The ladies spend the morning in devout prayer, not resembling the gentlewomen in Greece and Italy, who begin their morning at mid-noon, and make their evening at midnight, sing sonnets for psalms, and pastimes for prayers, reading the Epistle of a Lover, when they should peruse the Gospel of our Lord, drawing wanton lines when death is before their face, as Archimedes did triangles and circles when the enemy was at his back.2 Be- 10 God bear with your folly, who now abhorreth hold, ladies, in this glass, that the service of God is to be preferred before all things, imitate the English damoselles who have their books tied to their girdles, not feathers; who are as cunning in the scriptures, as you are in Ariosto 15 or Petrarch or any book that liketh you best, and becometh you most.

the street, which although they are nothing se noble, yet are they much more necessary. Let not your robes hinder your devotion, learn of the English ladies, that God is worthy to be 5 worshipped with the most price, to whom you ought to give all praise, then shall ye be like stars to the wise, who now are but staring stocks to the foolish, then shall you be praised of most, who are now pointed at of all, then shall

your pride.

Sir Philip Sydney

1554-1586

THE PREEMINENCE OF POETRY

(From The Defense of Poesy, c. 1581)

For bravery I cannot say that you exceed them, for certainly it is the most gorgeous court that ever I have seen, read, or heard of, 20 but yet do they not use their apparel so nicely as you in Italy, who think scorn to kneel at service, for fear of wrinkles in your silks, who dare not lift up your head to heaven, for fear of rumpling the ruff in your neck, yet your 25 hands I confess are holden up, rather I think, to show your rings, than to manifest your righteousness. The bravery they use is for the honour of their Prince, the attire you wear for the alluring of your prey, the rich apparel 30 taste you may long to pass further. He be

maketh their beauty more seen, your disguising causeth your faces to be more suspected, they resemble in their raiment the Ostrich who being gazed on, closeth her wings and

Now therein of all sciences-I speak still of human, and according to the human conceit― is our poet the monarch. For he doth not only show the way, but giveth so sweet a prospect into the way as will entice any man to enter into it. Nay, he doth, as if your journey should lie through a fair vineyard, at the very first give you a cluster of grapes, that full of that

ginneth not with obscure definitions, which must blur the margent' with interpretations, and load the memory with doubtfulness. But he cometh to you with words set in delightful

hideth her feathers, you in your robes are not 35 proportion, either accompanied with, or pre

pared for, the well-enchanting skill of music; and with a tale, forsooth, he cometh unto you, with a tale which holdeth children from play, and old men from the chimney corner, and,

of the mind from wickedness to virtue; even as the child is often brought to take most wholesome things, by hiding them in such other as have a pleasant taste,-which, if one should begin to tell them the nature of the aloes or rhubarb they should receive, would sooner take their physic at their ears than at their mouth. So it is in men, most of which are childish in the best things, till they be cradled

unlike the peacock, who being praised spreadeth her tail, and betrayeth her pride. Velvets and silks in them are like gold about a pure diamond, in you like a green hedge, about a filthy dunghill. Think not, ladies, that be- 40 pretending no more, doth intend the winning cause you are decked with gold, you are endued with grace, imagine not that shining like the sun in earth, ye shall climb the sun in heaven, look diligently into this English glass, and then shall you see that the more costly your ap- 45 parel is, the greater your courtesy should be, that you ought to be as far from pride, as you are from poverty, and as near to princes in beauty, as you are in brightness. Because you are brave, disdain not those that are base, 50 in their graves,-glad they will be to hear the think with yourselves that russet coats have their Christendom, that the sun when he is at his height shineth as well upon coarse kersey, as cloth of tissue, though you have pearls in your ears, jewels in your breasts, precious stones 55 on your fingers, yet disdain not the stones in

2 When the Romans surprised and captured Syracuse, the native city of Archimedes, the great mathematician is said to have been found in the public square, poring over geometrical figures which he had drawn in the sand.

tales of Hercules, Cyrus, Æneas; and, hearing them, must needs hear the right description of wisdom, valor, and justice; which, if they had been barely, that is to say philosophically, set out, they would swear they be brought to school again.

That imitation whereof poetry is, hath the most conveniency to nature of all other; inso1 Margin.

2

much that, as Aristotle saith, those things which in themselves are horrible, as cruel battles, unnatural monsters, are made in poetical imitation delightful. Truly, I have known men, that even with reading Amadis de Gaule, which, God knoweth, wanteth much of a perfect poesy, have found their hearts moved to the exercise of courtesy, liberality, and especially courage. Who readeth Æneas carrying old Anchises on his back, that wisheth not it 10 and yet are nothing compared to the day

in such sort think, I say, that our poor eyes were so enriched as to behold; and our low hearts so exalted as to love, a maid, who is such, that as the greatest thing the world 5 can show, is her beauty, so the least thing that may be praised in her, is her beauty. Certainly as her eyelids are more pleasant to behold, than two white kids climbing up a fair tree, and browsing on his tenderest branches,

were his fortune to perform so excellent an act? Whom do not those words of Turnus move, the tale of Turnus having planted his image in his imagination?

Fugientem haec terra videbit?
Usque adeone mori miserum est?3

Where the philosophers, as they scorn to de

shining stars contained in them; and as her breath is more sweet than a gentle South-west wind, which comes creeping over flowery fields and shadowed waters in the extreme heat of 15 the summer, and yet is nothing, compared to the honey-flowing speech that breath doth carry: no more all that our eyes can see of her (though when they have seen her, what else they shall ever see is but dry stubble after

light, so must they be content little to move- 20 clover's grass) is to be matched with the flock saving wrangling whether virtue be the chief or the only good, whether the contemplative or the active life do excel-which Plato and Boethius well knew, and therefore made Mis

5

of unspeakable virtues laid up delightfully in that best builded fold. But indeed as we can best consider the sun's beauty, by marking how he gilds these waters and mountains, than by

tress Philosophy very often borrow the mask- 25 looking upon his own face, too glorious for our ing raiment of Poesy. For even those hard hearted evil men who think virtue a schoolname, and know no other good but indulgere genio, and therefore despise the austere admonitions of the philosopher, and feel not the 30 inward reason they stand upon, yet will be content to be delighted, which is all the goodfellow poet seemeth to promise; and so steal to see the form of goodness-which, seen, they cannot but love ere themselves be 35 aware, as if they took a medicine of cherries.

CLAIUS DESCRIBES URANIA

(From The Arcadia, 1590)

weak eyes: so it may be our conceits (not able to bear her sun staining excellency) will better weigh it by her works upon some meaner subject employed. And alas, who can better witness that than we, whose experience is grounded upon feeling? Hath not the only love of her made us (being silly ignorant shepherds) raise up our thoughts above the ordinary level of the world, so as great clerks do not disdain our conference? Hath not the desire to seem worthy in her eyes, made us, when others were sleeping, to sit viewing the course of the heavens? When others were running at Base, to run over learned writings? When 40 others mark their sheep, we to mark ourselves? Hath not she thrown reason upon our desires, and, as it were, given eyes unto Cupid? Hath in any, but in her, love-fellowship maintained friendship between rivals, and beauty taught 45 the beholders chastity?

Who can choose that saw her but think where she stayed, where she walked, where she turned, where she spoke? But what is all this? Truly no more, but as this place served us to think of those things, so those things serve as places to call to memory more excellent matters. No, no, let us think with consideration, and consider with acknowledging, and acknowledge 50 with admiration, and admire with love, and love with joy in the midst of all woes; let us

Amadis of Gaul, like Arthur and Charlemagne, was a famous hero of medieval romance. A French version of the story (which had been previously told in Spanish) appeared in 1540 and became widely popular.

Shall this land see [Turnus] flying?

Is it always so bitter a thing to die?" (Eneid, XII. 245-46.

4 Whereas.

"Indulge your natural inclinations [let us grasp pleasures].' Persius, Sat. 5, 151.

A DESCRIPTION OF ARCADIA

(From the same)

There were hills which garnished their proud heights with stately trees: humble valleys, whose base estate seemed comforted with the refreshing of silver rivers: meadows, enamelled 55 with all sorts of eye-pleasing flowers; thickets, which being lined with most pleasant shade were witnessed so to, by the cheerful disposi

1 An exercise much used by the country people called Prison-base.

tion of many well tuned birds: each pasture stored with sheep, feeding with sober security, while the pretty lambs with bleating oratory craved the dams' comfort, here a shepherd's boy piping, as though he should never be old: there a young shepherdess knitting, and withal singing, and it seemed that her voice comforted her hands to work, and her hands kept time to her voice-music. As for the houses of the country (for many houses came under my eye) 10 was the most excellent medicine of the mind.

the tenor of thy father's testament, and thy heart fired with the hope of present preferment? By the one thou art counseled to content thee with thy fortunes, by the other, 5 persuaded to aspire to higher wealth. Riches, Saladin, is a great royalty, and there is no sweeter physic than store. Avicen2 like a fool forgot in his aphorisms to say that gold was the most precious restorative, and that treasure

they were all scattered, no two being one by the other, and yet not so far off as that it barred mutual succour: a show, as it were of an accompanable solitariness, and of a civil wildness. I pray you (said Musidorus, then 15 first unsealing his long silent lips) what countries be these we pass through, which are so divers in show, the one wanting no store, the other having no store but of want?

Oh Saladin! what, were thy father's precepts breathed into the wind? hast thou so soon forgotten his principles? did he not warn thee from coveting without honor, and climbing without virtue? did he not forbid thee to aim at any action that should not be honorable? and what will be more prejudicial to thy credit, than the careless ruin of thy brothers' prosperity? and wilt thou become the subversion of their fortunes? Is there any sweeter thing than concord, or a more precious jewel than amity? are you not sons of one father, scions of one tree, birds of one nest? and wilt thou become so unnatural as to rob them whom thou

The country (answered Claius) where you 20 were cast ashore, and now are passed through, is Laconia, not so poor by the barrenness of the soil (though in itself not passing fertile) as by a civil war, which being these two years within the bowels of that estate, between the 25 shouldst relieve? No, Saladin, entreat them

gentlemen and the peasants (by them named Helots) hath in this sort as it were disfigured the face of nature, and made it so unhospitable as now you have found it: the towns neither

with favors, and entertain them with love, so shalt thou have thy conscience clear and thy renown excellent. Tush, what words are these, base fool, far unfit (if thou be wise) for

of the one side, nor the other, willingly opening 30 thy honor. What though thy father at his their gates to strangers, nor strangers willingly entering for fear of being mistaken.

But this country (where now you set your foot) is Arcadia: and even hard by is the house

death talked of many frivolous matters, as one that doated for age and raved in his sickness, shall his words be axioms, and his talk be so authentical, that thou wilt (to observe

sick men's wills that are parole, and have neither hand nor seal, are like the laws of a city written in dust, which are broken with the blast of every wind. What, man! thy

of Kalander, whither we lead you. This coun- 35 them) prejudice thyself? No, no, Saladin, try being thus decked with peace, and (the child of peace) good husbandry, these houses you see so scattered, are of men, as we two are, that live upon the commodity of their sheep: and therefore in the division of the Arcadian 40 father is dead, and he can neither help thy estate are termed shepherds; a happy people, wanting little, because they desire not much.

fortunes nor measure thy actions; therefore bury his words with his carcase, and be wise for thyself. What, 'tis not so old as true:

"Non sapit, qui sibi non sapit."

Thy brother is young, keep him now in awe, make him not cheekmate with thyself: for "Nimia familiaritas contemptum parit."4

Let him know little, so shall he not be able to execute much; suppress his wits with a base estate, and though he be a gentleman by nature yet form him anew, and make him a peasant by nurture; so shalt thou keep him

thy father's possessions. As for Fernandine,

1 Sir John of Bordeaux divided his estate among his 55 as a slave, and reign thyself sole lord over all three sons; Saladin, Fernandine, and Rosader. After his father's death, Saladin was discontented, because, although he was the eldest, he considered that he had inherited less than either of his brothers. At the beginning of the selection, we find Saladin brooding over his supposed wrongs.

2 Avicenna (980-1037) a celebrated Arabian physician and philosopher.

3 He knows nothing, who is not wise for himself. Too much familiarity breeds contempt.

thy middle brother, he is a scholar, and hath no mind but on Aristotle; let him read on Galen while thou riflest with gold, and pore on his book till thou dost purchase lands: wit is great wealth; if he have learning it is enough, and so let all rest.

for such office; I am thine equal by nature, though not by birth, and though thou hast more cards in the bunch, have as many trumps in my hand as thyself. Let me 5 question with thee, why thou hast felled my woods, spoiled my manor houses, and made havoc with such utensils as my father bequeathed unto me? I tell thee, Saladin, either answer me as a brother, or I will trouble thee as an enemy."

At this reply of Rosader's, Saladin smiled as laughing at his presumption, and frowned as checking his folly: he therefore took him up thus shortly: "What, sir! well I see early pricks

In this humor was Saladin, making his brother Rosader his foot-boy for the space of two or three years, keeping him in such servile subjection, as if he had been the son of any 10 country vassal. The young gentleman bore all with patience, till on a day walking in the garden by himself, he began to consider how he was the son of John of Bordeaux, a knight renowned for many victories, and a gentleman 15 the tree that will prove a thorn: hath my famous for his virtues; how, contrary to the testament of his father, he was not only kept from his land, and entreated as a servant, but smothered in such secret slavery, as he might not attain to any honorable actions. quoth he to himself (nature working these effectual passions), why should I, that am a gentleman born, pass my time in such unnatural drudgery?" were it not better either in Paris to become a scholar, or in the court a 25 courtier, or in the field a soldier, than to live a foot-boy to my own brother? Nature hath lent me wit to conceive, but my brother denied me art to contemplate: I have strength to perform any honorable exploit, but no liberty 30 his best safety, and took him to a loft adjoining to accomplish my virtuous endeavors: those good parts that God hath bestowed upon me, the envy of my brother doth smother in obscurity; the harder is my fortune, and the more his frowardness. With that casting up his 35 if I have done thee wrong, I'll make thee hand he felt hair on his face, and perceiving his beard to bud, for choler he began to blush, and swore to himself he would be no more subject to such slavery. As thus he was ruminating of his melancholy passions, in came 40 Saladin with his men, and seeing his brother in a brown study, and to forget his wonted reverence, thought to shake him out of his dumps thus: "Sir," quoth he, "what, is your heart on your halfpenny, or are you saying a 45 for he was of a mild and courteous nature, so

familiar conversing with you made you coy, or my good looks drawn you to be thus contemptuous? I can quickly remedy such a fault, and I will bend the tree while it is a Alas, 20 wand. In faith, sir boy, I have a snaffle for such a headstrong colt. You, sirs, lay hold on him and bind him, and then I will give him a cooling card for his choler." This made Rosader half mad, that stepping to a great rake that stood in the garden, he laid such load upon his brother's men that he hurt some of them, and made the rest of them run away. Saladin seeing Rosader so resolute, and with his resolution so valiant, thought his heels

dirge for your father's soul? what, is my dinner
ready?" At this question-Rosader turning
his head askance, and bending his brows as
if anger there had ploughed the furrows of
her wrath, with his eyes full of fire-he made 50
this reply, "Dost thou ask me, Saladin, for
thy cates? ask some of thy churls who are fit

the garden, whither Rosader pursued him hotly. Saladin, afraid of his brother's fury, cried out to him thus, "Rosader, be not so rash, I am thy brother, and thy elder, and

amends: revenge not anger in blood, for so shalt thou stain the virtue of old Sir John of Bordeaux: say wherein thou art discontent and thou shalt be satisfied. Brothers' frowns ought not to be periods of wrath: what, man, look not so sourly; I know we shall be friends, and better friends than we have been; for, Amantium ira amoris redintegratio est."s

These words appeased the choler of Rosader,

that he laid down his weapons, and upon the faith of a gentleman assured his brother he would offer him no prejudice: whereupon Saladin came down, and after a little parley, they embraced each other and became friends, and Saladin promising Rosader the restitution of all his lands, and what favor else, quoth he, anyways my ability or the nature of a brother may perform.

7 Disdainful, contemptuous. The word is used in this sense by Shakespeare. (Tam. Shr. II. 245.) 3 The anger of lovers is the restoration of love. This saying is the theme of a well-known poem, the Amantium irae of Richard Edwards, which appeared in 1576. In this pocin the proverb recurs as a kind of refrain.

Robert Greene

1560-1592

GREENE'S FAREWELL TO HIS

FELLOW-PLAYWRIGHTS

(From A Groat's worth of Wit, bought with a million of Repentance, 1592)

To those Gentlemen his quondam acquaintances, that spend their wits in making Plays R. G. wisheth a better exercise, and wisdom to prevent his extremities.

ill as Julian: and wilt thou, my friend, be his Disciple? Look unto me, by him persuaded to that liberty, and thou shalt find it an infernal bondage. I know the least of my de5 merits merit this miserable death, but wilful striving against known truth, exceedeth all the terrors of my soul. Defer not (with me) till this last point of extremity; for little knowest thou how in the end thou shalt be visited.

10

With thee I join young Juvenal, that biting Satyrist, that lastly with me together writ a comedy. Sweet boy, might I advise thee, be advised, and get not many enemies by bitter words: inveigh against vain men, for thou

thou hast a liberty to reprove all and none more; for one being spoken to, all are offended, none being blamed no man is injured. Stop shallow water still running, it will rage, tread

scholars vexed with sharp lines, if they reprove thy too much liberty of reproof.

If woeful experience may move you (Gentle men) to beware, or unheard of wretchedness 15 canst do it, no man better, no man so well: entreat you to take heed: I doubt not but you will look back with sorrow on your time past, and endeavor with repentance to spend that which is to come. Wonder not, (for with thee will I first begin, thou famous gracer of trage- 20 on a worm and it will turn: then blame not dians, that Greene, who hath said with thee like the fool in his heart "there is no God," should now give glory unto his greatness: for penetrating is his power, his hand lies heavy upon me, he hath spoken unto me with a voice 25 of thunder, and I have felt he is a God that can punish enemies. Why should thy excellent wit, his gift, be so blinded, that thou shouldst give no glory to the giver? Is it pestilent Machiavellian policy2 that thou hast studied? 30 all three of you, if by my misery ye be not

And thou no less deserving than the other two, in some things rarer, in nothing inferior; driven (as myself) to extreme shifts, a little have I to say to thee; and were it not an idolatrous oath, I would swear by sweet St. George, thou art unworthy better hap, sith thou depended on so mean a stay. Base minded men

warned: for unto none of you (like me) sought those burrs to cleave, those Puppets (I mean) that speech from our mouths, those anticks9 garnished in our colors. Is it not strange that

O punish folly! What are his rules but mere confused mockeries, able to extirpate in some small time the generation of mankind. For ii Sic volo, sic jubeo,3 hold in those that are able to command: and if it be lawful Fas et nefas1 35 I, to whom they all have been beholding:10 is to do anything that is beneficial, only Tyrants should possess the earth, and they striving to exceed in tyranny, should each to other be a slaughter man; till the mightiest outliving all, one stroke were left for Death, that in one age 40 man's life should end. The brother of this Diabolical atheism is dead, and in his life had never the felicity he aimed at; but as he began in craft, lived in fear, and ended in despair. Quam inscrutabilia sunt Dei judicia!5 45 This murderer of many brethren, had his conscience seared like Cain: this betrayer of him that gave his life for him, inherited the portion of Judas: this Apostuta perished as

1 Christopher Marlowe. Charges against Marlowe as a free-thinker and scorner of God's word had been laid before Elizabeth's council, but further procedure was interrupted by the poet's sudden death.

The policy, or doctrine, popularly attributed to the Italian statesman and writer Niccolo Machiavelli, 1469-1527. Machiavelli was commonly supposed to teach that treachery, deceit, or even crime, were justified by political expediency. He was opposed by the Church, and was generally believed to have died utterly bitter and blasphemous.

3 Thus I will, thus I command.

4 Right or wrong.

How inscrutable are the judgments of God.

it not like that you, to whom they all have been beholding, shall (were ye in that case that I am now) be both at once of them forsaken? Yes, trust them not: for there is an upstart Crow," beautiful with our feathers that with his Tigers heart wrapt in a Players hide, supposes he is as well able to bumbast out a blank verse as the best of you! and being an absolute Johannes fac totem, 12 is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a county. O that I might entreat your rare wit to be employed in more profitable courses; and let those Apes imitate your past excellence, and never more acquaint them with your admired inventions. I know 50 the best husband 13 of you all will never prove an Usurer, and the kindest of them all will

Julian, Roman Emperor from 361-363, called "the Apostate.'

7i. e. Thomas Nash (1567-c. 1601), poet and dramatist, was also author of various satirical pamphlets, and hence here referred to as a follower of the great Latin Satirist.

& George Peele (c. 1558-c. 1598.)
Clowns, buffoons. 10 Beholden.

12 i. e. Jack-of-all-trades.

11 Shakespeare.

13. e. the one who takes best care of his own, who husbands it the most carefully.