Page "Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship" Paragraph 53

Before the advent of copyright, anonymous and pseudonymous publication was a common practice in the sixteenth century publishing world, and a passage in the Arte of English Poesie ( 1589 ), the leading work of literary criticism of the Elizabethan period and an anonymously published work itself, mentions in passing that literary figures in the court who wrote " commendably well " circulated their poetry only among their friends, " as if it were a discredit for a gentleman to seem learned " ( Book 1, Chapter 8 ).

In another passage 23 chapters later, the author ( probably George Puttenham ) speaks of aristocratic writers who, if their writings were made public, would appear to be excellent.

It is in this passage that Oxford appears on a list of poets.