George Herbert (1593-1633)
The Pulley
1 When God at first made man,
2Having a glass of blessings standing by,
3 "Let us," said he, "pour on him all we can;
4Let the world's riches, which dispersed lie,
5 Contract into a span."
6 So strength first made a way;
7Then beauty flow'd, then wisdom, honour, pleasure;
8 When almost all was out, God made a stay,
9Perceiving that alone of all his treasure,
10 Rest in the bottom lay.
11 "For if I should," said he,
12"Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
13 He would adore my gifts instead of me,
14And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature:
15 So both should losers be.
16 "Yet let him keep the rest,
17But keep them with repining restlessness;
18 Let him be rich and weary, that at least,
19If goodness lead him not, yet weariness
20 May toss him to my breast."
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: George Herbert, The temple. Sacred poems and private ejaculations, edited by N. Ferrar (Cambridge: T. Buck and R. Daniel, 1633). STC 13183. Facs. edn. Menston: Scolar Press, 1968. PR 3507 T45 1633A. Also The Bodleian Manuscript of George Herbert's Poems: A Facsimile of Tanner 307, Introduced by Amy M. Charles and Mario A. Di Cesare. Delmar: Scholars' Facsimiles and Reprints, 1984. PR 3507 T45 1984 ROBA.
First publication date:
1633
RPO poem editor: N. J. Endicott
RP edition: 3RP 1.215-16.
Recent editing: 2:2002/2/13
Rhyme: ababa
Other poems by George Herbert
