CHAPTER VII. ELIZABETHAN POETRY.

The starting-point--Italian influence--The opposition to rhyme--Excuses for this--Its little effect--Poetry of first half of Elizabeth’s reign--Spenser--Order of his work--His metre--Character of his poetry--Sir P. Sidney--The _Apologie for Poetrie_--His sonnets and lyrics--Watson--The Sonneteers--Other lyric poetry--The collections and song-books--The historical poems--Fitz-Geoffrey and Markham--Warner--Daniel--Drayton--The satiric poets--Lodge--Hall--Marston--Donne 185