"The poets' scrolls will outlive the monuments of stone. Genius survives; all else is claimed by death"

Edmund Spenser's quote, "The poets' scrolls will outlive the monuments of stone. Genius makes it through; all else is claimed by death," encapsulates a profound meditation on the long-lasting nature of art and intelligence versus the temporal nature of physical constructs. The statement contrasts 2 forms of legacy: the tangible, such as statues and structures, and the intangible, like literature and creativity.

At the heart of the quote is the assertion that written and intellectual accomplishments-- the "poets' scrolls"-- have a longevity that goes beyond that of physical structures. Monuments of stone, despite their seeming permanence, undergo disintegration by time, weather, and human intervention. They can crumble, be taken apart, or forgotten, falling under obscurity as history marches forward. In contrast, the works of poets and scholars, albeit less concrete, occupy the realm of ideas, language, and culture, fields that can perpetuate throughout generations through analysis, adjustment, and respect.

Spenser highlights the resilience of "genius"-- human creativity and intellect-- as a force that goes beyond death. Mankind's capability to innovate, think of, and communicate is depicted as a powerful tradition that outlives the private developer. This imagination, embodied in literature and the arts, molds cumulative memory and identity, affecting societies long after their original context has actually altered.

The latter part of the quote, "all else is declared by death," addresses the inevitable decline of physical entities and material achievements. Death, in its metaphorical vastness, captures whatever concrete, highlighting the impermanence of product aspects of presence.

In a broader sense, Spenser's reflection welcomes contemplation on the value we put on different type of tradition. While monoliths and physical achievements are essential, they are eventually ephemeral. It is the concepts and stories that weave themselves into the human experience, carried forward through time by language and culture, that have the power to stand up to the constraints of death. Spenser raises the role of the intellectual and imaginative spirit, commemorating its unrivaled capability to defy the ravages of time and maintain its impact long after other traditions have actually faded.