards, the U.S. Navy repeatedly invited the Qing Dynasty Fleet to visit the United States as a show of friendship. Therefore, on April 11th, 1911, Cheng Biguang (程璧光), the Commander of the “Hai Qi Hao” was ordered to weigh anchor in Shanghai on April 21st – and set sail to the United Kingdom, (thousands of miles away), to attend the Coronation of King George V – and then cross the Atlantic to visit New York, USA. The Baiyang Navy – at the end of the Qing Dynasty – was extremely modernized. The uniforms, Ceremonial Guards, and drill methods of the soldiers were all adopted from the West (specifically the UK). The Officers and soldiers of the “Hai Qi Hao” also cut off their Manchu braided poney-tails – officially integrating with the (modern) Western Navy.

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Qi Ying Hao - Qing Dynasty Ship - 1848

China: Qing Dynasty Ship – “Qi Ying Hao” [耆英号] – First Modern Chinese Vessel to Visit the West – and Never to Return! (11.3.2024)

The purpose of the “Qi Ying Hao” voyage is not very clear – based upon the extant information available. Certain information suggests that the driving force behind the scenes was a British business group. These investment capitalists intended to have a Chinese sailing ship sail around the Cape of Good Hope – and then sail to the United Kingdom – as a symbolic gift for Queen Victoria!

According to researchers, the “Qi Ying Hao” was secretly sold to the British in August of 1846, because at that time China had legal restrictions that prohibited the sale of ships to foreigners. In order to keep it secret, all the British people changed into Chinese clothes and a Chinese person was temporarily appointed as the Captain. He also used the ship as his personal yacht – and sailed the boat from Guangzhou to Hong Kong.

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Facts About the Americas! (11.3.2024)

This re-forestation caused a mini-ice age across Europe which was felt in the UK during the early 1800s (recorded as “festive events” eventually featured upon Christmas Cards depicting frozen rivers, snowy landscapes, smiling snowmen and children sledging, etc). These events are still remembered to this day a good thing on UK Xmas cards – with no knowledge as to ‘why’ this happened. Of course, overtime, and with the arrival of more Europeans – this subsumed land was re-cleared of its foliage (to accommodate this further “White” settlement) causing the climate to readjust – relieving the mini-age ice. The Americas are not just the post-1865 CE ‘Federal’ Association of the ‘United States’ that currently occupy a large part of North of America.

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Pen is Mightier Than the Sword!

My Shakespeare “Complete Works” Editions! (10.3.2024)

The first was in 1992 – purchased from a local WH Smiths in a place called ‘Tiverton’ in East Devon (I believe during the time that my Irish grandmother – Gladys Kilmurray – was very ill and when her British daughter and American grandchildren were visiting the UK from Seattle, US) – whilst the second was acquired from The Works in Torquay High Street in 2007 (five-years after my family had uprooted and migrated to the South Coast). Both are superb editions with the first being easy to carry around whilst the latter is a very large, impressive and “Grand” Limited Library Edition – designed as a “Reference” copy only NOT to be borrowed or moved about (it is far too heavy for that)! The first is compact – whilst the second is lavishly illustrated and easy to read.

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The Beautiful Boy!

Emails: The Homosocial World of King James I – as Recorded in Shakespeare’s Sonnets! (10.3.2024)

The Sonnets have been altered, suppressed and repressed over the last four hundred years – and particularly since the advent of the 1885 anti-gay laws in the UK (passed at the same time as the ancient Age of Consent of ’12’ was raised to ’13’ and then to ’16’ in quick succession) which were used to try and imprison Oscar Wilde in 1895. With the 1967 abolition of these anti-gay laws (which outlawed sexual activity between consenting adult men) – the Sonnets were once again lauded as masterpieces of observation and wit. I suspect that an updated edition of Arden will introduce a more astute LBGTQN+ interpretation – one that this community might well find inspiring and uplifting.

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