And the tale of the Oak and Brier, in the Eclogue of Februarie, is more peculiarly modelled after Chaucer's manner, and is accordingly thus introduced:

"A tale of truth

"Which I cond of TITYRUS in my youth."

And, in another paftoral, he hints at his haying copied Chaucer:

"That Colin hight which well could pipe and fing, "For he of TITYRUS his fong did lere."

In the Paftorals he likewife appears to have attempted an imitation of the Visions of Pierce Plowman; for after exhorting his Mufe not to contend with Chaucer, he adds, in the Epilogue to the Shep. Cal.

"Nor with the PLOWMAN that the pilgrim playde awhile."

And befides, that his Paftorals might, in every refpect, have the air of a work in old English, he has adopted and given them the title of an old book, called the SHEPHEARD'S KALENDER, firft printed by Wynkin de Worde, and reprinted about twenty years before he published thefe Paftorals, viz. in 1559. This is what E. K. means, where he fays in his epiftle prefixed, "He tearmeth it the SHEPHERDS KALENDER, applying an old name to a new work." One of Spenfer's reafons for ufing fo much ancient phrafeology in thefe Paftorals, was undoubtedly the obvious one of cloathing rural characters in the drefs of Dorick fimplicity; but the principal reason is most probably, that which is delivered by his friend and commentator, E. K., who was "privie to all his defigns:"-" In myne opinion, it is one especial prayfe of many which are due to this poet, that he hath laboured to reftore, as to their rightful heritage, fuch good and

natural English words, as have been long time out of ufe, and almoft cleane difherited; which is the only caufe that our mother-tongue, which truly of itfelfe is both full enough for profe, and ftately enough for verfe, hath long time beene counted moft bare and barren of both; which default, when as fome have endeavoured to falve and recure, they patched up the holes with peeces and ragges of other languages; borrowing here of the French, there of the Italian, and every where of the Latine; not weighing how ill thofe tongues accord with themfelves, but much worfe with ours; fo now they have made our Englishe tongue a gallimaufrey, or hodge-podge of all other fpeeches." Thus that, which induced Spenfer to adopt fo much obfolete language in the Paftorals, induced him likewife to do the fame in the Faerie Queene. Hence too it appears, that he was difgufted with the practice of his contemporary writers, who had adulterated, according to his judgement, the purity of the English tongue, by various innovations from the Spanish, French, Latin, and Italian. And, that this was a prevailing affectation in the age of queen Elizabeth, may be concluded from the following paffages. Thus Marston in his Satires, Proem. b. 2.

"I cannot quote a motte Italianate; "Or brand my Satires with a Spanish terme." Bishop Hall in his Satires, published in 1597. "There if he can with termes Italianate, "Big-founding fentences, &c."

And Camden, having given us a fpecimen of the Lord's prayer in old English, has thefe words: "Hitherto will our fparkfull youth laugh at their great grand-fathers English, who had more care to do well, than to fpeak minion-like; and left more glory to us by their exploiting great actes, than we

fhall by our forging new words, and uncouth phrafes." Remains, Artic. Languages. A learned gentleman, one R. C. [Carew] who has addreffed a letter to Camden, inserted in that author's Remains, thus fpeaks. "So have our Italian travellers brought us acquainted of their fweet-relished phrases; even we feeke to make our good of our late Spanish enemie, and fear as little the hurt of his tongue, as the dint of his fword." Again, "We within these fixty years have incorporated fo many Latin and French words, as the third part of our tongue confifteth now in them." And Afcham, in his Schole-Mafter, informs us, that not only the language, but the manners, of Italy had totally infected his country-men, where he is defcribing the ITALIANIZED ENGLISHMAN.

Our author's difapprobation of this practice appears more fully from his own words, where he exprefsly hints that Chaucer's language, which he fo closely copied, was the pure English, F. Q. iv. ` ii. 32.

"Dan Chaucer WELL OF ENGLISH UNDEFILDE"."

But although Spenfer difapproved of this corrupt adulteration of ftyle, fo fafhionable in his age, yet we find him notwithstanding frequently introducing

The fame author acquaints us, that about this time an infinite number of Italian books were tranflated into English: among the reft, were many Italian novels; the tranflations of which, Shakspeare manifeftly made ufe of for fome of his plots. T. WARTON.

h A learned and fagacious lexicographer gives a very different account of the purity of Chaucer's style. "Chaucerus, peffimo exemplo, integris vocum plauftris ex eadem Gallia in noftram linguam invectis; eam, nimis antea à Normannorum victoria adulteratam, omni fere nativa gratia et nitore fpoliavit, pro genuinis coloribus fucum illinens, pro vera facie larvam indu ens." Skinner, Præfat. ad Etymolog. Ling. Anglic. T. WARTON,

words from a foreign tongue, fuch as, vifnomie1, amenance, arret, mejprife, fovenance, affrap, aguife, amenage, abafe, and the like; but these words the frequent return of his rhyme obliged him to introduce, and accordingly they will generally be found at the end of his lines. The poverty of our tongue, or rather the unfrequency of its identical terminations, compelled him likewife, for the fake of rhyme, perpetually to coin new English words, fuch as damnify'd, unmercify d, wonderment, warriment, unruliment, habitaunce, hazardrie, &c. To this caufe his many Latinifms alfo may be attributed, which, like all the reft, are substituted to make out the neceffary jingle.

The cenfure of Ben Jonfon, in his Discoveries, upon our author's ftyle, is perhaps unreafonable: "Spenfer, in affecting the ancients, writ no language." The ground-work and fubftance of his ftyle is the language of his age. This indeed is feafoned with various expreffions, adopted from the elder poets; but in fuch a manner, that the language of his age was rather ftrengthened and dignified, than debafed or difguifed, by fuch a practice. In truth, the affectation of Spenfer in this point, is by no means fo ftriking and visible, as Jonfon has infinuated; nor is his phrafeology fo difficult and obfolete, as is generally fuppofed to be. For many ftanzas together, we may frequently read him with as much facility, as we can the fame number of lines in Shakspeare.

i fuch as, vifnomie, &c.] He was probably led to this practice, in many inftances, by preceding writers. In the very first word here cited by Mr. Warton, vifnomie, he is authorised by Hawes, Hift. of Graunde Amoure, &c. edit. 1554. Sign. Q. ii. b. "And, when that he vnto vs drewe nye,

"I beheld his body and his visenamye."

We are therefore not to condemn the poet too haftily. See also thefe words noticed in their respective places. TODD.

A

But although I cannot fubfcribe to Jonfon's opinion concerning Spenfer's language, I muft confefs that the following fentiments of that critick, concerning the use of old words in poetry, are admirable. "Words borrowed of antiquity, do lend a kind of majesty to style, and are not without their delight fometimes. For they have the authority of yeares, and out of their intermiffion do lend a kind of grace-like newneffe. But the eldest of the present, and the newest of the past language is the best." But Jonfon has literally tranflated the latter part of the paragraph, from Quintilian, without acknowledgment, Inft. Or. l. i. cap. 6. "Ergo ut novorum optima erunt maxime vetera, ita veterum maxime

I conclude these Remarks with a paffage from the nervous, poetical, and witty fatires of bifhop Hall; who, having cenfured the petty poets of his age for their various corruptions, and licentious abuses, of the English language, makes this compliment to Spenfer:

"But lett no rebel fatyr dare traduce

"Th' eternall Legends of thy FAERIE MUSE, "Renowned SPENSER! whom no earthly wight "Dares once to emulate, much less despight. "Saluft of France, and Tuscan Ariost! "Yield up the lawrel-girlond ye have loft: "And lett all others willows wear with mee, "Or lett their undeferving temples bared bee *." T. WARTON.

k B. i. f. 4. These fatires [the three first books] were first printed by T. Creede, for R. Dexter, Lond. 1597. 12mo. The three laft books appeared in an edition entitled, "Virgidemiarum, The three last bookes of byting Satyres, Anon. Lond. printed by R. Bradocke, for R. Dexter, &c. 1598." 12mo. It begins with fat. 1. of lib. 4. The next edition [of the whole] is, "Virgidemiarum, The three laft [in reality all the fix] bookes of the byting Satyres, corrected and amended, with some