The temple : sacred poems and private ejaculations

by George Herbert

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A collectible new Penguin Classics series: stunning, clothbound editions of ten favourite poets, which present each poet's most famous book of verse as it was originally published. Designed by the acclaimed Coralie Bickford-Smith and beautifully set, these slim, A format volumes are the ultimate gift editions for poetry lovers. On his deathbed George Herbert entrusted the manuscript of The Temple to his friend Nicholas Ferrar, asking him to publish it if he thought it was worthy. Herbert show more died in 1633 and the collection was published the same year to great acclaim, subsequently becoming one of the best-loved collections in the English language. The Temple is an astounding collection of verse poems: an extended meditation on man's relationship to God that is characterised by Herbert's clarity and directness of style. It includes such favourites as 'The Collar', 'The Pearl' and 'Love', with its beautiful opening lines: 'Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back, / Guilty of dust and sin'. show less

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The Poems of the holy George Herbert, who, as as well known, was the brother of the celebrated Lord Herbert of Chirbury, were first published by his friend the pious Nicholas Fcrrar, to whom the manuscript was entrusted by Herbert for that purpose. They were the results of the ardent piety and devotional spirit which pervaded him when he was settled at his living at Bemerton near Salisbury, and are full of those excellent and religious feelings so naturally described by the quaint and simple pen of Isaac Walton in his Life of Herbert. The Poems are entirely destitute of imagination, and are, unfortunately, too much tinged with the conceits and affectation of the school of Donne, but when free from these faults and puerilities, are not show more without a certain degree of sweetness and polish, as witness the solemn Ode on Vertue quoted by Walton in his Complete Angler
Vertue

Sweet day so cool so calm so bright;
The bridull of the earth and skie
The dew shall weep thy full to night;
For thou must die

Sweet rose whose hue angrie and branc
Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye;
Thy root is ever in its grave
And thou must die

Sweet spring full of sweet dayes and roses;
A box where sweets compacted lie
Sly musick shows ye have your closes
And all must dle

source=bookclip">Remains, Historical and Literary, Connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster and Chester By Chetham Society
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Title page missing. 3rd ed.? Shows collation of early Cambridge editions, with change to Wholly abstain (Church-porch, l.13) added by 2nd ed. (1633) and who for me (H. Communion, l.3) added by 3rd ed. (1634), but not the removal of the comma after canne (Church-porch, l. 47) found in 4th and later eds. (1635-). Also has the comma after pipe (Water-course, l.6) found only in the 2nd and 3rd eds. (1633-34).

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96+ Works 2,955 Members
George Herbert, remembered as one of the greatest of the Metaphysical poets, was born on April 3, 1593 in Montgomery, Wales. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge. Herbert was a Fellow of Trinity, a public orator, the canon of Lincoln Cathedral and a rector in Bemerton. Herbert died on March 1, 1633. On his deathbed, he gave a manuscript of show more verses called The Temple to his friend, Nicolas Ferrar. Although Herbert wanted the manuscript burned, Ferrar had it published. The poems contained in the manuscript exalt God, but Herbert believed he was committing a sin of pride by creating an artistic work. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

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Common Knowledge

Canonical title
The temple : sacred poems and private ejaculations
Epigraph
PSAL. 29.
In his Temple doth every man speake of his honour.

Classifications

Genres
Poetry, Fiction and Literature
DDC/MDS
821.3Literature & rhetoricEnglish & Old English literaturesBritish Poetry1558-1625
LCC
PR3507 .A1Language and LiteratureEnglishEnglish Literature17th and 18th centuries (1640-1770)
BISAC

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Reviews
2
Rating
½ (4.27)
Languages
English, German
Media
Paper, Ebook
ISBNs
11
ASINs
9