The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-11
George Herbert.
NJ. W.. a.

eater
NJ. W. n.
George Herbert.
Prof. GBoRon HHRBHRT PALMBB has
edited, and Houghton, Mihlin & Co. have
published, . new and admirable edition OF
The ERgtish Works Of George Herbert. The
three volumes include. besides q bio
graphical account and critical estimate
OF the author, all Of George Herbert'S
writings, except his Latin verse, Latin
orations and Latin letters. These COM
positions are omitted because, In tho
editors judgment, they not only are oon-
ventional and uninteresttng, but reveal
next to nothing Of the man. 'The Country
Parson' L. here reproduced, not only be-
cause II is itself q prose poem, but because
1t has such intimate relations with the
sacrod poems collected in THE Temple
that each work would suffer from the abb
sence Of the other. The letters are deemed
indispensable because they disclose Her
bert In his every day dress, especially In
the days before he became a priest. Prof.
Palmer also considers that the beauty OF
the translation Of Cornaro's Treatise on
Temperance and the theological interest
Of Hsrbert's notes IN the Divine Con-
siderations" Of Valdesso justified their
inclusion.
The editor points out In q preface hat
George Herbert's poetry has had two
periods Of popularity and an intervening
century Of neglect. Between his death
lin 1889 and 1909 thirteen editions Of his
poems were published. On the other
hand, between 100 and 1870 not q single
edition appeared. At the opening Of the
nineteenth century Coleridge recalled at
tention to Herbert, and in 1885 Pickering
began to publish editions Of his works.
The period Of Romanticism, the Oxford
ecclesiastical movement and the revival
Of interest In early English literature were
influences favorable to q renewed appre-
citation Of the author OF aThe Temple
During the last quarter Of the nineteenth
century a new edition Of Herbert appeared
almost every other year. Nevertheless,
the editor is undoubtedly right when he
ayers that, In this period Of Herbert's
read. No doubt all educated people are
familiar with half a dozen Of his poems,
but others no less fitted to be household
words are overlooked. Prof. Palmer finds
an explanation Of such neglect In the fact
IUdJ nO OtitI LuBllbu pOcI eACopt bOu10
stands so much in need Of calculation by
reason Of the religious, artistic and per-
sonal problems which his writings involve.
L.
Although George Herbert's life was a
! comparatively short one, it ooinoided with
a stirring period in English and Continental
history. It's compass Of forty years in
oluded nearly q quarter Of Elizabeth's
| reign, the whole Of that Of James and q
third Of that Of Charles. Born five years
after the defeat Of the Spanish Armada,
he lived through half Of the Thirty Years
War. He saw the beginning Of the religious
| colonization Of America, and during his
life the institutions Of England herself and
the temper of her people underwent q
radical change. At his birth English litera-
! ture was in It's infancy; at his death, 1t had
| become one Of the great l~iteratures Of the
world.
George Herbert-the editor directs at
tention to the fact hat the name was pro-
nounced and often written Harbert-was
born April 8, 1893, at Montgomery, In North
| Wales, where his father owned two estates,
| Montgomery Castle and Black Hall. It
lie well known that his family, which began
| with a chamberlain OF William the Con-
aueror, is one Of the oldest and most ex-
tensive In England. Three earldoms, those
Of Pembroke, Carnarvon and Fowls. still
remain in the family. George Herbert 8
father, the owner Of Montgomery Castle,
was descended from a younger son Of
William, created first Earl Of Pembroke in
the middle Of the fifteenth century. Tho
/ Herberts Of Montgomery were more
noted for courage than for INTELLECT. They
were a race OF soldiers, and the poet himself
| laments that feeble health confined him to
the scholars life. Two OF his brothers
died as officers In the Flemish wars, and
his eldest brother, Edward, created in 1929
Baron Herbert Of Cherbury, was a soldier
AZ we'll as a statesman and q philosopher.
Sir Richard Herbert dying In 1897, when
George was but 4 years old, the education
OF the children fell into the hands OF Lady
Herbert, who was by birth Magdalen New
port, the daughter Of one Of the largest
landed proprietors in hropshire. About
a wear later she removed to Oxford, where
her eldest con, Edward, had entered the
university. Here George lived with her
for more advanced classical training. The
REMAINDER Ol q ~ "oo oiOhb IL III
and Chelsea. In 1905 George Herbert
entered Westminster School. Four years
later he won a scholarship at Trinity COL
lege, Cambridge, and took his bachelors
degree in 1912. In the year Of his entrance
he wrote the first Of his English poems
which have been preserved, W sonnets
addressed to his mother, but his first
printed pieces were W Latin elegies on
Prince Henry, who died in 1912. These
were contributed to q volume issued by
tho University Of Cambridge. Two years
afterward be became a fellow Of his college
and at the same time began the systematic
study Of divinity. In 1919 he obtained
the oratorship Of Cambridge University, a
post Of great distinction, though the emolu-
ment was only about ESQ a year. Herbert
held the place eight years. The editor.
who has seen two OF his orations ,
with many OF his official letters, remarks
that they do him but little credit, either
intellectually or morally. Adulation