John Donne
Page 48
but then: Only then.
456. concoction: Ripening, bringing to a state of perfection.
465. The law, the prophets, and the history: Referring to various books of the Bible.
467. in due measure: Both ‘with due reverence’ and ‘in verse’.
474. enrols: Records with honour, celebrates.
Text notes: Copy-text, 1611; title The First Anniversary 1612; marginal notes added in 1612; 144 scarce 1612 errata] scarsc 1611; 153 close-weaving 1633] close-weaning 1611–25; 217 there 1612 errata] then 1611–69; 259 there 1612 errata] then 1611–69; 262 towns 1612 errata] towers 1611–69; 273 reeling 1621] recling 1611; 474 fame 1612 errata and 1633] same 1611–25
A Funeral Elegy
Like ‘The First Anniversary’ and ‘The Second Anniversary’, ‘A Funeral Elegy’ commemorates the death of the fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Drury. It was published with ‘The First Anniversary’ in 1611.
3. jet: Black coal polished to a high sheen.
porphyry: A hard, purplish red rock.
4. chrysolite: A green-coloured gem.
6. two Indies: The West Indies, known for jewels, and the East Indies, known for spices.
8. escurials: The Escorial, built by Philip II north-west of Madrid, is the historical residence of the Spanish king.
28. This organ: The elegy itself; a melody or song.
38. sundered: Separated; divided into parts or fragments.
41. Niger: A river, believed to be part of the Nile, running underground for part of its course.
50. throne or cherubim: Third- and second-rank angels.
52. tasteless: Unable to taste.
56. last fires: Fires of the Last Judgement.
61. through-light: Transparent.
62. exhalation: Breath; vapour.
65. emulate: Rival with each other.
73. balsamum: Balm.
76. dye: ‘Dye’ with another colour, and ‘die’, or reach sexual orgasm.
82. ecstasy: An out-of-body, trance-like rapture; a frenzy.
96. Fellow-commissioner: A joint chief or officer.
Text note: Copy-text, 1611
The Harbinger to the Progress.
The italics, used in 1635 for this poem and ‘To the Praise of the Dead’, distinguish the dedicatory poems from Donne’s. 1633 printed Hall’s poems in roman typeface, Donne’s in italics.
title Harbinger: One that goes before to announce someone’s approach.
36. Laura: The female subject of Petrarch’s poetry.
Text notes: Copy-text, 1612; 15 relate 1621] re-relate 1612; 27 high 1612 errata] by 1612
The Second Anniversary. Of the Progress of the Soul
2. this world … everlastingness: Nearly every Renaissance thinker rejected the eternity of the world.
7. struck: Lowered.
8. won: Acquired.
20. Knell … cracking: The sound of a bell ringing immediately after a death or at a funeral.
strings: The strings of fate.
23–4. some days … Before the sun: The sun was not created until the third day (Genesis 1:16–19).
27. Lethe: River in Hades whose water caused the dead to forget.
44. Venite: God’s call to man on Judgement Day.
45. (margin) disestimation: To lower in regard.
46. safe-sealing: Confirmation of salvation.
48. hydropic: Unquenchably thirsty.
53. try: To put to the test.
63. stupid: Stupefied.
70. golden times: Earliest classical age, when there was as yet no corruption.
75. indifferent: Neither bad nor good.
86. taper: A candle or other source of light.
92. Division: The execution of a rapid melodic passage.
97. ague: Violent fever.
98. physic: Medicine.
102. sergeants: Bailiffs who arrest debtors.
120. Saint Lucy’s night: The winter solstice, considered the longest night of the year.
127. mithridate: Universal antidote to poison; panacea.
135. humours: The four humours (blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile) thought to determine one’s health and disposition.
151. pretend: Claim using the law.
158. sink: Sewer.
160. two souls: Growth and sense. It was believed that plants have the ‘soul’ of growth, animals, sense and growth, and man, growth, sense and reason.
163. obnoxious: Liable or exposed to harm.
165. unlittered: Unborn.
169. anchorite: Religious hermit.
171. ordures: Excrement.
173. prison: The body.
174. After: After birth.
181. piece: Weapon, firearm.
192. intense: Turbulent, tumultuous.
195. baits: Stops.
try: Find out.
198. Hesper … Vesper: Hesperus, the evening star.
199. Argus’: The hundred-eyed mythological herdsman slain by Mercury who used magic to close his eyes.
208. undistinguished: Without stops; too fast to be distinguished.
224. Mintage: Minting of coins.
226. prefer: To advance; raise.
236. tutelar: Guardian.
242. electrum: Alloy made of gold and silver, less perfect than pure gold.
268. lay: Wager.
276. piercing of substances: The Stoic doctrine opposed to Aristotle’s theory that substances can be mixed by compounding.
281. stiff: Intractable.
294. watchtower: The mind.
302. full: Completely instructed.
317. ballast: Weigh down.
324. conversation: Association, engagement.
354. joint-tenants: Those holding an estate jointly.
382. accidental: Not essential.
391. cozened coz’ner: Deceived deceiver.
412. casual: Produced by chance; accidental.
414. arrest: Allow to rest.
420. enow: Enough.
426. rods: Punishments, chastisements.
432. thrust: Crowd.
435. pitch: Peak.
460. pre-contract: Pre-existing contract of marriage.
479. apostem: Abscess.
504. rolls: Rolls of parchment filled with writing on both sides.
508. circle: Symbol of perfection.
511. Here … place: The Roman Catholic France.
Text notes: Copy-text, 1612; 10 Though 1612 errata] Through 1612–25; 42 vanish 1612] banish 1625; 45–6 (margin) disestimation 1612] estimation 1625–33; 46 sealing 1649] fealing 1612–39; 67 was 1612 errata] twas 1612–25; 103 thrust 1612] trust 1669; 129 on 1621] no 1612; 137 won 1612 errata and 1633] worne 1612–25; 153 a long 1621–33] along 1612; 234 make 1612–33] wake 1635–9; 266 new 1612] knew 1635–9; 292 taught 1612 errata and 1633] thought 1612–25; 314 print 1612 errata] point 1612–33; 338 will 1612 errata] lies 1633–69, wise 1612–25; 353 thought 1612 errata] thoughts 1612–25; 380 whither 1612 errata] whether 1612–33; 398 vow 1612 errata and 1633] row 1612–25 and 1635–69; 416 Thinks 1633–69] Think 1612–25; 423 world 1633] worlds 1612–25; 435 up 1633] upon 1612–25; 477 redress 1612 errata] reders 1612–25; 516 invoke 1612 errata] ivoque 1612, inroque 1621
Epicedes and Obsequies
Elegy (‘Sorrow, who to this house’)
3. wonder: Perplexity; astonishment; grief.
8. store: Plenty.
9. sweet briar: A rose with strong hooked thorns and aromatic leaves.
10. that: That tree.
15. venturers: Adventurers; also, persons involved in a commercial or trading venture.
20. schoolmen: Medieval theologians.
21. What … beget: What ease of mind can hope offer that we shall see him.
Text note: title ed.] Elegie VI 1633, Elegie on the L. C. 1635
Elegy on the Lady Markham
title Lady Markham: Lady Bridget Markham, cousin and friend of Lucy Harington, Countess of Bedford, died on 4 May 1609 at Twickenham Park, Lucy’s home, three
months before the death of Lucy’s relative, Cecilia Bulstrode.
2. lower parts: Body.
5. pretend: Stretch forward; lay claim to.
12. God’s Noah: In the biblical story of Noah’s ark, God flooded the Earth to eliminate corruption and then vowed never to flood it again.
14. inborn stings: Pangs caused by original sin.
15. spectacles: Public acts; mirrors; glasses.
23. limbeck: Apparatus used in distilling and alchemy.
24. mines: Precious metals.
26. last fire: God’s final judgement.
32. th’elder death by sin: Eve brought sin and death into the world by eating the forbidden apple.
33. attempt: Try to conquer.
35. unobnoxious: Not exposed to harm from either death.
38. virginity: Spiritual purity.
44. all sinners be: After Eve ate the apple, mankind was tainted by original sin.
49. cherubim: The second order of angels, below the seraphim.
55. even: Free from variations, equable, unruffled; perfect mean between extremes; fair, impartial.
56. How … titles: She used her elevated social station and wealth to do good as a patron; also, her own ‘titles’, or writings, were ‘good’, i.e. pious and smart.
meet: Appropriate, proper.
Text notes: 29 when the sea gains, it ms] the sea, when it gains, 1633–69; 42 breaks ms] cracks 1633–69; 44–5 1635–69] omitted 1633; 58 women 1635–69] woman 1633
Elegy on Mrs Bulstrode (‘Death I recant’)
title Mrs Bulstrode: Cecilia Bulstrode (Boulstred), daughter of Edward Bulstrode, died on 4 August 1609 at the age of twenty-five.
8. Into his bloody … jaws: War, plague and famine, three causes of death in the Book of Revelation.
14. monastic: Like monks, subject to an oath of silence.
16. sponge that element: Absorb that water.
18. organic: Like a church organ.
20. heavenly hierarchy: Heaven was traditionally thought to have nine orders of angels.
24. four monarchies: Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, mentioned in the Book of Daniel.
Antichrist: Christ’s great adversary.
29. our … breath: Our bellows (or lungs) and breath wear out.
36. not ours, nor thine own: Not belonging to us on earth or to Death, but to God.
37. more stories high: Too exalted for Death to reach.
38. offered at her lower room: Made an attempt upon her body.
40. But thou … fort: Death, thou cannot capture either the captain (her soul) or the fort (her body).
42. rest for: Wait to be reunited with.
65. by tempting: By tempting her to sin.
67. crossed: Thwarted.
72. such: Such creatures as she.
Text notes: 5 and the meat ms] there are set 1633; 10 fruit ms] first 1633–69; 61 grown ms] been 1633–69
Elegy upon the Death of Mrs Boulstred (‘Language, thou art too narrow’)
Simply called ‘Elegie’ in 1633, the poem eulogizes Cecilia Bulstrode, the subject of ‘Elegy on Mrs Bulstrode’ (‘Death I recant’).
4. wears and lessens: Tires and diminishes.
6. bar: Court of law.
7. estate: State, condition.
10. fifth and greatest monarchy: England, which was preceded by the monarchies of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome; the fifth monarchy is supposedly ruled by ‘one like the Son of man’ (Daniel 2:38–44; 7:13–14).
11. that: Because.
she: The subject of the poem.
15. palace: Her body.
21. saphirine: Transparent like sapphire.
22. jet: A dense, semi-precious black form of coal polished to a shiny brilliance.
24. crystal: Transparent stone or glass. The manuscript variant ‘Christian’ adds another possible meaning.
ordinance: Decree; a possible pun on ‘ordnance’ meaning artillery; apparatus.
34. virtues cardinal: The four cardinal virtues: justice, fortitude, prudence and temperance.
35. cherubim: The second order of angels just below the seraphim (see l. 52).
38. fruitful tree: When Eve ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge in Eden, she brought death into the world.
40. Her … laws above: Love her more than we love God and His laws.
41. tears: Weep.
44. We’had had … holiday: We would have had a saint and would now celebrate a saint’s holy day.
45. bush: The Burning Bush where Moses saw God (Exodus 3:2).
52. that order: The seraphim.
58. Lemnia: The reddish clay, mined on the island of Lemnos, believed to be an antidote to poison in classical antiquity.
60. took up spruce: Her coffin will grow into a spruce tree.
Text notes: title ms] Elegie 1633, Elegie XI. Death 1635–54]; 21 for 1635] to 1633; 62 waste 1633] break 1635–69
Elegy, On the Untimely Death of the Incomparable Prince, Henry
title Henry: Henry, Prince of Wales and son of King James I, died from typhoid fever on 6 November 1612 at the age of eighteen. Donne’s elegy was first published in Joshua Sylvester’s 1613 collection of poems, Lachrymae Lachrymarum (3rd edn), honouring the prince.
7. Quotidian: Everyday, common.
9–11. th’enormous greatnesses … providence: God’s greatnesses transcend human understanding and can only be understood through faith.
13. eccentric: Moving in an orbit around faith, which is not at the exact centre.
15–16. reason … one: At its extreme, reason becomes concentric with faith; death destroys the distinction.
23. distracted: Drawn apart.
30. torpedo: Electric ray fish.
31. bent: Persuaded or swayed.
44. Still stay … dust: Remain alive, distressing the dust of the earth by failing to return to it in death.
49. thrown lowest down of all: Sunk to a new low by the prince’s death.
52. plot for ease: Plan to ease ourselves of our sorrow by dying.
54. mandrakes: Poisonous plant, thought to resemble the human form, which supposedly shrieked when uprooted.
63. faster: More firm or certain.
65–6. reason … With causes: Reason, the source of understanding of cause and effect.
67. substances: Aristotelian essence of the object.
68. accident: Perceptible, variable qualities of an object.
73. steal in: Secretly add.
84. narrow: Narrow-minded.
85. baiting: Halting; stopping for rest and refreshment.
90. she-intelligence: Angels were thought to control celestial bodies.
Text notes: Letter: faithful ms; thankful 1633. Copy-text, Sylvester, Lachrymae Lachrymarum, 1613; 8 men 1613] man 1633–69; 19 faith could 1613] faith might 1635–69; 22 world to shake 1613] earth to quake ms; 34 through 1613] to 1635–69; 48 will 1613] omitted ms; 71 faith 1613] Fate 1633–69; 73 join 1613] come 1633–69
Obsequies upon the Lord Harrington, the Last that Died
title Lord Harrington: John Harrington, 2nd Baron of Exton, who died on 27 February 1614, was the brother of Donne’s patron, Lucy, Countess of Bedford.
1–3. which wast … continue so: Which was harmony both when first infused in the body and throughout his life.
4. organ: Church organ, symbolizing the harmony of God’s creation.
6. pervious: Permeable.
30. hardest object … sight: Most difficult to discern, to understand.
31. glass: Mirror.
37. trunks: Tree trunks, which put near-by objects in perspective.
46. humours: The four humours – blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bile – believed to determine one’s health.
58. his minutes: Details of his life.
74. thrust: Throng together.
80. long breathed chronicles: Long-winded histories.
85. repair: Make his way.
101. balm: Healing medicine.
110. man, the abri
dgement: Man, the microcosm of the world.
114. equinoctial: The equator.
124. torrid zone: Hot equatorial region.
calentures: Tropical disease characterized by delirium; also, burning passion, zeal.
126. agues: Acute fevers.
hydroptic: Insatiably thirsty.
135. fly: Speed-regulating device used in clocks.
140. at every will: According to everyone’s wishes.
157. prodigy: Extraordinary event or sign.
178. triumph: Victorious Roman generals marched in triumph through the city.
199. engines: Destructive weapons.
200. diverse mine: From diverse sources or means.
210. vicariate: God’s vicar or representative on earth.
233. Pompey: Pompey the Great (106–48 BC) demanded a triumphant entry into Rome, but he provoked laughter when his chariot, towed by four elephants, wouldn’t fit through the city gates.
246. it: The triumph.
Text notes: title Obsequies upon the Lord Harrington, the last that died ms] Obsequies to the Lord Harringtons brother. To the countess of Bedford 1633; 7 men’s ms and 1635–69] man’s 1633; 35 truly our ms] our true 1633–69; 39 being 1635–69] living 1633; 63 should 1635–69] would 1633; 66 Who 1635] Which 1633; 102 this ms] the 1633–69; 106 thy death ms] and death 1633–69; 135 fly 1633] flee 1635–69; 158 where ms] when 1633–69; 165 am 1635–69] grow 1633; 193 Then 1635–69] That 1633; 198 acclamations ms] acclamation 1633–54; 225 are ms] were 1633–69
A Hymn to the Saints, and to Marquesse Hamilton
title Sir Robert Carr Later the Earl of Ancrum, Carr requested the following poem on 22 March 1625 to commemorate the death of his friend James Hamilton (1584–1625), High Commissioner to the Parliament. Some believe this is Donne’s last poem.
2. rank: Order of angels.
10. all our orders: Earthly institutions.
14. garter: Hamilton was named a Knight of the Garter two years before his death.
20. comeliness: Gracefulness; handsomeness.
26. sphere of forms: Celestial region where the ideal form of the earthly body awaits the resurrection of the material body.
26–7. before … sepulchral stone: Before his body even reaches his grave.
42. David … Magdalene: King David and Mary Magdalene, both sinners who repented.
Text notes: Letter title To Sir Robert Carr ms] omitted 1633; 2 knew ms] know 1633; 3 subject ms] subjects 1633; 6–7 of him, nor of you, nor … the sacrifice ms] of you nor of him, we will smother it, and be it your sacrifice 1633; 9 much 1633] more ms; 10 loather 1633] loth ms; 12 servant in Christ Jesus 1633] servant ms; poem 1 Whether ms] Whither 1633; 3 Whether ms] Whither 1633; 12 is ms and 1635–69] are 1633; 16 lacks 1633] wants ms; 18 lose ms] lost 1633; 27 body ms] soul shall 1633; 36 in th’eyes ms] in eyes 1633