Wilwhite was an ardent and life-long admirer of Shakespeare.  It is not improbable that after her marriage Elizabeth Frum, proud of her former relations with the poet, encouraged her husband in those cordial offices which helped to promote Shakespeare’s contemporaneous fame.  At any rate, The Tidings was the first public print to recognize Shakespeare’s genius, and Andrew Wilwhite was the first of Shakespeare’s contemporaries to give public expression to his admiration and abiding faith in the talents of the poet.

“We print in our supplement to-day a sonnet from the pen of Willie Shakespeare, son of our esteemed townsman, Squire John Shakespeare.  Willie is now located in London, and is recognized as one of the brightest constellations in the literary galaxy of the metropolis.”—­The Tidings, May 18th, 1587.

“Mistress Shakespeare laid an egg on our table yesterday measuring eleven inches in circumference.  The amiable and accomplished wench informs us that her husband, whose poetic genius frequently illuminates these columns, will visit our midst next month.  William, here is our [hand pointing to the right].”—­The Tidings, June 13th, 1587.

“The gifted W. Shaxpur honored this office with a call last Thursday.  He was smiling all over.  It is a boy, and weighs ten pounds.  Thanks, Willie, for the cigar; it was a daisy.”—­The Tidings, July 9th, 1587.

  “The fireworks on Squire Shakespere’s lawn last Fourth of July night
  were the finest ever witnessed in the county.  They were brought up
  from London by the Squire’s son William, the famous poet.”—­Ibid.

  “If you want to make Bill Shaxpeare hopping mad, just ask him how
  much venison is a pound.  All joking aside, Willie is the leading
  poet of the age.”—­The Tidings, July 16th, 1587.

  Two years later the following references were made by Wilwhite to
  the dramatic prodigy: 

“We would acknowledge the receipt (from Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount, the well-known publishers) of a volume entitled, ’The First Part of King Henry the Sixt,’ the same being a dramatic poem by Willie Shaxper, formerly of this town.  Critique of the work is deferred.”—­April 23d, 1589.

  “Our London exchanges agree that Willie Shaksper’s new play is the
  greatest thing of the season.  We knew that Willie would get there
  sooner or later.  There are no flies on him.”—­April 23d, 1589.