By the Grace of God,
Qveene of England, Fravnce, and Ireland, and of Virginia,
Defendovr of the Faith, &c.
Her most hvmble Servavnt
EDMVND SPENSER,
Doth, in all hvmilitie,
Dedicate, present, and consecrate
These his labovrs,
To live with the eternitie of her fame.

"To live with the eternity of her fame,"--the claim was a proud one, but
it has proved a prophecy. The publication of the _Faery Queen_ placed
him at once and for his lifetime at the head of all living English
poets. The world of his day immediately acknowledged the charm and
perfection of the new work of art which had taken it by surprise. As far
as appears, it was welcomed heartily and generously. Spenser speaks in
places of envy and detraction, and he, like others, had no doubt his
rivals and enemies. But little trace of censure appears, except in the
stories about Burghley's dislike of him, as an idle rimer, and perhaps
as a friend of his opponents. But his brother poets, men like Lodge and
Drayton, paid honour, though in quaint phrases, to the learned Colin,
the reverend Colin, the excellent and cunning Colin. A greater than
they, if we may trust his editors, takes him as the representative of
poetry, which is so dear to him.

If music and sweet poetry agree,
As they must needs, the sister and the brother,
Then must the love be great 'twixt thee and me,
Because thou lov'st the one, and I the other.
_Dowland_ to thee is dear, whose heavenly touch
Upon the lute doth ravish human sense;
_Spenser_ to me, whose deep conceit is such
As passing all conceit, needs no defence.
Thou lov'st to hear the sweet melodious sound
That Phoebus' lute, the queen of music, makes;
And I in deep delight am chiefly drown'd
Whenas himself to singing he betakes.
One god is god of both, as poets feign;
One knight loves both, and both in thee remain.

(_Shakespere_, in the _Passionate Pilgrim_, 1599.)

Even the fierce pamphleteer, Thomas Nash, the scourge and torment of
poor Gabriel Harvey, addresses Harvey's friend as heavenly Spenser, and
extols "the Faery Singers' stately tuned verse." Spenser's title to be
the "Poet of poets," was at once acknowledged as by acclamation. And he
himself has no difficulty