The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-06-25

I tura now 20 The effort 20 make
something OF q study % The Fa<r1e
Queene." certainly one OF h creates
productions Of poetic genius IN all the
lite-etures Of the world. ancient or
modern. When / had read within a
year the poem IN all OF its great
length. I must confess that | was dis
appointed to some extent II II q
mos; extraordinary and distinguished
production OF genius h caused
me disappointment was its tedious
ness. its extreme proiixity. rs re-
quent ~repuuuons. IL not OF words OF
incidents closely resembling eaeh
other. its c-oarscoees even occasional
vulgnrty. even o~beceniey. its want or
taste in places. is occasional defects
IN the finish of the style. and the
ciesrness OF It's connections. But TIE
impurity. the broadness are much ex-
cusable because Of the times In which
IL appeared. the conditions thai exist
ed in the days OF Queen Elizabeth.
when Tciousness q blatant I'm
moraltues abounded in the highes;
circles of society. and much too in the
lower conditions of life. But IN spite
OF all real or fancied defects tho
poem Is q production of the rarest
sp.endor and -gorgeousness. sensuous
beauty. overlooking with eTervescent
enlogy. framing OF color and pleas
- AZ III ~o1l6lB
A great critic. Taine. the wonderful
French interpreter of British genius.
says of Spenser, that he has adora-
ton for beauty worthy OF Dante and
Plotinas. And this, because he now
considers II a mere harmony of color
and form. but an emanation OF unique,
heavenly, imperishable beauty. which
no mortal eye can see. and which is
the prime work of the great author
Of the worlds" While he wrote other
great poetry. by far his %grsndest
work. as l have said before. is the
poem under consideration He tells
us OF his plan and purpose II a letter
he wrote to his dear friend. Sir wal
ter Raleigh. himself a man of very
rich qualities OF mind and heart, and
with high appreciation Of poetry, say
ing it was following the example of
Homer. Virgil. Ariosto and Tasso. 10
write about. colored with historical
fiction, which should fashion a gentle
man or noble person in virtuous and
gentle disciplines." The moral yir.
tues were to appear as the guiding in
spiration and principles of each Of
the intended twelve Books, but six Of
which were never written. A spc-
cial Virtue ' as to dominate each
book. such as Holiness, Hypocrisy.
FalsehoOd, Temperance, Charity. etc.
He had a large plan requiring vast re-
sources marvellous language. One
British writer. DR.. W. F. Collier. Of
Dublin University, says that mot con-
tent with giving the most exquisite
pictures OF chivalrous life that have
ever been limned in English words,
and at the same time enforcing with
some success lessons OF true morality
n virtue. he attempted to inter
weave with his bright a%llegories the
history OF his oWn day" He made
ancient characters Of his creation rep
resent Queen Elizabeth, poor Mary
Stuart, Of Scotland. and so on. Perhaps
the most engaging and perfect of all
the poem is h First Book, and the
first three are superior to the last
three, which / believe mentioned in
my first article. which nave not at
hand as l write. Holiness is the
theme n inspiration Of tina splendid
exhibition Of poetic creation, Book
One, and of finished excellence. DR..
Collier says with felicity of p-ecise
Interpretation, that "the six looks
form a descending scale of merit. The
first two have the fresh bloom of
genius upon them. the third contains
some exquisite pictures Of woman-
hood, colored with the light of poetic
fancy; but in the last three the divine
fire is seen only in fitful and uncertain
flashes l can not doubt as to the
accuracy of that distinction
and deliverance. In the last
three there are visible in places the
fine Towering Of a most
mind. and there are very bright, even
glorious scintillatiOns Of a high, af-
fluent genius. and still there is a de-
decline in the sweep and interest
the three Books. and many eX-
implies are seen indicating repetition
or striking resemblance OF style. char
acters, scenes, adventures ut was
that the poet had written himself
out, but he had been tempted to sin
at achieving too much" had
noted that appearance Of conditions
months before I knew of DR.. Golfers
and had SO written. He says
that our poet mot content with giving
US the most exquisite pictures of
life that have ever been
in English words. and at the
time enforcing, with some sue
lessons of true morality and
he attempted to Intervene
With his bright. a~llegories the history
Of his own day" In thai Law bis
and comparative failure for he
was driven to extreme fattery and
although given in the most gorgeous
and melodious verse. I found often
dresomeness and inclination in the long
drawn out stories to skip. but did
wig he artfully described it as her
But hat was tho fashion to
English and all inventions of
in magnlfying looks and adul-
truth. Explosives were ram
pant. and praise as fluent and general
- - - Ia, -.I-o;i-- ~ m