Period may be said to have begun. Spenser is the
foremost chronologically of those great spirits who
towards the close of the sixteenth century lifted up
their immortal voices, and spoke words to be heard for
all time. In the course of this present passage of his
life, he published his first important work--a work
which secured him at once the hearty recognition of his
contemporaries as a true poet risen up amongst them.
This work was the _Shepheardes Calendar_, to which so
many references have already been made.
It consists of twelve eclogues, one for each month
of the year. Of these, three (i., vi., and xii.), as
we have seen, treat specially of his own disappointment
in love. Three (ii., viii., and x.) are of a more
general character, having old age, a poetry combat,
'the perfect pattern of a poet' for their subjects.
One other (iii.) deals with love-matters. One (iv.)
celebrates the Queen, three (v., vii, and ix.) discuss
'Protestant and Catholic,' Anglican and Puritan
questions. One (xi.) is an elegy upon 'the death of
some maiden of great blood, whom he calleth Dido.'
These poems were ushered into the world by Spenser's
college friend Edward Kirke, for such no doubt is the
true interpretation of the initials E.K. This
gentleman performed his duty in a somewhat copious
manner. He addressed 'to the most excellent and
learned both orator and poet Mayster Gabriell Harvey' a
letter warmly commending 'the new poet' to his
patronage, and defending the antique verbiage of the
eclogues; he prefixed to the whole work a general