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    Astrophel and Stella: “Fool," said my muse to me. "Look in thy heart and write”
    Astrophel and Stella: “Fool," said my muse to me. "Look in thy heart and write”
    Astrophel and Stella: “Fool," said my muse to me. "Look in thy heart and write”
    Ebook82 pages1 hour

    Astrophel and Stella: “Fool," said my muse to me. "Look in thy heart and write”

    By Sir Philip Sidney

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    About this ebook

    Sir Philip Sidney was born on 30th November 1554 at Penshurst Place, Kent. He was educated at Shrewsbury School and Christ Church, Oxford.

    In 1572, at the age of 18, he was elected to Parliament as a Member for Shrewsbury. Despite his domestic commitments Sidney spent the next several years travelling through Germany, Italy, Poland, the Kingdom of Hungary and Austria.

    Returning to England in 1575, Sidney met Penelope Devereux who became the inspiration for his beautiful sonnet sequence ‘Astrophel and Stella’.

    Life now became rather more complicated with his quarrel with Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. The result was that Sidney challenged de Vere to a duel, which Elizabeth then forbade. Sidney wrote a long letter to the Queen explaining the foolishness of her proposed French marriage. Elizabeth bristled at his presumption, and Sidney, realising his error, retired from court.

    His artistic pursuits were more peaceful and more significant for his lasting fame. During the years of absence from court, Sidney wrote the first draft of ‘The Arcadia’ and ‘The Defence of Poesy’.

    Sidney was promoted to General of Horse in 1583, his enthusiasm for the Protestant struggle was now given a free rein when he was appointed governor of Flushing in the Netherlands in 1585. Later that year, he joined Sir John Norris in the Battle of Zutphen, fighting for the Protestant cause against the Spanish. During the battle, he was shot in the thigh.

    Sir Philip Sidney died of gangrene 26 days later, on 17th October 1586 at Arnhem. He was a mere 31 years of age.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPortable Poetry
    Release dateOct 7, 2018
    ISBN9781787801899
    Astrophel and Stella: “Fool," said my muse to me. "Look in thy heart and write”

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      Book preview

      Astrophel and Stella - Sir Philip Sidney

      Astrophel and Stella by Sir Philip Sidney

      Sir Philip Sidney was born on 30th November 1554 at Penshurst Place, Kent.  He was educated at Shrewsbury School and Christ Church, Oxford.

      In 1572, at the age of 18, he was elected to Parliament as a Member for Shrewsbury. Despite his domestic commitments Sidney spent the next several years travelling through Germany, Italy, Poland, the Kingdom of Hungary and Austria.

      Returning to England in 1575, Sidney met Penelope Devereux who became the inspiration for his beautiful sonnet sequence ‘Astrophel and Stella’.

      Life now became rather more complicated with his quarrel with Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.  The result was that Sidney challenged de Vere to a duel, which Elizabeth then forbade. Sidney wrote a long letter to the Queen explaining the foolishness of her proposed French marriage. Elizabeth bristled at his presumption, and Sidney, realising his error, retired from court.

      His artistic pursuits were more peaceful and more significant for his lasting fame. During the years of absence from court, Sidney wrote the first draft of ‘The Arcadia’ and ‘The Defence of Poesy’.

      Sidney was promoted to General of Horse in 1583, his enthusiasm for the Protestant struggle was now given a free rein when he was appointed governor of Flushing in the Netherlands in 1585.  Later that year, he joined Sir John Norris in the Battle of Zutphen, fighting for the Protestant cause against the Spanish.  During the battle, he was shot in the thigh.

      Sir Philip Sidney died of gangrene 26 days later, on 17th October 1586 at Arnhem.  He was a mere 31 years of age.

      Index of Contents

      Astrophel and Stella

      Other Sonnets of Variable Verse

      The First Sonnet

      The Second Sonnet

      The Third Sonnet

      The Fourth Sonnet

      The Fifth Sonnet

      The Sixth Sonnet

      The Seventh Sonnet

      The Eighth Sonnet

      The Ninth Sonnet

      The Tenth Sonnet

      Sir Philip Sidney – A Short Biography

      Sir Philip Sidney – A Concise Bibliography

      His Astrophel and Sidney

      Loving in trueth, and fayne my love in verse to show,

      That the deere Shee, might take some pleasure of my paine:

      Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know,

      Knowledge might pittie winne, and pittie grace obtaine.

           I sought fit wordes to paint the blackest face of woe,

      Studying inventions fine, her wittes to entertaine,

      Oft turning others leaves, to see if thence would flowe,

      Some fresh and fruitfull showre, upon my Sunne-burnt braine.

           But wordes came halting out, wanting inventions stay,

      Invention Natures childe, fledde Stepdame studies blowes:

      And others feete, still seem’de but strangers in my way,

      Thus great with Childe to speake, and helplesse in my throwes,

                Byting my trewand penne, beating my selfe for spite:

                Foole saide my Muse to mee, looke in thy heart and write.

      Not at first sight, nor with a dribbing shot,

      Love gave the wound, which while I breath will bleede:

      But knowne, worth did in mine of time proceede,

      Till by degrees it had full conquest got.

           I sawe and lik’d, I lik’d but loved not,

      I lov’d, but did not straight what Love decreede:

      At length to Loves decrees, I forst agreede:

      Yet with repining at so partiall lot.

           Now even that foot-steppe of lost libertie

      Is gone, and now like slave borne Muscovite:

      I call it praise to suffer tyrannie,

      And now imploy the remnant of my wit

                To make my selfe believe that all is well,

                While with a feeling skill I paint my hell.

      Let Daintie wittes cry on the Sisters nine,

      That bravely maskt, their fancies may be tolde:

      Or Pinders Apes flaunt they in phrases fine,

      Enamling with pyde flowers their thoughts of gold:

           Or els let them in statelyee glorie shine,

      Ennobling new found tropes with problemes old:

      Or with strange similes, inricht each line,

      Of hearbes or beasts, which Inde or Affricke hold.

                For me in sooth, no Muse but one I know,

                Phrases and Problemes from my reach do growe.

      And straunge things cost too deere for my poor sprites,

                How then? even thus in Stellas face I reede,

                What love and beautie be, then all my deede

      But coppying is, what in her nature writes.

           Vertue (alas) now let me take some rest,

      Thou set’st a bate betweene my will and wit;

      If vaine love have my simple soule opprest,

      Leave what thou lik’st not, deale not thou with it.

           Thy Scepter use in some olde Catoes brest,

      Churches or Schooles are for thy seat more fit:

      I doe confes, (pardon a fault confest,)

      My mouth too tender is for thy hard bit.

                But if that needes, thou wilt usurping bee

                The little reason that is left in mee.

      And still th’ effect of thy perswasions proove,

                I sweare, my heart such one shall shew to thee,

                That shrines in flesh so true a deitie,

      That Vertue, thou thy selfe shalt be in love.

      It is most true, that eyes are found to serve

      The inward light: and that the heavenly part

      Ought to be King, from whose rules who doth swerve,

      Rebels to nature, strive for their owne smart.

           It is most true, what wee call Cupids dart,

      An Image is, which for ourselves we carve:

      And fooles adore, in Temple of our hart,

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