'Till lately I have never read Spenser, and therefore was not personally acquainted with his beauties. Neither do I mean to say now that I have read his "Fairie Queen"; but having accidentally met with an extract from his "Hymn of Heavenly Love", a long poem, I went to Papa's study and read the whole poem, which is most exquisitely beautiful, and is perhaps equal to anything Milton ever wrote. [...] I was so much delighted with it that I read another, his "Hymne of Heavenly Beautie", Which in point of poetic excellence perhaps exceeds the other. [...] Papa's copy of his poems is a very old edition, prinnted in the time of Queen Elizabeth, to whom it is dedicated. The illuminations are very curious, and the engravings most laughable; the print is small, and the old words make it rather difficult to read.'