Значение слова DRAYTON в Литературной энциклопедии

MICHAEL (1563-1631).-Poet, _b._ in Warwickshire, was in early life page to a gentleman, and was possibly at Camb. or Oxf. His earliest poem, _The Harmonie of the Church_, was destroyed. His next was _The Shepherd's Garland_ (1593), afterwards reprinted as _Eclogues_. Three historical poems, _Gaveston_ (1593), _Matilda_ (1594), and _Robert, Duke of Normandie_ (1596) followed, and he then appears to have collaborated with Dekker, Webster, and others in dramatic work. His _magnum opus_, however, was _Polyolbion_ (1613?), a topographical description of England in twelve-syllabled verse, full of antiquarian and historical details, so accurate as to make the work an authority on such matters. The rushing verse is full of vigour and gusto. Other poems of D. are _The Wars of the Barons_ (1603), _England's Heroical Epistles_ (1598) (being imaginary letters between Royal lovers such as Henry II. and Rosamund), _Poems, Lyric and Heroic_ (1606) (including the fine ballad of "Agincourt"), _Nymphidia_, his most graceful work, _Muses Elizium_, and _Idea's Mirrour_, a collection of sonnets, Idea being the name of the lady to whom they were addressed. Though often heavy, D. had the true poetic gift, had passages of grandeur, and sang the praises of England with the heart of a patriot.