But, by occafion hereof, many other Adventures are intermedled; but rather as accidents then intendments: as the Love of Britomart, the Overthrow of Marinell, the Mifery of Florimell, the Vertuoufnes of Belphœbe, the Lafcivioufnes of Hellenora; and many the like.

Thus much, Sir, I have briefly overronne to direct your understanding to the wel-head of the Hiftory; that, from thence gathering the whole intention of the conceit, ye may as in a handful gripe al the difcourfe, which otherwife may happily feem tedious and confused. So, humbly craving the continuance of your honourable favour towards me, and th' eternall establishment of your happines, I humbly take leave.

23. Ianuary 1589.

Yours moft humbly affectionate,

Ed. Spenfer.

*VERSES

ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHOR.

A Vifion upon this conceipt of the Faery Queene. ME thought I saw the grave where Laura lay, Within that Temple where the vestall flame

* The two Sonnets figned W. R. are understood to be written by Sir Walter Raleigh, who was certainly a poet of no mean fame: The Verfes figned Hobynoll are the very elegant production of Gabriel Harvey, by which fignature he is described in the Shepherd's Calendar: The Poem figned R. S. may be attributed to Robert Southwell, or Richard Stanyhurst, or Richard Smith, or Richard Stapleton, who were poetical writers contemporary with Spenfer; and, of whom, Stapleton and Smith are known as authors of other commendatory verfes; yet Mr. Upton would affign this little Poem to Robert Sackville, eldeft fon of Lord Buckhurst, the Sackvilles (he fays) being not only patrons of learned men, but learned themselves: I am at a lofs to whom to ascribe the Poem figned H. B., and can offer no other opinion in respect to the author of the next, fubscribed W. L., than what the compiler of the Bibliographia Poetica has given, that it might be William Lifle, the poetical translator of part of Du Bartas, and (which the compiler of the Bib. Poet. appears not to have known) of part of Heliodorus: The last Poem bears a fignature affumed by feveral writers in the age of Elizabeth; and I am unable to fix on the author. TODD. Ver. 1. Me thought I faw &c.] Mr. Warton has noticed Milton's poffible obligation to this elegant Sonnet of Sir Walter Raleigh, in his Sonnet on his deceased wife :

66

Methought I faw my late efpoufed faint &c." But it has escaped Mr. Warton's obfervation, that there is a pleafing Sonnet, among others, prefixed to Drayton's Matilda, edit. 1594, entitled The vision of Matilda, and figned H. G. Efquire, which obviously requires to be mentioned:

"Methought I faw vpon Matildas tombe
"Her wofull ghoft, &c." TODD.

Was wont to burne; and paffing by that way
To fee that buried duft of living fame,

Whose tomb faire Love, and fairer Virtue kept;
All fuddeinly I faw the Faery Queene :

At whofe approch the foule of Petrarke wept,
And from thenceforth those Graces were not feene;
(For they this Queene attended;) in whose steed
Oblivion laid him down on Lauras herse:
Hereat the hardest ftones were feene to bleed,
And grones of buried ghoftes the hevens did perfe:
Where Homers fpright did tremble all for griefe,
And curft th' acceffe of that celeftiall Theife.

Another of the fame.

W. R.

THE prayfe of meaner wits this Worke like profit brings,

As doth the Cuckoes fong delight when Philumena

fings.

If thou haft formed right true Vertues face herein, Vertue herselfe can beft difcerne to whom they written bin.

If thou haft Beauty prayfd, let Her fole lookes divine

Judge if ought therein be amis, and mend it by Her eine.

Ver. 10. Oblivion laid him down &c.] We are apt at first to refer him down" to Petrarke, "Oblivion laid Petrarke down;" while the meaning is, "Oblivion laid himself down." There is a particular beauty in the allegorical turn of this little compofition in praise of the Faerie Queene, as it imitates the manner of the author whom it compliments. T. WARTON.

If Chastitie want ought, or Temperaunce her dew, Behold Her Princely mind aright, and write thy Queene anew.

In

Meane while She shall perceive, how far Her vertues fore

Above the reach of all that live, or such as wrote of yore:

And thereby will excufe and favour thy good will; Whofe vertue can not be expreft but by an Angels

quill.

Of me no lines are lov'd, nor letters are of price, (Of all which speak our English tongue,) but those of thy device.

W. R.

To the learned Shepheard.

COLLYN, I fee, by thy new taken taske,

Some facred fury hath enricht thy braynes, That leades thy Mufe in haughty verfe to maske, And loath the layes that longs to lowly fwaynes; That liftes thy notes from Shepheardes unto Kinges: So like the lively Larke that mounting finges.

Thy lovely Rofalinde feemes now forlorne;
And all thy gentle flockes forgotten quight:
Thy chaunged hart now holdes thy pypes in fcorne,
Those prety pypes that did thy mates delight;
Thofe trufty mates, that loved thee fo well;
Whom thou gav❜ft mirth, as they gave thee the bell.

Yet, as thou earft with thy fweete roundelayès
Didft ftirre to glee our laddes in homely bowers;
So moughtst thou now in these refyned layes
Delight the daintie eares of higher powers.
And fo mought they, in their deepe skanning skill,
Alow and grace our Collyns flowing quill.

And faire befall that Faery Queene of thine!

In whofe faire eyes Love linckt with Vertue fittes;

Enfufing, by thofe bewties fyers divine,

Such high conceites into thy humble wittes, As raised hath poore Paftors oaten reedes From rufticke tunes, to chaunt heroique deedes.

So mought thy Redcrosse Knight with happy hand Victorious be in that faire Ilands right,

(Which thou doft vayle in type of Faery land,) Elizas bleffed field, that Albion hight:

That shieldes her friendes, and warres her mightie

foes,

Yet ftill with people, peace, and plentie, flowes.

But, iolly fhepheard, though with pleasing stile Thou feaft the humour of the courtly trayne; Let not conceipt thy fettled fence beguile,

Ne daunted be through envy or difdaine. Subiect thy doome to Her empyring fpright, From whence thy Mufe, and all the world, takes light. HOBYNOLL.