Materiality And Devotion In The Poetry Of George Herbert

This book uses textual and material evidence -- in poetry, prayers, physiologies, sermons, church buildings and monuments, manuscript diaries and notebooks -- to explore how material things held spiritual meaning in George Herbert's poetry, and to reflect on scholarly approaches to matter and form in devotional poetry.

George Herbert has always been regarded as a man of singular piety and a poet of uncommon technical ability. Until recent times, however, he was usually thought to have written prosodically ingenious but conceptually thin verse. Mary Ellen Rickey, through a close examination of Herbert's poetry, reveals the high concentration of ideas in his verse and the richness of his imagery.

"It is difficult to conjecture how much George Herbert's return to the spiritual life was due to the sudden failure of royal patronage, and how much to his own devotion ; but it is vain to pretend that it was at first an easy or a palatable change of front for him. 'In this time of retirement' [in London and Kent], says Walton, 'he had many conflicts with himself, whether he should return to the painted pleasures of a court life, or betake himself to a study of divinity, and enter into sacred orders, to which his mother had often persuaded him. These were such conflicts as they only can know that have endured them; for ambitious desires, and the outward glory of this world, are not easily laid aside; but at last God inclined him to put on a resolution to serve at His altar.'" --From the Introduction by Arthur Waugh

George Herbert's prose and poetry is united in this combined volume, illustrating in detail the inner conflict the author felt regarding the principles of his faith and belief in God. Coming of age during the early 17th century, Herbert demonstrated a great appetite for intellectual endeavors while still a boy. While still in his twenties, he mastered Greek and Latin and was elected to the post of Public Orator at Trinity College, Cambridge. His theological knowledge and scholarly ability distinguished him from many of his peers. Throughout his life, Herbert suffered with physical infirmity and was never blessed with a strong constitution. Herbert perished of tuberculosis at the age of only thirty-nine, a mere three years after becoming ordained as a priest. As a person, he was reported to be of a gentle and caring demeanor, often going to great lengths to make his parishioners and guests comfortable. Most significantly, George Herbert left behind a substantial body of unpublished written work.

91 Discipline -- 92 The Invitation -- 93 The Posie -- 94 A Parodie -- 95 The Elixer -- 96 A Wreath -- 97 Death -- 98 Dooms-day -- 99 Heaven -- 100 Love (III) -- Glossary -- Sources -- Index of titles -- Index of first lines

A collection of religious and devotional poetry by the seventeenth-century poet George Herbert. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.