Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenser
Edmund Spenserwas an English poet best known for The Faerie Queene, an epic poem and fantastical allegory celebrating the Tudor dynasty and Elizabeth I. He is recognized as one of the premier craftsmen of nascent Modern English verse, and is often considered one of the greatest poets in the English language...
NationalityEnglish
ProfessionPoet
men heaven mind
Nothing under heaven so strongly doth allure the sense of man, and all his mind possess, as beauty's love.
grief anger wrath
Full many mischiefs follow cruel wrath; Abhorred bloodshed and tumultuous strife Unmanly murder and unthrifty scath, Bitter despite, with rancor's rusty knife; And fretting grief the enemy of life; All these and many evils more, haunt ire.
fall long common
It often falls, in course of common life, that right long time is overborne of wrong.
sea long soul
Is not short paine well borne, that brings long ease,And layes the soul to sleepe in quiet grave?Sleepe after toyle, port after stormie seas,Ease after warre, death after life does greatly please.
fame chaucer wells
Dan Chaucer, well of English undefyled,On Fames eternall beadroll worthie to be fyled.
straws
Oft stumbles at a straw.
stranger courtesy should
Ill seemes (sayd he) if he so valiant be, That he should be so sterne to stranger wight; For seldom yet did living creature see That courtesie and manhood ever disagree.
song fierce
Fierce warres and faithfull loves shall moralize my song.
gratitude angel thankfulness
Thankfulness is the tune of angels.
fire envy rising
Rising glory occasions the greatest envy, as kindling fire the greatest smoke.
fashion lists heat
The paynefull smith, with force of fervent heat, The hardest yron soone doth mollify, That with his heavy sledge he can it beat, And fashion it to what he it list apply.
sweet growing-up nuts
Sweet is the rose, but grows upon a brere; Sweet is the juniper, but sharp his bough; Sweet is the eglantine, but stiketh nere; Sweet is the firbloome, but its braunches rough; Sweet is the cypress, but its rynd is tough; Sweet is the nut, but bitter is his pill; Sweet is the broome-flowre, but yet sowre enough; And sweet is moly, but his root is ill.
heart winning fool
Ah, fool! faint heart fair lady ne'er could win.
heart men air
A circle cannot fill a triangle, so neither can the whole world, if it were to be compassed, the heart of man; a man may as easily fill a chest with grace as the heart with gold. The air fills not the body, neither doth money the covetous mind of man.