that is, in English:  the sonnet, the drama, the verse in which the actors were to declaim, the essay, the invented tale.  Then, for the vocabulary, obviously our fathers had either to go to Greek, which had invented the A.B.C. of philosophising; or to seek in the other languages which were already ahead of English in adapting that alphabet; or to give our English Words new contents, new connotations, new meanings; or lastly, to do all three together.

Well, it was done; and in verse very fortunately done; thanks of course to many men, but thanks to two especially—­to Sir Thomas Wyat, who led our poets to Italy, to study and adopt the forms in which Italy had cast its classical heritage; and to Marlowe, who impressed blank verse upon the drama.  Of Marlowe I shall say nothing; for with what he achieved you are familiar enough.  Of Wyat I may speak at length to you, one of these days; but here, to prepare you for what I hope to prove—­that Wyat is one of the heroes of our literature—­I will give you three brief reasons why we should honour his memory:—­

(1) He led the way.  On the value of that service I shall content myself with quoting a passage from Newman:—­

When a language has been cultivated in any particular department of thought, and so far as it has been generally perfected, an existing want has been supplied, and there is no need for further workmen.  In its earliest times, while it is yet unformed, to write in it at all is almost a work of genius.  It is like crossing a country before roads are made communicating between place and place.  The authors of that age deserve to be Classics both because of what they do and because they can do it.  It requires the courage and force of great talent to compose in the language at all; and the composition, when effected, makes a permanent impression on it.

This Wyat did.  He was a pioneer and opened up a new country to Englishmen.  But he did more.

(2) Secondly, he had the instinct to perceive that the lyric, if it would philosophise life, love, and the rest, must boldly introduce the personal note:  since in fact when man asks questions about his fortune or destiny he asks them most effectively in the first person.  ’What am I doing?  Why are we mortal?  Why do I love thee?’

This again Wyat did:  and again he did more.

For (3) thirdly—­and because of this I am surest of his genius—­again and again, using new thoughts in unfamiliar forms, he wrought out the result in language so direct, economical, natural, easy, that I know to this day no one who can better Wyat’s best in combining straight speech with melodious cadence.  Take the lines Is it possible?—­

     Is it possible? 
     For to turn so oft;
  To bring that lowest that was most aloft: 
  And to fall highest, yet to light soft? 
     Is it possible?

     All is possible! 
     Whoso list believe;
  Trust therefore first, and after preve;
  As men wed ladies by licence and leave,
     All is possible!