Sidney's view on "right poets" expressed in "An Apology for Poetry".

Sir Philip Sidney in his "An Apology for Poetry" gives his view about the "right poets" while discussing about the definition and function of poetry i.e. "Poesy, therefore, is an art of imitation, for so Aristotle termeth it in his word 'mimesis', that is to say, a representing, counterfeiting or figuring forth; to speak metaphorically, a speaking picture, with this end, to teach and delight". Sidney says about three kinds of poets:
  1) Religious poets like David, Solomon, Moses and Deborah, Emanuel Tremellius, and Franciscus Junius etc.
 2) Philosophical poets like Tyrtaeus, Phocylides, Cato, Lucretius, Virgil, Manilius, Pontanus, Lucan etc.
 3) Finally the " right poets".

    Actually the 2nd kind of poets have their boundary of theme and representation. They are not allowed to represent anything that they like and that's why the "right poets" rise their heads among them.

    Sidney supports these poets, because they are free to Imagine as they want and therefore they are able to fulfil the function of poetry very genuinely- "For these third be they which most properly do imitate to teach and delight; and to imitate borrow nothing of what is, hath been, or shall be; but range, only reined with learned discretion, into the divine consideration of what may be and should be."

    Sidney termed them as 'vates' as they teach the ordinary people delightfully. And this delight does "move men to take that goodness in hand, which without delight they  would fly as  from a stranger...." and that teaching makes them "know that goodness whereunto they are moved...."

    As the right poets are able to fulfil the function of poetry, Sidney supports and votes these poets above religious and philosophical masters.