260 SPENER SPEXER, Phillpp Jakob, a German theologian, born at Rappoltsweiler, Alsace, in January, 1635, died in Berlin, Feb. 5, 1705. He studied at Strasburg, early lectured on philosophy and history, and was tutor to several of the princes palatine. After attending Swiss and French universities, he began in 1663 to preach at Strasburg. In 1664 he was made doctor of theology, find in 1666 chief of the clergy at Frankfort. While the orthodox Lutherans based their theology on the Bible as explained by the symbolical books, he based it on the Bible as confirmed and explained by personal experiences. He instituted at Frankfort classes for catechizing the young, and his prayer meet- ings (collegia pietatis) and conventicles (eccle- siolcs in ecclesid) created a popular and strictly Biblical theology. From his collegia sprang the sect of the pietists, so called at first in de- rision, but finally the name was accepted by themselves. In 1686 he removed to Dresden, where he was appointed chief court preacher and a member of the consistory. His views were violently opposed by the Saxon clergy, especially after the foundation of the new uni- versity at Halle, the professorships in which were filled by his disciples, and which became at once the central point of the pietistic doc- trines. The faculty of Wittenberg designated in his writings about 300 false doctrines, al- though he fully adhered to the confession of Augsburg. He defended himself with ability and success; but in 1691 he gladly accepted an invitation from the elector Frederick of Bran- denburg to reside at Berlin, as provost, inspec- tor of the church of St. Nicholas, and assessor of the consistory. He wrote Pia Desideria (1675 ; new ed. by Feldner, Dresden, 1846), and other theological as well as genealogical works. See Hossbach, Philipp Jakob Spener und seine Zeit (2 vols., Berlin, 1828; 3d ed. by Schweder, 1861), and Thilo, Spener als Kate- chet (Stuttgart, 1841). SPENSER, Edmund, an English poet, born in East Smithfield, London, probably in 1553, died in King street, Westminster, Jan. 16, 1599. In one of his poems he alludes to his connec- tion with " an house of ancient fame," and it ia maintained by Mr. Craik that he belonged to the Spencers of Hurstwood, Lancashire. He was entered a sizar of Pembroke hall, Cam- bridge, in 1569, and took the degree of bache- lor in 1572 and of master in 1576. He there formed a life-long intimacy with Gabriel Har- vey, the poet and astrologer. On leaving the university he visited the north of England, where he wrote his " Shephearde's Calendar." fadnoed by Harvey to go to London, he was introduced to Sir Philip Sidney, who invited him to become his guest, and to whom, in return for his hospitality, he dedicated his Shephearde'8 Calendar" (1579). For the aext ten years little is known concerning Spenser. He corresponded with Harvey on the innovation of banishing rhymes and intro- ducing the Latin prosody into English verse. SPENSER Recommended by Sidney to his uncle, the powerful earl of Leicester, he was occasion- ally employed in small missions, and in 1580 was sent to Ireland as secretary to Lord Grey de Wilton, who was appointed lord deputy of that country. The " Foure Epistles," on sa- tiric poetry and on an earthquake in London, which passed between Spenser and Harvey, and which induced a controversy between the latter and Nash, were published the same year. He returned in 1582, and in 1586 obtained a grant of 3,028 acres of the forfeited lands of the earl of Desmond, in the county of Cork, on condition that he should reside on his es- tate; and he therefore took up his abode in Kilcolman castle, near Doneraile, where he composed most of the "Faerie Queen," upon which he had been engaged several years. After the death of Sidney, he wrote the pas- toral elegy of " Astrophel " to his memory. Raleigh now became his principal patron and friend, and in 1589 persuaded him to return to London to arrange for the publication of his poem. The first three books appeared in 1590, dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, with a letter to Raleigh explaining the work as " a continued allegory or dark conceit." He was presented to the queen, from whom he received a pen- sion of 50, returned to Ireland, and published " Colin Clout's come Home again " (1591) ; a collection of minor poems entitled u Com- plaints" (1591); a series of " Amoretti " and the " Epithalamium " (1595), relating to his courtship and marriage ; four " Hymns " (1596), the two on love and duty, pervaded by a Pla- tonic doctrine, being among his most exquisite productions; and the fourth, fifth, and sixth books of the " Faerie Queen " (1596). He was married in 1594, but it is not certain whether the lady was the u Elizabeth " of his sonnets, nor whether it was a first or second mar- riage. In 1596 he presented to the queen his " View of the State of Ireland," a treatise in the form of a dialogue, not published till 1633. He was a conspicuous object for the enmity of the Irish on the outbreak of Tyrone's re- bellion, since he was clerk of the council of Munster, and had been nominated sheriff of Cork. When the insurgents rose in Munster in 1598, they attacked Kilcolman, and the poet fled with his wife. The castle was plun- dered and burned, and an infant child, which had been left behind, perished in the flames. Spenser died at an inn a few months after his arrival in London, it is said for want of bread ; but there are circumstances which make this account doubtful. He was buried at the expense of the earl of Essex, and at his own request near the remains of Chaucer, in Westminster abbey. A monument erected to him after 30 years by Anne, countess of Dorset, was restored in 1778 by the fellows of Pembroke hall. His chief poem, the "Faerie Queen," is unfinished. The Spenserian stanza, in which it is written, is a modification of the Italian ottava rima, with the addition of the
