George Herbert: A Selection of His Finest Poems

by George Herbert, Louis L. Martz (Editor)

This is a selection of the poetry of George Herbert (1593-1633), one of the masters of metaphysical verse.

Genres: Poetry

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

George Herbert (1593-1633) was a Welsh-born English poet and orator. Herbert's poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognized as "a pivotal figure: enormously popular, deeply and broadly influential, and arguably the most skillful and important British devotional lyricist."

Born into an artistic and wealthy family, Herbert received a good education that led to his admission in 1609 as a student at Trinity College, Cambridge, Herbert excelled in languages, rhetoric and music. He went to university with the intention of becoming a priest, but when eventually he became the University's Public Orator he attracted the attention of King James I and may well have seen himself as a future Secretary of State. In 1624 and briefly in 1625 he served in Parliament. Never a healthy man, he died of consumption at the early age of 39.

Reviews

[Lobug]

I don't love poetry, but I like this.