Review of the Temple, ^c, by George Herbert. 153 



Sometiues his allusions are forced. 



Behold they spit on me in scornful wise ; 

 Who by my spittle gave the blind man eyes, 

 Leaving his blindness to mine enemies. — p. 23. 



And sometimes disgusting, as at p. 160, where the wound made at the cru- 

 cifixion is compared to a bag, in which prayers and petitions are to be put. 



Like Cowley, he is not always free from the introduction of unclean 

 images; thus, p. 40, we have affliction as "his sweetened pill;" and in 

 the next stanza, this " purge" is "turned to food ;" and at p. 38, we have 

 a metaphorical plaster, and in the next piece a blister, by way of simili- 

 tude. These pharmaceutical figures are always unpoetical. 



But his metaphors are now and then well chosen and just, and consist- 

 ently preserved : this is particularly the case in the " British Church," 

 p. Ill, one of his happiest productions. 



"The Rose," p. 189, beginning, "Press me not to take more pleasure," is 

 easy both in metre and style, though it becomes too medical towards the close. 



The conclusion of "Easter," — "I got me flowers to strew thy way," p. 35, is 

 exquisitely beautiful, and the allusion to an ancient custom very happy. 



The lines. 



Give my captive soul, or take 

 My body also thither, (p. 47,) 



reminds us of " Take, Oh take those lips away." 



The first, second, fourth, and last stanzas of " Content," p. 65, are in his 

 best manner, as is "Virtue," p. 87; the first stanza especially is highly 

 poetical. 



Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright. 

 The bridal of the earth and sky, 

 The dew shall weep thy fall to night ; 

 For thou must die. 



The " Church Floor," p. 63, combines most of Herbert's peculiarities, 

 and is remarkably well fitted for imitation. His piety often shews itself 

 towards the end, and he rather delights in the sudden transition. Some- 

 times he is energetic, concise, and free from quips, as in the " Reprisal," 

 p. 29, and sometimes his expressions are very original, as 



Prayers chased syllogisms into their den. 



And " Ergo" was transformed into " Amen." 



And, p. 61, 



To sever the good fellowship of dust, 

 And spoil the meeting. 



" The Sacrifice" is rather a liturgical narrative of Christ's sufferings than 

 a poem. 



But if Herbert was inferior in poetry to the masters of his art, he was 

 their superior in truth. His transports were real, theirs were feigned j his 

 celebrated a heavenly, theirs an earthly object ; his goddess was truth, their 

 idol was fiction. He indulged not in visions or speculations ; his time, at 



No, 4.— Vol. I. Y* ' 



