to be printed; and Mr. Farrer would by no means allow the book to be printed and want them. But after some time and some arguments for and against their being made publick, the Vice-Chancellor said, 'I knew Mr. Herbert well, and know that he had many heavenly speculations, and was a divine poet; but I hope the world will not take him to be an inspired prophet, and therefore I license the whole book.' So that it came to be printed without the diminution or addition of a syllable since it was delivered into the hands of Mr. Duncon, save only that Mr. Farrer hath added that excellent preface that is printed before it."
There were two editions of the book in the same year, and beside these, two copies are known, like the first edition in every particular, except the title-page, which is not dated, and reads as follows:
The | Temple. | Sacred poems | And | Private Eja- | culations. | By Mr. George Herbert, late Oratour of the Univerſitie | at Cambridge. | Psal. 29. | In his Temple doth every | man speak of his honour. | Cambridge: | Printed by Thomas Buck | and Roger Daniel: | ¶ And are to be ſold by Francis | Green, ſtationer in | Cambridge.
Grosart thinks that the undated copies were limited to a very few, issued as gifts to intimate friends.
Thomas Buck appears to have held the office of printer to the University from 1625 for upward of forty years. During that period he had several partners besides Daniel, with all of whom he quarrelled. Daniel was appointed on July 24, 1632, and the next year, or the year when Herbert's book was published, entered into an agreement by which he received one-third of the profits of the office, while Buck received two-thirds.
Duodecimo.
Collation: ¶, four leaves; A-I2, in twelves.