Edmund Spenser (1522-88), poet. Spenser was born in London, educated at Merchant Taylors' School and Pembroke Hall, Cambridge. The Faerie Queene 's first three books were published in 1590; Boos IV-VI appeared in 1596.
Ruskin 's acquaintance with the work of Spenser, whom he was to term a 'master', with Dante, of the 'spiritual world', dated from his childhood ( Works, 5.136). John James Ruskin was in the habit of reading aloud from the' best poetry and prose', including Spenser's poetry ( Works, 35.61), (see Ruskin and Spenser).