Pastoral

Poetry has generally flourished in highly corrupted, artificial states of society. Theocritus, the first pastoral poet, protested against the licentiousne of Syracuse; and Virgil wrote his “Bucolics” and “Eclogues” in the corrupt Roman court. In the 16th century Sannazaro wrote “ Arcadia,” Ta o his “ Aminta,” and Guarini his “Pastor Fido” and, soon after, were written Spencer’s “ Shepherd; s Calendar,” Sidney’s “Arcadia," Fletcher's "Faithful Shepherde ," Shakespeare’s “ As You Like It," and Milton’s “ Comus.” Ramsay’s “Gentle Shepherd" (1725) was the last good dramatic pastoral.