of
poetical prose, full of conceits, with occasional verse interspersed. His
_Defence of Poesie_, written in reply to Gosson (_q.v._), is in simple
and vigorous English. S. also made a translation of the Psalms.

_Poems_ ed. by Grosart, _Apologie_ by Arber and others, _Astrophel_ by
Gray, Arber, and others. _Life_ by Fulke Greville (1652), ed. by Sir E.
Brydges (1816). _Arcadia_ (_facsimile_), by Somner. Lives by J.A.
Symonds, Fox Bourne, and others.

SIGOURNEY, MRS. LYDIA (HUNTLEY) (1791-1865).--American verse writer, was
an extraordinarily copious writer of smooth, sentimental verse, which had
great popularity in its day. Her most ambitious effort was a blank verse
poem, _Traits of the Aborigines of America_ (1822). Other books were
_Connecticut Forty Years Since_, _Pocahontas_, etc.

SIMMS, WILLIAM GILMORE (1806-1870).--Novelist, etc., _b._ at Charleston,
South Carolina, began his literary life with journalism. He then for some
time tried poetry, but without any distinct success except occasionally
in _Southern Passages and Pictures_ (1839). But in fiction, which he
began in 1833 with _Martin Faber_, he was more successful, though rather
an imitator of Cooper. _The Yemassee_ (1835) is generally considered his
best novel. He was less happy in his attempts at historical romance, such
as _Count Julian_ and _The Damsel of Darien_. During the war, in which he
was naturally a strong partisan of the South, he was ruined, and his
library was burned; and from these disasters he never recovered. He had
a high repute as a journalist, orator, and lecturer. He was the first
Southerner to achieve any name in literature.

SKELTON, JOHN (1460?-1529).--Poet, _b._ in Norfolk, and _ed._ at Oxf. and
Camb., of both of which he was _cr._ Poet Laureate, and perhaps held the
same office under the King. He was appointed tutor to Henry VIII., and
notwithstanding his sharp tongue, enjoyed some favour at Court. In 1498
he entered the Church, and became Rector of Diss in his native county.
Hitherto he seems to have produced some translations only, but about this
time he appears to have struck upon the vein which he was to work with
such vigour and popularity. He turned his attention to abuses in Church
and State, which he lashed with caustic satire, conveyed in short
doggerel rhyming lines peculiar to himself, in which jokes, slang,
invectives, and Latin quotations rush out pell-mell. His best works in
this line are _Why come ye not to