d. It is possible that the free language used in it about
ecclesiastical abuses was too much in sympathy with the growing
fierceness and insolence of Puritan invective to be safely used by a
poet who gave his name: and one of the reasons assigned for Burghley's
dislike to Spenser is the praise bestowed in the _Shepherd's Calendar_
on Archbishop Grindal, then in deep disgrace for resisting the
suppression of the puritan prophesyings. But anonymous as it was, it had
been placed under Sidney's protection; and it was at once warmly
welcomed. It is not often that in those remote days we get evidence of
the immediate effect of a book; but we have this evidence in Spenser's
case. In this year, probably, after it was published, we find it spoken
of by Philip Sidney, not without discriminating criticism, but as one of
the few recent examples of poetry worthy to be named after Chaucer.

I account the _Mirror of Magistrates_ meetly furnished of
beautiful parts; and in the Earl of Surrey's _Lyrics_ many
things tasting of birth, and worthy of a noble mind. The
_Shepherd's Calendar_ hath much poetry in his Eglogues: indeed
worthy the reading if I be not deceived. That same framing of
his style in an old rustic language I dare not allow, sith
neither Theocritus in Greek, Virgil in Latin, nor Sanazar in
Italian, did affect it. Besides these do I not remember to
have seen but few (to speak boldly) printed that have poetical
sinews in them.

Sidney's patronage of the writer and general approval of the work
doubtless had something to do with making Spenser's name known: but he
at once takes a place in contemporary judgment which no one else takes,
till the next decade of the century. In 1586, Webbe published his
_Discourse of English Poetrie_. In this, the author of the _Shepherd's
Calendar_ is spoken of by the name given him by its Editor, E. K----, as
the "new poet," just as earlier in the century, the _Orlando Furioso_
was styled the "nuova poesia;" and his work is copiously used to supply
examples and illustrations of the critic's rules and observations.
Webbe's review of existing poetry was the most comprehensive yet
attempted: but the place which he gives to the new poet, whose name was
in men's mouths, though like the author of _In Memoriam_, he had not
placed it on his title-page, was one quite apart.

This place [to wear the Laurel] have I purposely reserved for
one,