George Herbert, 1593 – 1633, was a British poet whose work has become increasing significant in the English language poetic. Influenced greatly by the metaphysical conceits of John Donne, Herbert applied the ideas of extended and imaginative metaphors infused with a highly precise language to create musical lyrics—Herbert had a great love and knowledge of music—that were entirely devoted to his Christian beliefs. While politically ambitious as a young man, Herbert fully embraced his faith and became a priest in 1630. Herbert’s poetry was entirely unpublished during his lifetime, though his project for creating a body of lyrics organized around the central metaphor of man’s soul as a “temple” was both deliberate and fully realized before his death. Other lyrics and translations—all of varying authenticity—have surfaced over the years and are included after the full presentation of THE TEMPLE, which is preserved here as much as possible as it was printed in the 17th century keeping with the spelling, grammar, and typesetting of the time. Herbert’s lyrics hold up remarkably well in an era of constant self-examination and are full of a unique wit focused on both explanation and discovery of the human journey simultaneously.
