Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

XXVIII.ED:\rUNDSPENSER.A.D. 1579.Of Edmund Spenser, one of the greatest names in Englishpoetry, little need be said here ; I refer the reader to the Globeedition of his works, edited by Dr. Morris, with a Memoir byMr. Hales. He was born in London in 1552, educated at PembrokeHall, Cambridge, and went to Ireland in 1580 as privateSecretar)' to the Lord Lieutenant, Lord Grey of Wilton, residingpart of the time at Kilcolman Castle, in the county of Cork, andoccasionally visited England.In October, 1598, Kilcolman Castlewas burnt during Tyrone's rebellion, and the poet and his familybarely escaped. He never recovered this sad blow, but diedshortly afterwards, in a tavern in King-street, Westminster, Jan.16, 1599. His first important work was the Shepheardes Ca-*lender,' published in the winter of 1579-80, which I quote fromhere, because it fairly marks an era in English poetry. It wassoon perceived that a new and true poet had arisen. Thepoem consists of twelve ecloguesy-one for each inonth in theyear. The eleventh, that for November, is an elegy upon ' thedeath of some maiden of great blood, whom he calleth Dido.'The twelfth, for December, is one of the three in which hetreats of his own disappointment in love. The poems wereaccompanied by some copious 'Glosses' or explanations, writtenby K. K., who was doubtless Edward Kirke, the poet's collegefriend. The text is that of the^rst edition, 'imprinted at Londonby Hugh Singleton, dwelling in Crecde lane, at the signe of thegyldcn Tunn ncere vnto Ludgate.' The punctuation has beenslightly modified.