Virtue

Virtue

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.
1Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright,
2The bridal of the earth and sky;
3The dew shall weep thy fall to-night,
4      For thou must die.
5Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave
6Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye;
7Thy root is ever in its grave,
8      And thou must die.
9Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,
10A box where sweets compacted lie;
11My music shows ye have your closes,
12      And all must die.
13Only a sweet and virtuous soul,
14Like season'd timber, never gives;
15But though the whole world turn to coal,
16      Then chiefly lives.

Notes

5] angry and brave: red and splendid. Back to Line
10] sweets: perfumes. Back to Line
11] closes: final cadence; also with the ordinary sense.
gives: gives way. Back to Line
15] coal: cinders; i.e., at the day of judgment. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1633
RPO poem Editors
N. J. Endicott
RPO Edition
3RP 1.212.
Rhyme
abab