s grave and gay--a mixture
which was always much to the taste of Elizabeth's men, and the popularity
of which produced and fostered many things, from the matchless tragi-comedy
of _Hamlet_ and _Macbeth_ to the singularly formless pamphlets of which we
shall speak hereafter. The main interest of Warner is his insensibility to
the new influences which Spenser and Sidney directed, and which are found
producing their full effect on Daniel and Drayton. There were those in his
own day who compared him to Homer: one of the most remarkable instances of
thoroughly unlucky critical extravagance to be found in literary history,
as the following very fair average specimen will show:--

"Henry (as if by miracle preserved by foreigns long,
From hence-meant treasons) did arrive to right his natives' wrong:
And chiefly to Lord Stanley, and some other succours, as
Did wish and work for better days, the rival welcome was.
Now Richard heard that Richmond was assisted and ashore,
And like unkennel'd Cerberus, the crooked tyrant swore,
And all complexions act at once confusedly in him:
He studieth, striketh, threats, entreats, and looketh mildly grim,
Mistrustfully he trusteth, and he dreadingly did dare,
And forty passions in a trice, in him consort and square.
But when, by his consented force, his foes increased more,
He hastened battle, finding his co-rival apt therefore.
When Richmond, orderly in all, had battled his aid,
Inringed by his complices, their cheerful leader said:
'Now is the time and place (sweet friends) and we the persons be
That must give England breath, or else unbreathe for her must we.
No tyranny is fabled, and no tyrant was in deed
Worse than our foe, whose works will act my words, if well he speed:
For ill to ills superlative are easily enticed,
But entertains amendment as the Gergesites did Christ.
Be valiant then, he biddeth so that would not be outbid,
For courage yet shall honour him though base, that better did.
I am right heir Lancastrian, he, in York's destroyed right
Usurpeth: but through either ours, for neither claim I fight,
But for our country's long-lack'd weal, for England's peace I war:
Wherein He speed us! unto Whom I all events refer.'
Meanwhile had furious Richard set his armies in array,
And then, with looks even like himself, this or the like did say:
'Why, lads, shall yonder Wels