ampampldquoExtraordinarily rich and awesomely learnedampamphellip. The complexity of its subject matter is here mastered in an exemplary fashion.ampampnbsp The study offers detailed concrete and perceptive assessments of individual writers within a lucid and carefully balanced designampamphellip. As a work of striking originality as well as formidable yet lively scholarshipampamphellip Greenampamprsquos book will become a central even classic text for students of Renaissance poetry and of a cardinal topos in the history of criticism and hermeneutics.ampamprdquo ampampndashFrom the citation for the award of the Harry Levin Prize of the American Comparative Literature Association 1982 ampampnbsp ampampldquoAn outstanding example of learning fully commanded and applied with uncommon perception a lively sense of historical continuity and not least important productive familiarity with modern literary theory.ampampnbsp In its breadth of knowledge the interplay of literary history and theory the maturity of its judgments and the urbanity of its style Professor Greeneampamprsquos study is a most distinguished achievement of American scholarship.ampamprdquo ampampndashFrom the citation for the award of the Annual James Russell Lowell Prize given by the Modern Language Association of America 1983