A Selection from the Lyrical Poems of Robert Herrick
ROBERT HERRICK - Born 1591 : Died 1674
Those who most admire the Poet from whose many pieces a selection only is here offered, will, it is probable, feel most strongly (with the Editor) that excuse is needed for an attempt of an obviously presumptuous nature. The choice made by any selector invites challenge: the admission, perhaps, of some poems, the absence of more, will be censured:—Whilst others may wholly condemn the process, in virtue of an argument not unfrequently advanced of late, that a writer's judgment on his own work is to be considered final. And his book to be taken as he left it, or left altogether; a literal reproduction of the original text being occasionally included in this requirement.
If poetry were composed solely for her faithful band of true lovers and true students, such a facsimile as that last indicated would have claims irresistible; but if the first and last object of this, as of the other Fine Arts, may be defined in language borrowed from a different range of thought, as 'the greatest pleasure of the greatest number,' it is certain that less stringent forms of reproduction are required and justified. The great majority of readers cannot bring either leisure or taste, or information sufficient to take them through a large mass (at any rate) of ancient verse, not even if it be Spenser's or Milton's. Manners and modes of speech, again, have changed; and much that was admissible centuries since, or at least sought admission, has now, by a law against which protest is idle, lapsed into the indecorous. Even unaccustomed forms of spelling are an effort to the eye;—a kind of friction, which diminishes the ease and enjoyment of the reader.
These hindrances and clogs, of very diverse nature, cannot be disregarded by Poetry. In common with everything which aims at human benefit, she must work not only for the 'faithful': she has also the duty of 'conversion.' Like a messenger from heaven, it is hers to inspire, to console, to elevate: to convert the world, in a word, to herself. Every rough place that slackens her footsteps must be made smooth; nor, in this Art, need there be fear that the way will ever be vulgarized by too much ease, nor that she will be loved less by the elect, for being loved more widely.
Robert Herrick
FROM THE LYRICAL POEMS OF ROBERT HERRICK
Arranged with introduction by Francis Turner Palgrave
PREFACE
C H R Y S O M E L A
A SELECTION FROM THE LYRICAL POEMS OF ROBERT HERRICK
PREFATORY
1. THE ARGUMENT OF HIS BOOK
2. TO HIS MUSE
3. WHEN HE WOULD HAVE HIS VERSES READ
4. TO HIS BOOK
5. TO HIS BOOK
6. TO HIS BOOK
8. TO HIS VERSES
9. NOT EVERY DAY FIT FOR VERSE
10. HIS PRAYER TO BEN JONSON
11. HIS REQUEST TO JULIA
12. TO HIS BOOK
13. HIS POETRY HIS PILLAR
14. TO HIS BOOK
15. UPON HIMSELF
IDYLLICA
16. THE COUNTRY LIFE:
17. TO PHILLIS, TO LOVE AND LIVE WITH HIM
18. THE WASSAIL
19. THE FAIRIES
20. CEREMONY UPON CANDLEMAS EVE
21. CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS EVE
22. THE CEREMONIES FOR CANDLEMAS DAY
23. FAREWELL FROST, OR WELCOME SPRING
24. TO THE MAIDS, TO WALK ABROAD
25. CORINA'S GOING A MAYING
26. THE MAYPOLE
27. THE WAKE
29. THE BRIDE-CAKE
30. THE OLD WIVES' PRAYER
31. THE BELL-MAN
33. TO THE GENIUS OF HIS HOUSE
33. HIS GRANGE, OR PRIVATE WEALTH
36. A BUCOLIC BETWIXT TWO; LACON AND THYRSIS
37. A PASTORAL SUNG TO THE KING
38. TO THE WILLOW-TREE
39. THE FAIRY TEMPLE; OR, OBERON'S CHAPEL
40. OBERON'S FEAST
41. THE BEGGAR TO MAB, THE FAIRY QUEEN
42. THE HAG
43. THE MAD MAID'S SONG
44. THE CHEAT OF CUPID; OR, THE UNGENTLE GUEST
45. UPON CUPID
46. TO BE MERRY
47. UPON HIS GRAY HAIRS
48. AN HYMN TO THE MUSES
49. THE COMING OF GOOD LUCK
50. HIS CONTENT IN THE COUNTRY
51. HIS RETURN TO LONDON
52. HIS DESIRE
53. AN ODE FOR BEN JONSON
54. TO LIVE MERRILY, AND TO TRUST TO GOOD VERSES
55. THE APPARITION OF HIS, MISTRESS, CALLING HIM TO ELYSIUM
56. THE INVITATION
57. TO SIR CLIPSBY CREW
58. A COUNTRY LIFE: TO HIS BROTHER, MR THOMAS HERRICK
59. TO HIS PECULIAR FRIEND, MR JOHN WICKS
60. A PARANAETICALL, OR ADVISIVE VERSE TO HIS FRIEND, MR JOHN WICKS
61. TO HIS HONOURED AND MOST INGENIOUS FRIEND MR CHARLES COTTON
62. A NEW YEAR'S GIFT, SENT TO SIR SIMEON STEWARD
63. AN ODE TO SIR CLIPSBY CREW
64. A PANEGYRIC TO SIR LEWIS PEMBERTON
65. ALL THINGS DECAY AND DIE
66. TO HIS DYING BROTHER, MASTER WILLIAM HERRICK
67. HIS AGE:
68. THE BAD SEASON MAKES THE POET SAD
69. ON HIMSELF
70. HIS WINDING-SHEET
71. ANACREONTIC
72. TO LAURELS
73. ON HIMSELF
74. ON HIMSELF
75. TO ROBIN RED-BREAST
76. THE OLIVE BRANCH
77. THE PLAUDITE, OR END OF LIFE
78. TO GROVES
AMORES
79. MRS ELIZ: WHEELER, UNDER THE NAME OF THE LOST SHEPHERDESS
80. A VOW TO VENUS
81. UPON LOVE
82. UPON JULIA'S CLOTHES
83. THE BRACELET TO JULIA
84. UPON JULIA'S RIBBON
85. TO JULIA
86. ART ABOVE NATURE: TO JULIA
87. HER BED
88. THE ROCK OF RUBIES, AND THE QUARRY OF PEARLS
89. THE PARLIAMENT OF ROSES TO JULIA
90. UPON JULIA'S RECOVERY
91. UPON JULIA'S HAIR FILLED WITH DEW
92. CHERRY RIPE
93. THE CAPTIVE BEE; OR, THE LITTLE FILCHER
94. UPON ROSES
95. HOW HIS SOUL CAME ENSNARED
96. UPON JULIA'S VOICE
97. THE NIGHT PIECE: TO JULIA
98. HIS COVENANT OR PROTESTATION TO JULIA
99. HIS SAILING FROM JULIA
100. HIS LAST REQUEST TO JULIA
101. THE TRANSFIGURATION
102. LOVE DISLIKES NOTHING
103. UPON LOVE
104. TO DIANEME
105. TO PERENNA
106. TO OENONE.
107. TO ELECTRA
108. TO ANTHEA, WHO MAY COMMAND HIM ANY THING
109. ANTHEA'S RETRACTATION
110. LOVE LIGHTLY PLEASED
111. TO DIANEME
112. UPON HER EYES
113. UPON HER FEET
114. UPON A DELAYING LADY
115. THE CRUEL MAID
116. TO HIS MISTRESS, OBJECTING TO HIM NEITHER TOYING OR TALKING
117. IMPOSSIBILITIES: TO HIS FRIEND
118. THE BUBBLE: A SONG
119. DELIGHT IN DISORDER
120. TO SILVIA
121. TO SILVIA TO WED
122. BARLEY-BREAK; OR, LAST IN HELL
123. ON A PERFUMED LADY
124. THE PARCAE; OR, THREE DAINTY DESTINIES: THE ARMILET
125. A CONJURATION: TO ELECTRA
126. TO SAPHO
127. OF LOVE: A SONNET
128. TO DIANEME
129. TO DIANEME
130. KISSING USURY
131. UPON THE LOSS OF HIS MISTRESSES
132. THE WOUNDED HEART
133. HIS MISTRESS TO HIM AT HIS FAREWELL
134. CRUTCHES
135. TO ANTHEA
136. TO ANTHEA
137. TO HIS LOVELY MISTRESSES
138. TO PERlLLA
139. A MEDITATION FOR HIS MISTRESS
140. TO THE VIRGINS, TO MAKE MUCH OF TIME
EPIGRAMS
141. POSTING TO PRINTING
142. HIS LOSS
143. THINGS MORTAL STILL MUTABLE
144. NO MAN WITHOUT MONEY
145. THE PRESENT TIME BEST PLEASETH
146. WANT
147. SATISFACTION FOR SUFFERINGS
148. WRITING
149. THE DEFINITION OF BEAUTY
150. A MEAN IN OUR MEANS
151. MONEY MAKES THE MIRTH
152. TEARS AND LAUGHTER
153. UPON TEARS
154. ON LOVE
155. PEACE NOT PERMANENT
156. PARDONS
157. TRUTH AND ERROR
158. WlT PUNISHED PROSPERS MOST
159. BURIAL
160. NO PAINS, NO GAINS
161. TO YOUTH
162. TO ENJOY THE TIME
163. FELICITY QUICK OF FLIGHT
164. MIRTH
165. THE HEART
166. LOVE, WHAT IT IS
167. DREAMS
168. AMBITION
169. SAFETY ON THE SHORE
170. UPON A PAINTED GENTLEWOMAN
171. UPON WRINKLES
172. CASUALTIES
173. TO LIVE FREELY
174. NOTHING FREE-COST
175. MAN'S DYING-PLACE UNCERTAIN
176. LOSS FROM THE LEAST
177. POVERTY AND RICHES
178. UPON MAN
179. PURPOSES
180. FOUR THINGS MAKE US HAPPY HERE
181. THE WATCH
182. UPON THE DETRACTER
183. ON HIMSELF
NATURE AND LIFE
184. I CALL AND I CALL
185. THE SUCCESSION OF THE FOUR SWEET MONTHS
186. TO BLOSSOMS
187. THE SHOWER OF BLOSSOMS
188. TO THE ROSE: SONG
189. THE FUNERAL RITES OF THE ROSE
190. THE BLEEDING HAND; OR THE SPRIG OF EGLANTINE GIVEN TO A MAID
191. TO CARNATIONS: A SONG
192. TO PANSIES
193. HOW PANSIES OR HEARTS-EASE CAME FIRST
194. WHY FLOWERS CHANGE COLOUR
195. THE PRIMROSE
196. TO PRIMROSES FILLED WITH MORNING DEW
197. TO DAISIES, NOT TO SHUT SO SOON
198. TO DAFFADILS
199. TO VIOLETS
200. THE APRON OF FLOWERS
201. THE LILY IN A CRYSTAL
202. TO MEADOWS
203. TO A GENTLEWOMAN, OBJECTING TO HIM HIS GRAY HAIRS
204. THE CHANGES: TO CORINNA
205. UPON MRS ELIZ. WHEELER, UNDER THE NAME OF AMARILLIS
206. NO FAULT IN WOMEN
207. THE BAG OF THE BEE
208. THE PRESENT; OR, THE BAG OF THE BEE:
209. TO THE WATER-NYMPHS DRINKING AT THE FOUNTAIN
210. HOW SPRINGS CAME FIRST
211. TO THE HANDSOME MISTRESS GRACE POTTER
212. A HYMN TO THE GRACES
213. A HYMN TO LOVE
214. UPON LOVE: BY WAY OF QUESTION AND ANSWER
215. LOVERS HOW THEY COME AND PART
216. THE KISS: A DIALOGUE
217. COMFORT TO A YOUTH THAT HAD LOST HIS LOVE
218. ORPHEUS
219. A REQUEST TO THE GRACES
220. A HYMN TO VENUS AND CUPID
221. TO BACCHUS: A CANTICLE
222. A HYMN TO BACCHUS
223. A CANTICLE TO APOLLO
224. TO MUSIC, TO BECALM A SWEET SICK YOUTH
225. TO MUSIC: A SONG
226. SOFT MUSIC
227. TO MUSIC
228. THE VOICE AND VIOL
229. TO MUSIC, TO BECALM HIS FEVER
MUSAE GRAVIORES
230. A THANKSGIVING TO GOD, FOR HIS HOUSE
231. MATINS, OR MORNING PRAYER
232. GOOD PRECEPTS, OR COUNSEL
233. PRAY AND PROSPER
234. THE BELL-MAN
235. UPON TIME
236. MEN MIND NO STATE IN SICKNESS
237. LIFE IS THE BODY'S LIGHT
238. TO THE LADY CREWE, UPON THE DEATH OF HER CHILD
239. UPON A CHILD THAT DIED
240. UPON A CHILD
241. AN EPITAPH UPON A CHILD
242. AN EPITAPH UPON A VIRGIN
243. UPON A MAID
244. THE DIRGE OF JEPHTHAH'S DAUGHTER: SUNG BY THE VIRGINS
245. THE WIDOWS' TEARS; OR, DIRGE OF DORCAS
246. UPON HIS SISTER-IN-LAW, MISTRESS ELIZABETH HERRICK
247. TO HIS KINSWOMAN, MISTRESS SUSANNA HERRICK
248. ON HIMSELF
249. HIS WISH TO PRIVACY
250. TO HIS PATERNAL COUNTRY
251. COCK-CROW
252. TO HIS CONSCIENCE
253. TO HEAVEN
254. AN ODE OF THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOUR
255. TO HIS SAVIOUR, A CHILD; A PRESENT, BY A CHILD
256. GRACE FOR A CHILD
257. HIS LITANY, TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
258. TO DEATH
259. TO HIS SWEET SAVIOUR
260. ETERNITY
261. THE WHITE ISLAND: OR PLACE OF THE BLEST