ABSTRACT
William Webbe (1568-91) was educated at St John's in Cambridge, where he knew both Spenser and Harvey, though clearly not well. It is not the least importance of the Discourse however, that it reflects the sort of critical notions with which Spenser grew up. Apart from the more general comment printed here, lines from the Shepheardes Calender are used by Webbe to illustrate 'the different sortes of verses'.
