An interesting sub-species of the lyric is the _sonnet_. We have seen how it took two forms--the Italian or Petrarchan form, and the English or Shakespearian type. During this period both kinds flourished, the English kind to a greater degree. Wyat began (1557) with a group of the Italian type; Surrey introduced the English form. Then the sonnet, in one or other of its two forms, was continued by Sidney in _Astrophel and Stella_ (published in 1591), by Spenser, by Shakespeare, by Daniel in _Delia_ (1592), and by Watson in _Heoatompathia, or Passionate Century of Sonnets_ (1582). Later in the period the sonnet was less popular, though Drayton wrote at least one of great power. (_b_) _Descriptive and Narrative Poetry._ This is a convenient title for a large and important class of poems. In this period it begins with such works as Sackville’s _Induction_ (1555), and continues with Marlowe’s _Hero and Leander_ (1598) and Shakespeare’s _Venus and Adonis_ (1593) and _The Rape of Lucrece_ (1594). It culminates in the sumptuous allegorical poetry of Spenser; and it begins its decline with the Spenserians of the type of the Fletchers and with Drayton’s _Endimion and Phœbe_ (1600). The pastoral, which is a kind of descriptive poem, is seen in Spenser’s _Shepherd’s Calendar_ (1579), in Browne’s _Britannia’s Pastorals_ (1613), and in Drayton. Almost purely descriptive poetry is represented in Drayton’s _Polyolbion_ (1612); and a more strongly narrative type is the same poet’s _England’s Heroical Epistles_ (1597). All these poems are distinguished by strong descriptive power, freshness of fancy, and sometimes by positive genius of style. (_c_) _Religious_, _satirical_, and _didactic poetry_ cannot take a position equal in importance to the rest. During the period the satirical intent is quite strong, but it does not produce great poetry. Gascoigne’s _Steel Glass_ (1576) is one of the earliest satires; and it is followed by Donne’s _Satires_ (1593) and Hall’s _Satires_ (1597). Drayton’s _Harmony of the Church_ (1591) is religious in motive; so are several poems of Donne, and also many of those of the Jesuit =Robert Southwell (1561–95)=. =2. Drama.= The opening of the Elizabethan period saw the drama struggling into maturity. The early type of the time was scholarly in tone and aristocratic in authorship. An example of the earliest type of playwright is =Fulke Greville, Lord Brooke (1554–1628)=, who distinguished himself both as a dramatic and lyrical poet. To this stage succeeded that of Shakespeare, which covered approximately the years 1595 to 1615. Of this drama all we can say here is that it is the crown and flower of the Elizabethan literary achievement, and embodies almost the entire spirit both of drama and poetry.