The Poems of John Donne, Volume 1 (of 2) Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts

[Sidenote: _The entrance._[1]] Nothing could make me sooner to confesse That this world had an everlastingnesse, Then to consider, that a yeare is runne, Since both this lower w...

The present edition of Donne's poems grew out of my work as a teacher. In the spring of 1907, just after I had published a small volume on the literature of the early seventeent...

[Sidenote: _The entrie into the worke._] When that rich Soule which to her heaven is gone, Whom all do celebrate, who know they have one, (For who is sure he hath a Soule, unles...

I sing the progresse of a deathlesse soule, Whom Fate, which God made, but doth not controule, Plac'd in most shapes; all times before the law Yoak'd us, and when, and since, in...

Eternall God, (for whom who ever dare Seeke new expressions, doe the Circle square, And thrust into strait corners of poore wit Thee, who art cornerlesse and infinite) I would b...

Who dares say thou art dead, when he doth see (Unburied yet) this living part of thee? This part that to thy beeing gives fresh flame, And though th'art _Donne_, yet will preser...

And if I flatter any,'tis not you But my owne judgement, who did long agoe Pronounce, that all these praises should be true, And vertue should your beauty,'and birth outgrow. 60

Hee that would write an Epitaph for thee, And do it well, must first beginne to be Such as thou wert; for, none can truly know Thy worth, thy life, but he that hath liv'd so; He...

For this time I must speake only to you: at another, _Readers_ may perchance serve my turne; and I thinke this a way very free from exception, in hope that very few will have a...

If shaddowes be the pictures excellence; And make it seeme more lively to the sence; If starres in the bright day are hid from sight And shine most glorious in the masque of nig...

[A Dialogue. _Ed_: A Dialogue betweene S^{r} Henry Wotton and M^{r} Donne. _1635-69 among_ Letters to Severall Personages: _no heading but divided between_ Earle of Pembroke _an...

Death I recant, and say, unsaid by mee What ere hath slip'd, that might diminish thee. Spirituall treason, atheisme 'tis, to say, That any can thy Summons disobey. Th'earths fac...

Where is that holy fire, which _Verse_ is said To have? is that inchanting force decai'd? _Verse_ that drawes _Natures_ workes, from _Natures_ law, Thee, her best worke, to her...

[19 high top'd and deep rooted _1633_, _N_, _TCD:_ high to sense deepe-rooted _1635-54_, _O'F_, _Chambers_ (_who has overlooked 1633 reading:_) high to sense and deepe-rooted _S...

Thou hast made me, And shall thy worke decay? Repaire me now, for now mine end doth haste, I runne to death, and death meets me as fast, And all my pleasures are like yesterday;...

Mad paper stay, and grudge not here to burne With all those sonnes whom my braine did create, At lest lye hid with mee, till thou returne To rags againe, which is thy native state.

54 Waters flow'd o'r my head, then thought I, I am Destroy'd; 55 I called Lord, upon thy name Out of the pit. 56 And thou my voice didst heare; 255 Oh from my sigh, and crye, st...

That unripe side of earth, that heavy clime That gives us man up now, like _Adams_ time Before he ate; mans shape, that would yet bee (Knew they not it, and fear'd beasts compan...

Sleep sleep old Sun, thou canst not have repast As yet, the wound thou took'st on friday last; Sleepe then, and rest; The world may beare thy stay, A better Sun rose before thee...

Cruell since that thou dost not feare the curse W^{ch} thy disdayne, and my despayre procure, My prayer for thee shall torment thee worse Then all the payne thou coudst thereby...

Faire soule, which wast, not onely, as all soules bee, Then when thou wast infused, harmony, But did'st continue so; and now dost beare A part in Gods great organ, this whole Sp...

Thou shalt not laugh in this leafe, Muse, nor they Whom any pitty warmes; He which did lay Rules to make Courtiers, (hee being understood May make good Courtiers, but who Courti...

No _Spring_, nor _Summer_ Beauty hath such grace, As I have seen in one _Autumnall_ face. Yong _Beauties_ force our love, and that's a _Rape_, This doth but _counsaile_, yet you...

The heavens rejoyce in motion, why should I Abjure my so much lov'd variety, And not with many youth and love divide? Pleasure is none, if not diversifi'd: The sun that sitting...

I am two fooles, I know, For loving, and for saying so In whining Poëtry; But where's that wiseman, that would not be I, If she would not deny? 5 Then as th'earths inward narrow...

To what a combersome unwieldinesse And burdenous corpulence my love had growne, But that I did, to make it lesse, And keepe it in proportion, Give it a diet, made it feed upon 5...

_Parturiunt madido quae nixu praela, recepta, Sed quae scripta manu, sunt veneranda magis. Qui liber in pluteos, blattis cinerique relictos, Si modo sit praeli sanguine tinctus,...

Madnesse his sorrow, gout his cramp, may hee Make, by but thinking, who hath made him such: 10 And may he feele no touch Of conscience, but of fame, and bee Anguish'd, not that'...

So, so, breake off this last lamenting kisse, Which sucks two soules, and vapors Both away, Turne thou ghost that way, and let mee turne this, And let our selves benight our hap...

Hither with christall vyals, lovers come, And take my teares, which are loves wine, 20 And try your mistresse Teares at home, For all are false, that tast not just like mine; Al...

[52-3 he was? he was Nothing; for us, wee are for nothing fit; _1633_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _TCD_ (_but MSS. have no stop after_ Nothing): he was, he was? Nothing; for us, wee are for...

Well; I may now receive, and die; My sinne Indeed is great, but I have beene in A Purgatorie, such as fear'd hell is A recreation to, and scarse map of this. My minde, neither w...

Hee soone for her too harsh, and churlish grew, And Abell (the dam dead) would use this new For the field. Being of two kindes thus made, He, as his dam, from sheepe drove wolve...

Come, Fates; I feare you not. All whom I owe Are paid, but you. Then rest me ere I goe. But, Chance from you all soveraignty hath got, Love woundeth none but those whom death da...

What mean'st thou Bride, this companie to keep? To sit up, till thou faine wouldst sleep? Thou maist not, when thou art laid, doe so. 195 Thy selfe must to him a new banquet gro...

[41-2 When Belgiaes ... towne: _1633-54:_ Like Belgia's cities when the Country is drown'd, That ... towns; _1669:_ Like Belgia's cities the round country drowns, That ... towns...

Harke newes, ô envy, thou shalt heare descry'd My _Iulia_; who as yet was ne'r envy'd. To vomit gall in slander, swell her vaines With calumny, that hell it selfe disdaines, Is...

Sir; though (I thanke God for it) I do hate Perfectly all this towne, yet there's one state In all ill things so excellently best, That hate, toward them, breeds pitty towards t...

1633 195 The good-morrow 7 196-7 Song 8 197-8 Womans constancy 9 198-9 The undertaking 10 199-200 The Sunne Rising 11 200-1 The Indifferent 12 201-2 Loves Vsury 13 202-4 The Can...

'Tis lost, to trust a Tombe with such a guest, Or to confine her in a marble chest. Alas, what's Marble, Jeat, or Porphyrie, Priz'd with the Chrysolite of either eye, Or with th...

Mad paper stay, and grudge not here to burne 216 *Madam that flea that Crept between your brests 459 Man is a lumpe, where all beasts kneaded bee, 193 Man is the World, and deat...

Looke to mee faith, and looke to my faith, God; For both my centers feele this period. Of waight one center, one of greatnesse is; And Reason is that center, Faith is this; For...

Well dy'd the World, that we might live to see This world of wit, in his Anatomie: No evill wants his good; so wilder heires Bedew their Fathers Tombes, with forced teares, Whos...