Tottel's Miscellany

"Tottel's Miscellany (1557-1587)" is one of the most significant landmarks in the history of English literature. Originally issued as "Songes and Sonettes", this anthology served as the primary vehicle for introducing the Italian sonnet and other continental poetic forms to the English language. It features the foundational works of Sir Thomas Wyatt and Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, whose innovations in meter and theme laid the groundwork for the Elizabethan golden age of poetry.

In this comprehensive critical edition, editor Hyder Edward Rollins provides a rigorous scholarly examination of the anthology's development across its many sixteenth-century editions. Volume II focuses on essential textual commentary, historical notes, and a deep analysis of the collection's influence on the English lyrical tradition. By documenting the variations and additions made to the text over three decades, this work offers indispensable insights into the evolving tastes and linguistic shifts of the Tudor period. "Tottel's Miscellany" remains a vital resource for understanding the transition from medieval to modern verse and the birth of the English sonnet sequence.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.