The Elixir
The Elixir
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 Robarts Library.
2 In all things Thee to see,
3And what I do in anything
4 To do it as for Thee.
5 Not rudely, as a beast,
6 To run into an action;
7But still to make Thee prepossest,
9 A man that looks on glass,
10 On it may stay his eye;
11Or if he pleaseth, through it pass,
12 And then the heav'n espy.
13 All may of Thee partake:
14 Nothing can be so mean,
15Which with his tincture--"for Thy sake"--
16 Will not grow bright and clean.
17 A servant with this clause
18 Makes drudgery divine:
19Who sweeps a room as for Thy laws,
20 Makes that and th' action fine.
21 This is the famous stone
22 That turneth all to gold;
23For that which God doth touch and own
Notes
1] The title, derived from alchemy, means "the substance which can change base metals to precious", or more particularly in the poem, "the belief which can dignify all experience." It is indicated in the first stanza. Back to Line
8] his: its. Back to Line
24] told: reckoned. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1633
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
2RP.1.321; RPO 1996-2000.
Rhyme