Project Gutenberg 1999-11-01 Public domain in the USA. 1391 Sidney, Philip 1554 1586 Sydney, Philip Sidney, Philip, Sir A Defence of Poesie and Poems Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Apology_for_Poetry Transcribed from the 1891 Cassell & Company edition by David Price "A Defence of Poesie and Poems" by Sir Philip Sidney is a significant work of literary criticism written in the late 16th century. This text engages with the nature of poetry, defending its value and role in society against contemporary critiques that viewed it as frivolous or detrimental. Sidney explores the power of poetry to enhance understanding and virtue, contending that it serves a higher purpose than mere entertainment. The opening portion introduces Sir Philip Sidney, detailing his early life, education, and the historical context of his time. It outlines his accomplishments and connections, particularly highlighting his friendships with influential figures like Edmund Spenser and his travels across Europe. The narrative sets the stage for his argument in defense of poetry, explaining that his writing was a response to contemporary critiques, especially those from Stephen Gosson, who had condemned poetry. Sidney begins to articulate his view on the essential nature of poetry as not only an artistic expression but also a vital means of truth and moral instruction, emphasizing its significance in human experience and its potential to inspire virtue. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 64.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. en Poetry -- Early works to 1800 PN Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: British Literature 242599 2025-07-01T11:17:01.179601 text/html 243977 2014-10-08T02:13:20 text/html 237135 2014-10-08T02:18:16 text/html application/zip 313501 2025-07-01T11:17:08.251634 application/epub+zip 314114 2025-07-01T11:17:04.215597 application/epub+zip 149961 2025-07-01T11:17:02.958577 application/epub+zip 478139 2025-07-01T11:17:11.021550 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 458133 2025-07-01T11:17:07.408585 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 269469 2022-09-01T13:04:30.454086 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 210439 2025-07-01T11:17:00.563585 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 210617 2014-10-08T02:13:02 text/plain; charset=utf-8 83053 2014-10-08T02:18:16 text/plain; charset=utf-8 application/zip 18364 2025-07-01T11:17:11.148518 application/rdf+xml 15204 2025-07-01T11:17:03.470591 image/jpeg 3767 2025-07-01T11:17:03.212550 image/jpeg 310370 2025-07-01T11:17:01.209620 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia