ion of Poetry's being frequently the offspring of love
and retirement. This work he addressed by a short dedication to the
Maecenas of his age, the immortal Sir Philip Sidney. This gentleman was
now in the highest reputation, both for wit and gallantry, and the
most popular of all the courtiers of his age, and as he was himself a
writer, and especially excelled in the fabulous or inventive part of
poetry; it is no wonder he was struck with our author's genius, and
became sensible of his merit. A story is told of him by Mr. Hughes,
which I shall present the reader, as it serves to illustrate the great
worth and penetration of Sidney, as well as the excellent genius of
Spenser. It is said that our poet was a stranger to this gentleman,
when he began to write his Fairy Queen, and that he took occasion to
go to Leicester-house, and introduce himself by sending in to Mr.
Sidney a copy of the ninth Canto of the first book of that poem.
Sidney was much surprized with the description of despair in that
Canto, and is said to have shewn an unusual kind of transport on the
discovery of so new and uncommon a genius. After he had read some
stanza's, he turned to his steward, and bid him give the person that
brought those verses fifty pounds; but upon reading the next stanza,
he ordered the sum to be doubled. The steward was no less surprized
than his master, and thought it his duty to make some delay in
executing so sudden and lavish a bounty; but upon reading one stanza
stanza more, Mr. Sidney raised the gratuity to two hundred pounds, and
commanded the steward to give it immediately, lest as he read further
he might be tempted to give away his whole estate. From this time he
admitted the author to his acquaintance and conversation, and prepared
the way for his being known and received at court.

Tho' this seemed a promising omen, to be thus introduced to court, yet
he did not instantly reap any advantage from it. He was indeed created
poet laureat to Queen Elizabeth, but he for some time wore a barren
laurel, and possessed only the place without the pension [2]. Lord
treasurer Burleigh, under whose displeasure Spenser laboured, took
care to intercept the Queen's favours to this unhappy great man. As
misfortunes have the most influence on elegant and polished minds, so
it was no wonder that Spenser was much depressed by the cold reception
he met with from the great; a circumstance which not a little detracts
from the merit of the m