—Follow up on this statement about Sidney: "he was Castiglione's perfect courtier come to life." — Who was Castiglione? And what was his "perfect courtier"? And how did Sidney fit the mold?
—Do Sidney's sonnets do what Sidney says that poetry ought to do?
—I love the style of Sidney's introduction to the Defense of Poesie. It's conversational and humorous. He pokes fun at Pugliano and at himself; such humor makes me believe that he will be a credible guide to a realm of knowledge and art in which assertions can be supported, but not demonstrated with the certitude of science.
—Footnote #1 on p. 1047 appears a bit snarky, and seems to imply that Sidney is overlooking something. However, it's well to keep in mind that Beowulf and other Old English literature was entirely unknown. The manuscripts did not come to light until the late 18th cent.