George Herbert - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Overview

George Herbert was a Welsh born English poet, orator and Anglican priest

Priest

A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...

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Being born into an artistic and wealthy family, he received a good education that led to his holding prominent positions at Cambridge University

University of Cambridge

The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...

and Parliament

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

. As a student at Trinity College, Cambridge

Trinity College, Cambridge

Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...

, Herbert excelled in languages and music. He went to college with the intention of becoming a priest, but his scholarship attracted the attention of King James I/VI

James I of England

James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...

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Discussions

Sin, a sonnet by Herbert

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Quotations

Lines 25-26 Dare to be true. Nothing can need a lie:A fault, which needs it most, grows two thereby.

Lines 77-78 By all means use sometimes to be alone.

Line 145 By no means run in debt: take thine own measure.Who cannot live on twenty pound a year,Cannot on forty.

Lines 175-177 Wit's an unruly engine, wildly strikingSometimes a friend, sometimes the engineer.

Lines 241-242 Be calm in arguing: for fierceness makesError a fault, and truth discourtesy.

Lines 307-308 Be useful where thou livest.

Line 325 Man is God's image; but a poor man isChrist's stamp to boot: both images regard.

Lines 12-14 I got me flowers to strew Thy way,I got me boughs off many a tree:But Thou wast up by break of day,And brought'st Thy sweets along with Thee.

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