VIRGILS GNAT. This is a very skilful elaboration of the Culex, a poem
attributed, without reason, to Virgil. The original, which is crabbed
and pedantic, where it is not unintelligible from corruption, is here
rendered with sufficient fidelity to the sense, but with such
perspicuity, elegance, and sweetness, as to make Spenser’s performance
too good a poem to be called a translation. C.