Spenser

One great old text to read is the British poet Spenser's [1552-1599] epic poem The Faerie Queene. You can read Vol. 1 here with notes below each stanza to help translate its language. It was considered to have quaint, antique language at the time it was written--much like the spooky, atmospheric short stories of M.R. James.

Here's an excerpt of Spenser, it has a great sense of the beauty of nature from Canto VI, Vol. 1:

  But he halfe discontent, mote nathelesse
 Himselfe appease, and issewd forth on shore:
     The ioyes whereof, and happie fruitfulnesse,
 Such as he saw, she gan him lay before,
     And all though pleasant, yet she made much more:
 The fields did laugh, the flowres did freshly spring,
     The trees did bud, and earely blossomes bore,
 And all the quire of birds did sweetly sing,
   And told that gardins pleasures in their caroling.


Here's a more modern look for those who need it easier on the eyes:

But he, half discontent, might nevertheless
Calm himself, and issued for on shore:
The joys whereof, and happy fruitfulness,
Such as he say, as he considered her,
And all though pleasant, yet she made much more pleasantries:
The fields did laugh, the flowers did freshly spring,
The trees did bud, and early blossoms bloomed,
And all the choir of birds did sweetly sing,
And told of that garden's pleasures in their caroling.