often be read through; that to many readers it will prove not unfrequently very tedious; but that detached parts, after repeated perusals, will continue to give pleasure. To such assertions let me be permitted to subjoin the dissentient opinion of Pope, who, without any repulsive remarks on the want of unity and compression, and on the infelicity of ancient diction, thus acknowledges how much Spenser was his favourite from his early to his later years: "There is something in Spenser that pleases one as strongly in one's old age as it did in one's youth. I read the Faerie Queene when I was about twelve with a vast deal of delight; and I think it gave me as much, when I read it over a year or two ago." Nor may I omit a few more remarks in regard to the language of the Faerie Queene, which is asserted to be cast in a mould more antique than that in which the writer lived. This is but a repetition of Dryden's hasty censure ; which is to be attributed to Jonson's condemnation of Spenser's obsolete language, directed, as Mr. Malone remarks, merely against the Pastorals; but since indiscriminately brought against all his works. "The language of the Faerie Queene," as Mr. Malone judiciously adds, was the language of the age in which Spenser lived; and, however obsolete it might appear to Dryden, was, I conceive, perfectly intelligible to every reader of poetry in the time of Queen Elizabeth, though the Shepheards Calender was not even then understood without a commentary." tr But it is also asserted, that "e Spenser did not possess that rare elevation of genius, which places a man above the level of his age." In this remark, however, the support of Dryden is wanting; for Dryden says expressly of Spenser; "fno man was ever born with a greater genius, or had more knowledge to support it." And it has been well observed by a very judicious critick, that " where the works of Spenser are original, they shew that he possessed energy, copiousness, and sublimity sufficient, if he had taken no model to follow, that would rank him with Homer and Tasso and Milton; for his greatest excellence is in those images which are the immediate foundation of the sublime: Fear, confusion, and astonishment, are delineated by him with a most masterly pen." To these marks of elevated powers I may add the attractive minuteness of Spenser's descriptions, which rarely terminate in the object described, but give an agreeable activity to the mind in tracing the resemblance between the type and anti-type. This, as the learned translator of Dante has observed to me, is an excellency possessed by Spenser in an eminent degree; and hence may be deduced the superiority of his descriptions over those of Thomson, Akenside, and almost all other modern poets. h If our conceptions of Spenser's mind may be taken from his poetry, I shall not hesitate to pronounce him entitled to our warmest admiration and regard for his gentle disposition, for his friendly and grateful conduct, for his humility, for his exquisite tenderness, and above all for his piety and morality. To these amiable points a fastidious reader may, perhaps, object some petty inadvertencies; yet can he never be so ungrateful as to deny the efficacy, which Spenser's general character gives to his writings; as to deny that Truth and Virtue are graceful and attractive, when the road to them is pointed out by such a guide. Let it always be remembered that this excellent poet inculcates those impressive lessons, by attending to which the gay and the thoughtless may be timely induced to treat with scorn, and indignation, the allurements of intemperance and illicit pleasure. Subservient as the poetry of Spenser is to the interests of private life, let it be cited also as the vehicle of sound publick spirit: "Deare Countrey! O how dearely deare appear to have followed the severe and unjust opinion of Hume in regard to Spenser. Seo Nouv. Dict. Hist. Caen, art. Spencer. b Dr. Warton's edition of Pope's Works, vol. 6. p. 59. d Dryden's Prose-Works, vol. 3. p. 94. f Discourse on Epick Poetry, Prose-Works, edit. Malone, vol. 3. p. 525. Neve's Cursory Remarks on the ancient English Poets. • Dr. Aikin's Life of Spenser. e Dr. Aikin's Life of Spenser. h The Rev. Henry Boyd. i It is worthy of remark, that John Wesley, in the plan which he offers to those Methodists who design to go through a course of academical learning, recommends, (together with the Historical Books of the Hebrew Bible, the Greek Testament, Homer's Odyssey, Vell. Paterculus, Euclid's Elements, &c. &c.) to students of the second year, Spenser's Faerie Queene. See the second volume of Whitehead's Life of the Rev. John Wesley, &c. 1796. SOME ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF SPENSER. "How bruitish is it not to understand an To the friends of Spenser, already mentioned in this account of his Life, we must add the name of John Chalkhill, Esq. the author of "Thealma and Clearchus, a Pastoral History, in smooth and easy verse,” published long after his death by Isaac Walton, who calls him " acquaintant and friend of Edmund Spenser." In this poem, says Walton, the reader will find It is an unfinished work; but, in many hopes and fears finely painted and feelingly expressed. what is presented to us, the attention of Mr. Chalkhill to the qualifications of his friend is obvious in many passages of a most attractive description, as well in regard to language as to taste. Of this author Walton gives a very engaging character; that he was well known in his time, and well beloved; for he was humble and obliging in his behaviour, a gentleman, a scholar, very innocent and prudent; and whose whole life indeed was useful, quiet, and virtuous. The friends of Spenser, omitting the Earl of Leicester, appear indeed to have been all men of unequivocal merit. And the reader is better pleased, when he considers 'Sir "The Philip Sidney as the Prince Arthur of the Faerie Queene, than when he is led to subscribe to the probable arguments of Mr. Upton that, under that character, Leicester is intended. great figure," he says, "which Leicester made in the Low Countries, added to his being a favourite of Elizabeth, made persons call him Arthur of Britain; and this I learn from Holinshed, where he is giving an account of the various shews and entertainments with which they received this magnificent peer: 'Over the entrance of the court-gate was placed aloft upon a scaffold, as if it had been in a cloud or skie, Arthur of Britaine, whom they compared to the Earl.' This passage is highly in point for my conjecture in making Prince Arthur often covertly to allude to the Earl of Leicester, and apparently so when he is brought in to assist Belge and restore her to her right." But Mr. Upton has not denied the culpability of gives Prince Arthur the New Leicester's character. The Christian Knight, he observes, Testament; a present, of which Leicester undoubtedly stood in need. Not such was Sidney; whose valour and "generosity were equalled by his piety. And, while protected by such a patron, Spenser, I am persuaded, enjoyed his happiest days. But when he was gone, the remembrance of such a loss, and the coldness of Burleigh, gave rise to those querulous tones which sometimes deprive the poet's harp of half its sweetness. * See Zouch's Life of Isaac Walton, prefixed to his edition of Walton's Lives, 1796, p. xxviii. m See Faer. Qu. i. ix. 19. n The generosity of Sir Philip Sidney towards Spenser in particular, has not escaped exaggeration. In the Life of Spenser prefixed to the folio edition of his Works in 1679, in Hughes's Life of Spenser, and in the Life of Sidney given in the Biographia Britannica, it is asserted that Spenser's description of the Cave of Despair introduced him to Sir Philip; that the reading a few stanzas occasioned Sir Philip to order him a payment of fifty pounds; and that a continuation of "To shame this idle tale," the reading extended Sir Philip's bounty to two hundred pounds, which, however, he directed his steward to pay the poet immediately, lest he should bestow the whole of his estate on the writer of such verses. says the writer of the Life of Spenser in the Biographia Britannica, "we need only observe that the Faerie Queene may be said even to owe its birth to Sir Philip Sidney, who, quickly after his acquaintance with Spenser, discovered his genius to be formed for higher subjects than those lesser pieces which he had then written; and persuaded him for trumpet sterne to chaunge his oaten reedes."-I admit that the Faerie Queene owed its progress to the judicious encouragement of Sidney. But, although the pecuniary incident wears undoubtedly the appearance of an idle tale, I do not see why the description of the Cave of Despair might not have been one of the earliest poetical pieces which he had submitted to Sir Philip's inspection, as he had certainly begun the poem in 1579, and had received Harvey's opinion of it in 1580; and this passage is also in the first book; and thus, the very description, which is considered in an unqualified manner as an idle tale, might perhaps be one of those specimens of his genius by which Sir Philip was forcibly struck, and was induced to recommend him to sing no more his rural ditties, but to "build the loftiest rhyme." And Spenser it seems, was "by Sidney's speeches won." • It seems unnecessary to remark, as Mr. Chalmers has acutely observed, that, if the lord treasurer Burleigh had set himself against Spenser, he never would have obtained either his pension or his land. Suppl. Apolog. p. 369. But Burleigh would not countenance the poet; and the reason has been assigned. See p. xxxv. Let us look back to the situations which Spenser held, and then we may judge whether his complaints if they were complaints respecting himself, were not rather highly coloured. At the age of 26 he was admitted into the houshold of Leicester, and was patronised by that nobleman as well as Sidney. At the age of 27 he was secretary to the lord lieutenant of Ireland. At the age of 33 a grant of land was issued to him by the Crown. At the age of 37 a pension of fifty pounds per annum was settled upon him by the royal bounty for life. It remains to observe, that Spenser is the author of four Sonnets, which are admitted into this edition of his Works; of which three are prefixed to separate publications, and the fourth occurs in Letters by his friend Harvey. He is conjectured to be the author also of a Sonnet, signed E. S., addressed to Master Henry Peacham, and entitled “A Vision upon his Minerva." Fame has also assigned to him a string of miserable couplets on Phillis, in a miserable publication called "Chorus Poetarum, &c. 1684." The verses on Queen Elizabeth's picture, in the gallery of royal personages at Kensington, have been likewise given to Spenser; but, with greater propriety, are ascribed by Lord Orford to the queen herself. Britain's Ida has usually been printed with the Works of Spenser, but it is agreed by the criticks that the poem was not composed by him. I should have added, to the present collection, the translation of Axiochus attributed to him, if my endeavours to obtain it had been attended with success. In respect to this Socratick dialogue, as 'Mr. Upton calls it, it may be proper to offer a few words. In Herbert's "Typographical Antiquities, it is called "Plato's Axiochus; on the shortness and uncertainty of Life:" printed in Scotland in 1592. In Dr. Johnson's *Harleian Catalogue, it is entitled "Dialogue concerning the shortnesse and uncertainty of this Life, by Plato, translated by Edw. Spenser." In Mr. Steevens's account of Ancient Translations of the classich writers, it is alleged to be "Axiochus, a Dialogue attributed to Plato, by Edm. Spenser." Some readers will wonder when it is asserted that Plato wrote no Dialogue of this name. The Axiochus is the composition of Eschines Socraticus, and is one of the three Dialogues which have come down to us from that author. And if Edmund Spenser, the poet, be really the English translator, we cannot but be surprised that a scholar so accomplished should be misled in regard to the author of the original. At the age of 43 or sooner he was Clerk of the Council of Munster, an office then reputed to be worth twenty pounds per annum. "Slander therefore," as Mr. Chalmers judiciously remarks, "ought no longer to cast her obloquy on Elizabeth and Burleigh, but on the Irish rebellion." Suppl. Apolog, ut supr. P See p. 480. The last of these Sonnets was prefixed to a work, which did not appear till the year after his death. By Mr. Waldron, in his Literary Museum, p. 9. r Mr. Waldron grounds his opinion partly on this title, that the verses are Spenser's; as the poet has written Visions of the Worlds Vanity, &c. To these might be added, as of a kindred nature, his Dreams. It may not be improper to recapitulate the lost pieces of Spenser. THE FAERIE QUEENE. DISPOSED INTO TWELVE BOOKES, FASHIONING XII. MORALL VERTUES. Dedication. TO THE MOST HIGH MIGHTIE AND MAGNIFICENT EMPRESSE RENOWMED FOR PIETIE VERTVE AND ALL GRATIOVS GOVERNMENT BY THE GRACE OF GOD QUEENE OF ENGLAND FRAVNCE AND IRELAND AND OF VIRGINIA DEFENDOVR OF THE FAITH ETC. HER MOST HUMBLE SERVAUNT EDMVND SPENSER DOTH IN ALL HUMILITIE DEDICATE PRESENT AND CONSECRATE THESE HIS LABOVRS TO LIVE WITH THE ETERNITIE OF HER FAME. A LETTER OF THE AUTHOR'S, EXPOUNDING HIS WHOLE INTENTION IN THE COURSE OF THIS WORKE; WHICH, FOR THAT IT GIUETH GREAT LIGHT TO THE READER, FOR THE BETTER UNDERSTANDING IS HEREUNTO ANNEXED. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND VALOROUS SIR WALTER RALEIGH, KNIGHT; LO. WARDEIN OF THE STANNERYES AND HER MAIESTIES LIEFTENAUNT OF THE COUNTY OF CORNEWAYLL. SIR, Knowing how doubtfully all Allegories may be construed, and this Booke of mine, which I haue entituled the Faery Queene, being a continued Allegory, or darke Conceit, I haue thought good as well for auoyding of gealous opinions and misconstructions, as also for your better light in reading thereof, (being so by you commanded,) to discouer unto you the general intention and meaning, which in the whole course thereof I haue fashioned, without expressing of any particular purposes, or by-accidents, The general end therefore of all the Booke is to fashion a gentleman or noble person therein occasioned. in vertuous and gentle discipline: which for that I conceiued shoulde be most plausible and pleasing, being coloured with an historical fiction, the which the most part of men delight to read, rather for variety of matter then for profite of the ensample, I chose the Historye of King Arthure, as most fitte for the excellency of his person, being made famous by many mens former workes, and also furthest from the daunger of enuy, and suspition of present time. In which I haue followed all the antique poets historicall; first Homere, who in the persons of Agamemnon and Ulysses hath ensampled a good gouernour and a vertuous man, the one in his Ilias, the other in his Odysseis; then Virgil, whose like intention was to doe in the person of Æneas; after him Ariosto comprised them both in his Orlando ; and B lately Tasso disseuered them again, and formed both parts in two persons, namely that part which they in philosophy call Ethice, or vertues of a private man, coloured in his Rinaldo ; the other named Politice in his Godfredo. By ensample of which excellente poets, I labour to pourtraict in Arthure, before he was king, the image of a braue Knight, perfected in the twelue priuate Morall Vertues, as Aristotle hath deuised; the which is the purpose of these first twelue bookes: which if I finde to be well accepted, I may be perhaps encoraged to frame the other part of Polliticke Vertues in his person, after that hee came to be king. To some I know this methode will seem displeasaunt, which had rather haue good discipline deliuered plainly in way of precepts, or sermoned at large, as they use, then thus clowdily enwrapped in allegorical deuises. But such, me seeme, should be satisfide with the use of these days, seeing all things accounted by their showes, and nothing esteemed of, that is not delightfull and pleasing to commune sence. For this cause is Xenophon preferred before Plato, for that the one, in the exquisite depth of his iudgement, formed a communewelth, such as it should be; but the other in the person of Cyrus, and the Persians, fashioned a gouernment, such as might best be ; so much more profitable and gratious is doctrine by ensample, then by rule. So haue I laboured to do in the person of Arthure whom I conceiue, after his long education by Timon, to whom he was by Merlin deliuered to be brought up, so soone as he was borne of the Lady Igrayne, to haue seene in a dream or vision the Faery Queene, with whose excellent beauty rauished, he awaking resolued to seeke her out; and so being by Merlin armed, and by Timon throughly instructed, he went to seeke her forth in Faerye land. In that Faery Queene I meane Glory in my generall intention, but in my particular I conceiue the most excellent and glorious person of our soueraine the Queene, and her kingdom in Faery Land. And yet, in some places els, I do otherwise shadow her. For considering she beareth two persons, the one of a most royal Queene or Empresse, the other of a most vertuous and beautifull Lady, this latter part in some places I doe express in Belphoebe, fashioning her name according to your owne excellent conceipt of Cynthia: Phoebe and Cynthia being both names of Diana. So in the person of Prince Arthure I sette forth Magnificence in particular; which Vertue, for that (according to Aristotle and the rest) it is the perfection of all the rest, and conteineth in it them all, therefore in the whole course I mention the deeds of Arthure applyable to that Vertue, which I write of in that Booke. But of the xii. other Vertues, I make xii. other Knights the patrones, for the more variety of the history: Of which these three Bookes contayn three. : The first of the Knight of the Redcrosse, in whom I expresse Holynes: The seconde of Sir Guyon, in whome I sette forth Temperaunce: The third of Britomartis a Lady Knight, in whome I picture Chastity. But, because the beginning of the whole Worke seemeth abrupte and as depending upon other antecedents, it needs that ye know the occasion of these three Knights seuerall Aduentures. For the methode of a poet historical is not such, as of an historiographer. For an historiographer discourseth of affayres orderly as they were donne, accounting as well the times as the actions; but a poet thrusteth into the middest, euen where it most concerneth him, and there recoursing to the thinges forepaste, and diuining of thinges to come, maketh a pleasing analysis of all. The beginning therefore of my History, if it were to be told by an historiographer should be the twelfth Booke, which is the last; where I deuise that the Faery Queene kept her annual feaste xii. days; uppon which xii. severall dayes, the occasions of the xii. seuerall Aduentures hapned, which, being undertaken by xii. seuerall Knights, are in these xii. Books seuerally handled and discoursed. The first was this. In the beginning of the feast, there presented himselfe a tall clownishe younge man, who falling before the Queene of Faries desired a boone (as the manner then was) which during that feast she might not refuse; which was that hee might haue the atchiuement of any Aduenture, which during that feaste should happen. That being graunted, he rested him on the floore, unfitte through his rusticity for a better place. Soone after entred a faire Ladye in mourning weedes, riding on a white asse, with a Dwarfe behind her leading a warlike steed, that bore the arms of a Knight, and his speare in the Dwarfes hand. Shee, falling before the Queene of Faeries, complayned that her father and mother, an ancient King and Queene, had bene by an huge Dragon many years shut up in a brasen Castle, who thence suffred them not to yssew: and therefore besought the Faerie Queene to assygne her some one of her Knights to take on him that exployt. Presently that clownish person, upstarting, desired that Adventure: whereat the Queene much wondering, and the Lady much gainesaying, yet he earnestly importuned his desire. In the end the Lady told him, that unlesse that armour which she brought, would serue him (that is, the armour of a Christian man specified by St. Paul, v. Ephes.) that he could not succeed in that enterprise: which being forthwith put upon him with dew furnitures thereunto, he seemed the goodliest man in al that company, and was well liked of the Lady. And |