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<rss xmlns:itunes="http://www.itunes.com/dtds/podcast-1.0.dtd" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:podcast="https://podcastindex.org/namespace/1.0" xmlns:media="http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/" version="2.0"><channel><title>Four Hymns</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/four-hymns--7161647</link><description><![CDATA[Embark on a lyrical journey through the realms of love, beauty, and transcendence, as suggested by the evocative title "Four Hymns." This podcast delves into the rich tapestry of neo-Platonic philosophy, exploring how the human experience intertwines with the divine and the ideal. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that captures the essence of these timeless themes, inviting listeners to reflect on the interplay between the material world and the spiritual journey. The collection presents a series of unique explorations, where poets and thinkers articulate their visions of existence, love, and the pursuit of beauty. With every episode, discover a new book that resonates with the heart and soul, broadening your understanding of both the earthly and the eternal. Join us as we celebrate the profound connections that inspire creativity and illuminate the human spirit.<br /><br />This show includes AI-generated content.]]></description><atom:link href="https://www.spreaker.com/show/7161647/episodes/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><language>en</language><category>Books</category><copyright>Copyright Single Author Genre</copyright><image><url>https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg</url><title>Four Hymns</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/four-hymns--7161647</link></image><lastBuildDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2026 16:27:48 +0000</lastBuildDate><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:owner><itunes:name>Single Author Genre</itunes:name><itunes:email>spreaker85@podcastlibrary.org</itunes:email></itunes:owner><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:subtitle>Embark on a lyrical journey through the realms of love, beauty, and transcendence, as suggested by the evocative title "Four Hymns." This podcast delves into the rich tapestry of neo-Platonic philosophy, exploring how the human experience intertwines...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Embark on a lyrical journey through the realms of love, beauty, and transcendence, as suggested by the evocative title "Four Hymns." This podcast delves into the rich tapestry of neo-Platonic philosophy, exploring how the human experience intertwines with the divine and the ideal. Each episode features a new complete audiobook that captures the essence of these timeless themes, inviting listeners to reflect on the interplay between the material world and the spiritual journey. The collection presents a series of unique explorations, where poets and thinkers articulate their visions of existence, love, and the pursuit of beauty. With every episode, discover a new book that resonates with the heart and soul, broadening your understanding of both the earthly and the eternal. Join us as we celebrate the profound connections that inspire creativity and illuminate the human spirit.<br /><br />This show includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:category text="Arts"><itunes:category text="Books"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Kids &amp; Family"><itunes:category text="Pets &amp; Animals"/></itunes:category><itunes:category text="Science"><itunes:category text="Nature"/></itunes:category><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><podcast:guid>f9363c79-e73e-5d5d-aebd-bf32947dd4fb</podcast:guid><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type><item><title>Early Ballads and Lyrics-William Butler Yeats</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/early-ballads-and-lyrics-william-butler-yeats--74654804</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74654804</guid><pubDate>Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:02:19 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74654804/early_ballads_and_lyrics_william_butler_yeats.mp3" length="22278281" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2782</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Poems of Marianne Moore-Marianne Moore</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/poems-of-marianne-moore-marianne-moore--74618696</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74618696</guid><pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 09:02:27 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74618696/poems_of_marianne_moore_marianne_moore.mp3" length="19236361" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2402</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Introduction to The Philosophy of History-Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/introduction-to-the-philosophy-of-history-georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel--74586529</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74586529</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:02:28 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74586529/introduction_to_the_philosophy_of_history_georg_wilhelm_friedrich_hegel.mp3" length="132379077" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16530</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Sagas of Vaster Britain-William Wilfred Campbell</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/sagas-of-vaster-britain-william-wilfred-campbell--74555924</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74555924</guid><pubDate>Tue, 25 Aug 2026 09:02:35 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74555924/sagas_of_vaster_britain_william_wilfred_campbell.mp3" length="112669465" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>14070</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>New Poems-D. H. Lawrence</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/new-poems-d-h-lawrence--74524404</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74524404</guid><pubDate>Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:08:34 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74524404/new_poems_d_h_lawrence.mp3" length="36792293" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4594</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Collected Public Domain Poems of Wallace Stevens, Volume 1-Wallace Stevens</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/collected-public-domain-poems-of-wallace-stevens-volume-1-wallace-stevens--74494386</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74494386</guid><pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 09:08:20 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74494386/collected_public_domain_poems_of_wallace_stevens_volume_1_wallace_stevens.mp3" length="32600629" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4071</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>At Dawn And Dusk-Victor Daley</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/at-dawn-and-dusk-victor-daley--74454723</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74454723</guid><pubDate>Sat, 22 Aug 2026 09:07:38 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74454723/at_dawn_and_dusk_victor_daley.mp3" length="96072733" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>11997</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Sonnets of Michael Angelo Buonarroti and Tommaso Campanella-Michelangelo Buonarroti, Tommaso Campanella</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/sonnets-of-michael-angelo-buonarroti-and-tommaso-campanella-michelangelo-buonarroti-tommaso-campanella--74423078</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74423078</guid><pubDate>Fri, 21 Aug 2026 09:08:24 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74423078/sonnets_of_michael_angelo_buonarroti_and_tommaso_campanella_michelangelo_buonarroti_tommaso_campanella.mp3" length="78567610" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>9811</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Tales Of The Trail; Short Stories Of Western Life-Henry Inman</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/tales-of-the-trail-short-stories-of-western-life-henry-inman--74377008</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74377008</guid><pubDate>Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:47:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74377008/tales_of_the_trail_short_stories_of_western_life_henry_inman.mp3" length="175963601" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>21974</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Selections from Longfellow-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/selections-from-longfellow-henry-wadsworth-longfellow--74338058</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74338058</guid><pubDate>Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:33:51 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74338058/selections_from_longfellow_henry_wadsworth_longfellow.mp3" length="17150327" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>2142</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Celestial Omnibus, and Other Stories-E. M. Forster</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/celestial-omnibus-and-other-stories-e-m-forster--74196379</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74196379</guid><pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 09:08:45 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74196379/celestial_omnibus_and_other_stories_e_m_forster.mp3" length="128742735" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>16077</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Poems-Nora May French</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/poems-nora-may-french--74149663</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74149663</guid><pubDate>Mon, 17 Aug 2026 09:09:09 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74149663/poems_nora_may_french.mp3" length="39274858" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4905</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>By Desert Ways to Baghdad-Louisa Jebb Wilkins</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/by-desert-ways-to-baghdad-louisa-jebb-wilkins--74110053</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/74110053</guid><pubDate>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 09:08:12 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/74110053/by_desert_ways_to_baghdad_louisa_jebb_wilkins.mp3" length="204894570" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>25586</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Selection from the Lyrical Poems of Robert Herrick-Robert Herrick</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/selection-from-the-lyrical-poems-of-robert-herrick-robert-herrick--73417645</link><description><![CDATA["Selection from the Lyrical Poems of Robert Herrick" presents a curated glimpse into the enchanting world of one of the 17th century's most celebrated poets. Herrick's lyrical style captures the beauty of nature, the joys of love, and the fleeting moments of life, inviting listeners to reflect on the timeless themes of human experience. His work resonates with the universal longing for connection and the appreciation of life's ephemeral pleasures, making it as relevant today as it was in his time. This selection serves as a reminder of the enduring power of poetry to inspire, uplift, and evoke deep emotions, ensuring that Herrick's voice continues to echo through the ages.<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73417645</guid><pubDate>Tue, 04 Aug 2026 03:16:21 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/73417645/selection_from_the_lyrical_poems_of_robert_herrick_robert_herrick.mp3" length="120207100" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>"Selection from the Lyrical Poems of Robert Herrick" presents a curated glimpse into the enchanting world of one of the 17th century's most celebrated poets. Herrick's lyrical style captures the beauty of nature, the joys of love, and the fleeting...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA["Selection from the Lyrical Poems of Robert Herrick" presents a curated glimpse into the enchanting world of one of the 17th century's most celebrated poets. Herrick's lyrical style captures the beauty of nature, the joys of love, and the fleeting moments of life, inviting listeners to reflect on the timeless themes of human experience. His work resonates with the universal longing for connection and the appreciation of life's ephemeral pleasures, making it as relevant today as it was in his time. This selection serves as a reminder of the enduring power of poetry to inspire, uplift, and evoke deep emotions, ensuring that Herrick's voice continues to echo through the ages.<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>15011</itunes:duration><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item><item><title>Four Hymns - Edmund Spenser</title><link>https://www.spreaker.com/episode/four-hymns-edmund-spenser--72869311</link><description><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></description><guid isPermaLink="false">https://api.spreaker.com/episode/72869311</guid><pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:19:39 +0000</pubDate><enclosure url="https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/72869311/four_hymns_edmund_spenser.mp3" length="34363601" type="audio/mpeg"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/3d26b9a8-c333-4258-9998-56356266ea88/3d26b9a8-c333-4258-9998-56356266ea88.srt" type="application/x-subrip" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/3d26b9a8-c333-4258-9998-56356266ea88/3d26b9a8-c333-4258-9998-56356266ea88.txt" type="text/plain" language="en"/><podcast:transcript url="https://transcription.spreaker.com/starship/3d26b9a8-c333-4258-9998-56356266ea88/3d26b9a8-c333-4258-9998-56356266ea88.vtt" type="text/vtt" language="en"/><podcast:txt purpose="ai-content">true</podcast:txt><itunes:author>Edmund Spenser</itunes:author><itunes:subtitle>Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward...</itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary><![CDATA[Spenser explains in the dedication of this volume that the hymns to love and to beauty were written early in his career and their "heavenly" counterparts much later, in response to the dissatisfaction that one of the author's patrons expressed toward the earlier poems, although to a modern sensibility those are in no way offensive except perhaps in focusing upon the sublunary world. However that may be, all four poems are idealistic, expressing the neo-Platonic philosophy that was growing in popularity in Elizabethan England. According to this doctrine, the soul is primary and shapes the body that clothes it. The material world is only a pale reflection of the ideal world, and mortals gradually, through growth from infancy to old age, unfold, or "dilate," the many-dimensioned wholeness of their being as it exists in eternity. Life on earth, a journey to heaven, is conceived of as the pursuit of beauty, the proper object of earthly love, and the quest of love leads the soul back to the source of love and beauty, God. The structure of The Faerie Queene rests upon this concept. - Summary by T. A. Copeland<br /><br />This episode includes AI-generated content.]]></itunes:summary><itunes:duration>4296</itunes:duration><itunes:keywords>beauty,dimensioned,four,hymns,love,single,soul,spenser,sublunary,wholeness</itunes:keywords><itunes:explicit>false</itunes:explicit><itunes:image href="https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/767c3472465d327973c086052fbb0ccb.jpg"/><itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType></item></channel></rss>
