n any one kind, are such as are either mere poetical, or
which tend in some respects (as either in matter or form) to
poetry. Of such books, therefore, sith I have been one that have
had a desire to read not the fewest, and because it is an
argument which men of great learning have no leisure to handle,
or at least having to do with more serious matters do least
regard. If I write something, concerning what I think of our
English poets, or adventure to set down my simple judgment of
English poetry, I trust the learned poets will give me leave, and
vouchsafe my book passage, as being for the rudeness thereof no
prejudice to their noble studies, but even (as my intent is) an
_instar cotis_ to stir up some other of meet ability to bestow
travail in this matter; whereby, I think, we may not only get the
means which we yet want, to discern between good writers and bad,
but perhaps also challenge from the rude multitude of rustical
rhymers, who will be called poets, the right practice and orderly
course of true poetry."

* * * * *

(Puttenham _on Style_.)

"Style is a constant and continual phrase or tenour of speaking
and writing, extending to the whole tale or process of the poem
or history, and not properly to any piece or member of a tale;
but is of words, speeches, and sentences together; a certain
contrived form and quality, many times natural to the writer,
many times his peculiar bye-election and art, and such as either
he keepeth by skill or holdeth on by ignorance, and will not or
peradventure cannot easily alter into any other. So we say that
Cicero's style and Sallust's were not one, nor Caesar's and
Livy's, nor Homer's and Hesiodus',[14] nor Herodotus' and
Thucydides', nor Euripides' and Aristophanes', nor Erasmus' and
Budeus' styles. And because this continual course and manner of
writing or speech sheweth the matter and disposition of the
writer's mind more than one or two instances can show, therefore
there be that have called style the image of man (_mentis
character_). For man is but his mind, and as his mind is tempered
and qualified, so are his speeches and language at large; and his
inward conceits be the metal of his mind, and his manner of
utterance the very warp and woof of his conceits, more