nus fpeaks to the fame effect. "Cretes Dianam reli giofiffime venerantur, Bgilouagli gentiliter nominantes; quod fermone noftro fonat virginem dulcem." But although Spenser in Britomartis had some reference to Diana, yet at the same time he intended to denote by that name the martial BRITONESSE. The reader is defired to take notice, that the passage which Spenser has copied from the Ceiris of Virgil, begins at this verse of that poem, Quam fimul Ogygii Phanicis filia CHarme, * And ends at, Defpue ter, virgo: numero deus impare gaudet +. B. ii. c. ix. f. xxii. He is describing the Castle of ALMA. The frame thereof feem'd partly circulare, ! The philosophy of this abstruse stanza, is explained in a learned epiftle of Sir Kenelm Digby §, addressed Polyhift. c. 17. § First printed in a fingle za, &c. Lond. 1644. 8vo. pag. 244. London, 1654. * Ver. 223. + Ver. 373. pamphlet. viz. Obfervations on xxii. ftanIt is also published in Serinia Sacra, 4to. to to Sir Edward Stradling. It is partly formed on the fyftem of Plato, who was a great favorite of those writers, whom Spenser chiefly ftudied and copied, the Italian poets, particularly Petrarch. The fixth cante of the third book, especially the second, and the thirtysecond stanza, explained above, together with his Hymnes of heavenly Love and heavenly Beauty, are evident proofs of our author's attachment to the Platonic fchool. The notions of our author's friend, Sir Philip Sydney, who, with many others of that age, had a ftrong Platonic caft, perhaps contributed not a little to fix Spenfer's choice on the subject of the Hymnes juft mentioned. Take his own words in the Defence of Poefie. "That lyrical kind of fongs and fonnets-which"how well it might be employed, and with how hea"venly fruits both in publicke and private, in finging "the praises of the IMMORTAL BEAUTY*" B. iii, c. vi. f. xxx. He fpeaks of the Garden of Adonis. In that fame garden all the goodly flowres * Ad Calc, Pembroke's Arcadia, pag. 564. Edit. up fupr. In his particular defcription of this garden, the general idea of which is founded in antient story, he perhaps had an eye to that part of the fable of Adonis, in which he is supposed to represent the fun, which quickens the growth of all things. Thus Orpheus in his Hymn to Adonis. Ευβέλε, πολυμορφε, τροφη πανίων αριδηλες Κέρη και κορε, συ πασι θαλα αιεν, Αδωνι, Σβεννυμένε, λαμπωνε κάλαις εν κυκλάσιν ὡραις. Prudens, multiformis, pabulum omnibus præclarum, Puella et puer, tu omnibus germen, Adoni, Extincte, fulgenfque in pulchris redeuntibus horis. Others represent him as the feed of wheat. Thus the scholiafts on Theocritus. σε Τελο το λεγόμενον, τοιελον εσιν αληθως Ότι ὁ Αδωνις, η δεν ὁ σπα ὁ σπειρόμενον, ἐξ μήνας εν τη γῇ ποιει ύπο της σποράς, και εξ μήνας έχει μύλον η Αφροδίτη, τέλεσιν, ἡ ευκρασία το αερος, κα) εκδότε λαμβανεσιν αυτον δι αν θρωποι * 39 « Hoc revera ita fe habet: fcilicet quod Adisnis eft Frumentum fatum; quod fex menfes fub terra degit, et fex menfes eum habet Venus ; nimirum aeris temperies, et poftea a meforibus colligitur.” Orpheus, in the fame hymn, calls the body of Adonis, . He has placed Cupid and Pfyche in this garden, where they live together in, Stedfaft love, and happy state. ft. 50. But Apuleius represents this happy state of Cupid and Pfyche, to have commenced after their reception into heaven. However their offspring Pleasure is authorised by Apuleius." Sic ecce Pfyche venit in manum Cupidinis; et nafcitur illis maturo partu filia quam VOLUPTATEM nominamus * ” He has made Pleasure the daughter of Cupid in another poem. Speaking to that deity. There with thy daughter Pleasure they do play B. iii. c. xi. f. xlvii. Of the ftatue of Cupid. Wings it had with fundrie colours dight, Bears in his boafted fan, or Iris bright, When her discolour'd bow she spreads thro' heaven bright. Cupid was represented by the antients with particoloured wings, as we learn, among others, from the following paffage of an epigram ascribed to Virgil. Marmoreufque tibi DIVERSICOLORIBUS alis But this fplendid plumage was probably fupplied by Spenfer's imagination; or from that fund of brilliant imagery, the italian poets. In the Paftorals, MARCH, he draws Cupid after the fame manner. With that sprung forth a naked fwaine, Thus alfo Cupid, in the next canto, ft. 23. And clapt on high his coloured winges twaine. In Muipotmos his wings are compared with those of a butterfly. Bears in his wings fo manie a changefull token. In the comparison of the peacock and the rainbow, as they occur together, he probably imitated Taffo. Ne'l fuperbo Pavon fi vago in monftra * Virgil. Catalect. Burman. edit. vol. 4. pag. 143. AD VENEREM, † Gier. Liberat, c. 16. f, 24. Νε The |