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became of it is not known to us. The features were sharp and delicately formed, the nose long, and the mouth refined; but the lower part of the face projected, and the high forehead receded, while the eyes and eyebrows did not very harmoniously range. Christopher Beeston, who was much concerned with poets and theatres during the reigns of James and Charles, and survived the Restoration, informed Aubrey that Spenser was "a little man with short hair, a small band and cuffs:" the latter part of this statement does not tally with the usual engravings, where the poet is represented in a large flourishing laced ruff. Perhaps Beeston's account applied to Spenser when, later in life, he was more intimately connected with the puritanical party.

Our biographical account of the author of "The Faerie Queene" has run out to a length we neither intended nor anticipated; and as, in the course of it, we have interspersed such remarks, critical and personal, as the occasion seemed to require, we shall not occupy farther space by repeating observations which during the last century have become trite, and therefore wearisome. It would be easy to fill many pages with the common-places of such as have written upon the poetry and powers of Spenser; but remarks of the kind, even if vigorous and original (and in these respects they have usually been deficient), would fall, in our day, upon impatient ears, anxious rather to judge for themselves, than willing to take the questionable word of an editor. A just estimate of Spenser, as a man and as a poet, can, of course, best be derived from his life and productions. To the first we have fortunately been able to add some new particulars: to the last nothing, but in the shape of restorations and corrections of his text.

THE

SHEPHEARDES CALENDER :

CONTEYNING TWELVE ÆGLOGUES,

PROPORTIONABLE

TO THE TWELVE MONETHES.

ENTITLED

To the noble and vertuous Gentleman, moft worthy of all titles both of learning and chevalrie,

M. PHILIP SIDNEY.

AT LONDON.

Printed by HUGH SINGLETON, dwelling in Creede Lane neere unto Ludgate at the figne of the gylden Tunne, and

are there to be folde.

1579.

TO HIS BOOKE.

GE, little booke:

As child whose parent is unkent,

To him that is the president

Of Noblesse and of chevalree:
And if that Envie barke at thee,
As sure it will, for succoure flee
Under the shadow of his wing;
And, asked who thee forth did bring,
A shepheards swaine, saye, did thee sing,
All as his straying flocke he fedde:
And, when his honor has thee redde,
Crave pardon for my hardyhedde.
But, if that any aske thy name,
Say, thou wert basebegot with blame;
For thy thereof thou takest shame.
And, when thou art past jeopardee,
Come tell me what was sayd of mee,
And I will send more after thee.

IMMERITO.

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His verie special and singular good frend E. K. commendeth the good lyking of this his labour, and the patronage of the new Poete.

NCOUTHE, unkiste, sayde the old famous Poete Chaucer: whom for his excellencie and wonderfull skil in making, his scholler Lidgate, a worthy scholler of so excellent a maister, calleth the Loadstarre of our Language; and whom our Colin clout, in his Æglogue, calleth Tityrus the God of shepheards, comparing hym to the worthines of the Roman Tityrus, Virgile. Which proverbe, myne owne good friend Ma. Harvey, as in that good old Poete it served well Pandares purpose for the bolstering of his baudie brocage, so very well taketh place in this our new Poete, who for that he is uncouthe (as said Chaucer) is unkist, and unknown to most men, is regarded but of few. But I dout not, so soone as his name shall come into the knowledg of men, and his woorthines bee sounded in the tromp of Fame, but that hee shall bee not onely kiste, but also beloved of all, imbraced of the most, and wondred at of the best. No lesse, I thinke, deserveth his wittinesse in devising, his pithinesse in uttering, his complaints of

love so lovely, his discourses of pleasure so pleasantly, his pastoral rudenes, his morall wisenesse, his dewe observing of Decorum everye where, in personages, in seasons, in matter, in speach; and generally, in al seemely simplycitie of handeling his matters, and framing his words: the which, of many thinges which in him be straunge, I know will seeme the straungest, the wordes them selves being so auncient, the knitting of them so short and intricate, and the whole Periode and compaste of speech so delightsome for the roundnesse, and so grave for the straungenesse. And firste of the wordes to speake, I graunt they bee something hard, and of most men unused, yet both English, and also used of most excellent Authours, and most famous Poetes. In whom, when as this our Poet hath bene much traveiled and throughly redd, how could it be, (as that worthy Oratour sayde) but that walking in the sonne, although for other cause he walked, yet needes he mought be sunburnt; and, having the sound of those auncient Poetes still ringing in his eares, he mought needes, in singing, hit out some of theyr tunes. But whether he useth them by such casualtye and custome, or of set purpose and choyse, as thinking them fittest for such rustical rudenesse of shepheards, eyther for that theyr rough sounde would make his rymes more ragged and rustical; or els because such olde and obsolete wordes are most used of country folke, sure I think, and think I think not amisse, that they bring great grace, and, as one would say, auctoritie to the verse. For albe, amongst many other faultes, it specially be objected of Valla against Livie, and of other against Saluste, that with overmuch studie they affect antiquitie, as coveting thereby credence and honor of elder yeeres; yet I am of opinon, and eke the best learned are of the lyke, that those auncient solemne wordes are a great ornament, both in the one, and in the other: the one labouring to set forth in

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