“Poetry is to prose as dancing is to walking.”~Paul Valery

WHEN God at first made man,
Having a glasse of blessings standing by ;
Let us (said he) poure on him all we can :
Let the worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.

So strength first made a way ;
Then beautie flow’d, then wisdome, honour, pleasure :
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone, of all his treasure,
Rest in the bottome lay.

For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewell also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts in stead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature :
So both should losers be.

Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlesnesse :
Let him be rich and wearie, that at least,
If goodnesse leade him not, yet wearinesse
May tosse him to my breast.

St. Augustine: Nos fecisti ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te.
You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.

George Herbert:
. . . was born April 3, 1593 in Wales to a wealthy family, patrons of the arts.
. . . entered Cambridge University at the age of 16 and graduated with a master’s degree at the age of 20.
. . . was a member of the Parliament, The House of Commons, for two years.
. . . wrote the lyrics to the hymn Let All the World in Every Corner Sing.
. . . died of tuberculosis on March 1, 1633 at the age of 39.
. . . on his deathbed gave the manuscript to his only book of poetry to his friend, Nicholas Ferrar, and told him to publish the poems if he thought them worthwhile and otherwise to burn them. Thanksfully, Mr. Ferrar did not burn the poems but published the collection, The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations.

Izaak Walton about Herbert: “His chiefest recreation was Musick, in which heavenly Art he was a most excellent Master, and, compos’d many divine Hymns and Anthems, which he set and sung to his Lute or Viol.”

Henry Vaughan (poet): George Herbert was a man “whose holy life and verse gained many pious Converts (of whom I am the least).”

RIchard Baxter: “”Herbert speaks to God like one that really believeth a God, and whose business in the world is most with God. Heart-work and heaven-work make up his books.”