manuscript of the first two books of that famous poem. Elizabeth finding herself so magnificently reflected in its pages, was delighted with the poem. It pleased, likewise, the chivalric tastes of her courtiers, and the poem became instantly popular. Again at Kilcolman Castle he resumed his pen and finished the first six books of the Faërie Queen. The intention had been to write twelve.

Like other great minds of his own and of every age, Spenser conceived a project which a lifetime was insufficient to realize. The twelve books were designed to represent twelve virtues, each portrayed in the person of a knight. The Queen of Fairy Land holds a twelve days' feast. Each of the allegorical knights sets out on an adventure to conquer some error at strife with the virtue which he personifies. The First Book tells the story of the Red Cross Knight, the type of Holiness, and also of the Church of England; the Second Book relates the history of Sir Guyon, the personification of Temperance; the Third of Britomartis, or of Chastity; the Fourth Book treats of Friendship; the Fifth of Justice, and the Sixth of Courtesy. King Arthur is the hero and connecting link throughout, and in himself embraces all the virtues. The knight-errant spirit of the subject suited Spenser's fertile imagination, and although the allegory is less pleasing than the old Celtic myth of Arthur, the rich imagination of Spenser has clothed the whole with undying splendor. The several allegorical characters, besides representing virtues, are intended to personate historic characters. The Faërie Queen symbolizes Elizabeth herself; the envious Duessa, the unfortunate Mary Queen of Scots, and also the Catholic Church; while the Red Cross Knight typifies the Church of England, or Holiness, also the patron St. George.

The student of the English language may be surprised at the antiquated diction of Spenser, when the language had so far progressed at the time in which he wrote. The poet himself best accounts for it. He delighted in Chaucer, and Piers Plowman, and his sympathetic, impressive nature imbibed the very spirit of those old masters, and found expression in their language.

In defence of his style he says, speaking of himself in the third person,

"And having the sound of those auncient poets still ringing in his eares, he mought needes in singing hit out some of their tunes."

Besides the Faerie Queen and Shepherd's Calendar, Spenser wrote many other minor poems, the most beautiful of which is the Epithalamium. Mother Hubbard's Tale is a satire on certain classes of the clergy. Spenser's chief prose work, entitled A View of the State of Ireland, shows his policy in the government of that oppressed nation. By his advocacy of arbitrary power he became unpopular with the Irish, and soon after Tyrone's rebellion, an insurrection broke out in Munster, and Kilcolman Castle was burned to the ground. It is said that Spenser's youngest child perished in the flames. The poet returned to London and in three months afterward died. He was buried

in Westminster Abbey, near the tomb of Chaucer,

Minor Elizabethan Poets.

Among the most prominent of the minor poets of this time, were THOMAS SACKVILLE, ROBERT SOUTHWELL, SAMUEL DANIEL, MICHAEL DRAYTON, PHINEAS and GILES FLETCHER, WARNER, WOTTON, Donne, Davies, and towards the close of the period several others, among them good old GEORGE HERBERT, and JOSEPH HALL, the latter as nearly contemporary with Milton as with Shakespeare, may be looked upon as the connecting link between the two periods.

THOMAS SACKVILLE (1536–1608) known also as LORD BUCKHURST and EARL of DORSET wrote The Mirror for Magistrates.

ROBERT SOUTHWELL (1560-1595), whose cruel death is a reproach upon Elizabeth's reign, was the first of the so-called religious poets of England. His verse is imbued with a spirit of genuine piety and morality. Born of Roman Catholic parents, he was educated at Douay and Rome, and afterwards became a Jesuit. Knowing the risk which his act encountered, he returned to England to proffer his religious aid to friends and family. Through Elizabeth's agents he was apprehended, thrown into prison, and cruelly treated, on the pretext that he was engaged in a conspiracy against the government. After a long and patient endurance of prison torture he was executed. This is but one instance of the darker side of the picture of "Merrie England" at this time.

SAMUEL DANIEL (1562-1619) succeeded Spenser as poet-laureate. His chief poem is a history of the civil wars between the houses of York and Lancaster.

MICHAEL DRAYTON (1563–1631) is chiefly known by his long poem,

Polyolbion, which, as its name indicates, embraced everything concerning England. The Battle of Agincourt is a spirited poem celebrating the victory gained by Henry V. of England over the French in 1415.*

JOHN DONNE (1573-1631) was an eccentric genius, known equally well as poet and as prose writer; for after a career of aimless and unprofitable study, during which he wrote elegies, satires, and miscellaneous poems, his life an example of wasted intellect, he took up in earnest the study of theology, and became most fervent in his profession. His sermons present a curious medley of knowledge and wisdom. Donne is styled the first of the metaphysical school of poets.†

The appearance of these poets was the indication of a decline of the warm poetic impulse.

Later Elizabethan Poets.

After the reign of James I. poetry began to decline. Yet a few lyric poets enlivened the sombre tone into which it had fallen. Some of these poets belong quite as much to the succeeding period as to the Elizabethan Age.

GEORGE Herbert (1593–1632) is an embodiment of the serious, reflecting spirit which seemed to pervade the declining age of this period. His poetry, however, is hardly sufficient to preserve his memory, if we except the beautiful lines on Virtue,

"Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright," etc.

His chief prose work is the Country Parson, in which he says:-"I have resolved to set down the form and character of a true pastor, that I may have a mark to aim at, which, also, I will set as high as I can, since he shoots higher that threatens the moon, than he that aims at a tree-top."

FRANCIS QUARLES (1592-1644) and RICHARD CRASHAW (- - 1650) were, like "good old George Herbert," religious poets. Of the poems of Quarles the Divine Emblems are best remembered. Richard Crashaw is praised for his "lyric raptures," and is remembered as the author of the oft-repeated lines relative to the miracle of the water being turned into wine,

"The conscious water saw its God and blush'd."

* Our poet, Longfellow, adopted the same measure in his poem, "The Skeleton in Armor."

A term not very clear, but which is generally understood to mean a class of poets who, imbued with a philosophizing spirit, carry out a train of thought further than their readers wish to follow.

JOSEPH HALL (1574-1656) is known equally well as a poet and writer on Divinity. His chief poetical works are Satires, which he styled Virgidemarium (a harvest of rods). They consist of the Biting and Toothless Satires.

In the latter part of this period a French influence began to prevail in literature, as in the court. The wife of Charles I., Queen Henrietta, was the daughter of the King of France, and French models in literature, as in everything else, began to take the place of the Italian, which had so long prevailed. The poems of the court of Charles I. were, for the most part, short love songs, the taste of the day rejecting the long poems in which the court of Elizabeth delighted. The poems of HERRICK, CAREW, LOVELACE, and SUCKLING have the exuberant lively French spirit.

ROBERT HERRICK (1591-1674) was one of the most gifted of the lyric poets of the latter part of this age. His verse is spontaneous and natural. Sir JOHN SUCKLING (1608–1642) was also free from the artificial restraints which the literary taste of the time demanded. His Ballad upon a Wedding has always been deservedly popular.

The poets last named represent the cavalier spirit of the time.

Scottish Poets.

The poetry of Scotland during Elizabeth's reign was not as luxuriant as in the preceding period. There were, however, Scotch poets worthy of mention. Among them were WILLIAM DRUMMOND of Hawthornden (1585-1649), the friend of Ben Jonson, SIR ROBERT AYTON (1570-1638), and GEORGE BUCHANAN (1506–1582), the latter tutor to Mary Queen of Scots, and also to her son, James VI. of Scotland and I. of England.

The Drama.

In order to give a correct idea of the Drama as it existed in the age of Elizabeth, we must trace its development from the old Miracle and Moral Plays, which formed the crude entertainment of the Middle Ages. As early as the eleventh century we hear of the MIRACLE PLAYS, which were, for the most part, representations of Bible scenes, no character being too sacred to introduce. The favorite subjects were the Creation, the Deluge, and the Crucifixion. The actors were priests or monks, assisted frequently by the Merry Minstrels. It was the

means taken by the Church to instruct the ignorant in Bible history and in the tenets of the Christian faith.

The plays were usually performed in churches, or in rude buildings adapted to the purpose, and sometimes in the open air. The first or ground floor of a building represented hell, the second floor this world, and the highest story heaven. The Devil was a prominent character, being chief comedian, appearing always with the traditional horns and hoofs.

The comic element was displayed even in these old Bible traditions. Thus in the play of the Deluge, Noah's wife evinces reluctance to entering the ark. Noah resorts to extreme measures, and silences her opposition by beating her.

The MORAL PLAYS, which succeeded the Mysteries, were a doubtful improvement upon the latter. They were allegorical representations of moral qualities, impersonations of Vice and Virtue, Mercy, Justice, etc. The Moralities were shorter-lived than the old Mysteries, which may be easily inferred from their lack of human interest: to keep them alive for a short time, it was found necessary to retain the horned comedian of the Miracle Plays. The Devil and the Vice were the humorous personages of the stage. From the Vice of the Moral Plays, "the fool" of the succeeding drama sprang.

Soon the demands for representations from actual life pushed from the stage the old Moralities, and a lighter species of dramatic performance was invented, styled the INTERThis was in the time of Henry VIII.

LUDE.

The first writer of INTERLUDES was JOHN HEYWOOD 1565), or "Merry John Heywood," as he was styled. He was a great favorite with Henry VIII. and also with Mary. The Interlude was the first step towards the English comedy. It was a species of farce, its characters drawn from real life. It was called an Interlude because it was played in the intervals of some festivity-originally in the midst of a long Moral Play-for the amusement of wearied spectators.

The best known interlude of Heywood's is called the Four P's. It represents a dispute between a Palmer,* a Pardoner,†

* One who visits holy shrines, and, on his return, bears a branch of palm as a token. One who sold pardons or indulgences, licensed by the Pope.