John Donne - Delphi Poets Series (39 page)
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Authors: John Donne
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN SIR HENRY WOTTON AND MR. DONNE.
A HYMN TO CHRIST, AT THE AUTHOR’S LAST GOING INTO GERMANY.
A HYMN TO THE SAINTS, AND TO MARQUIS HAMILTON
A LETTER TO THE LADY CAREY, AND MISTRESS ESSEX RICH, FROM AMIENS
A LETTER WRITTEN BY SIR H. G. AND J. D. ALTERNIS VICIBUS
A NOCTURNAL UPON ST. LUCY’S DAY, BEING THE SHORTEST DAY.
A SHEAF OF SNAKES USED HERETOFORE TO BE MY SEAL, THE CREST OF OUR POOR FAMILY.
A TALE OF A CITIZEN AND HIS WIFE.
A VALEDICTION FORBIDDING MOURNING.
AMICISSIMO, ET MERITISSIMO BEN. JOHNSON
AS DUE BY MANY TITLES I RESIGN
AT THE ROUND EARTH’S IMAGINED CORNERS BLOW
AWAY THOU FONDLING MOTLEY HUMORIST
BATTER MY HEART, THREE-PERSON’D GOD; FOR YOU
DE LIBRO CUM MUTUARETUR IMPRESSO
DEATH, BE NOT PROUD, THOUGH SOME HAVE CALLED THEE
ECLOGUE AT THE MARRIAGE OF THE EARL OF SOMERSET.
ELEGY ON MISTRESS BOULSTRED (I)
ELEGY ON MISTRESS BOULSTRED (II)
ELEGY UPON THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF THE INCOMPARABLE PRINCE HENRY
EPITHALAMION MADE AT LINCOLN’S INN.
EPITHALAMION ON THE LADY ELIZABETH AND COUNT PALATINE BEING MARRIED ON ST. VALENTINE’S DAY.
FATHER, PART OF HIS DOUBLE INTEREST
GOOD-FRIDAY, 1613, RIDING WESTWARD.
H. W. IN HIBERNIA BELLIGERANTI
HYMN TO GOD, MY GOD, IN MY SICKNESS.
I AM A LITTLE WORLD MADE CUNNINGLY
IF FAITHFUL SOULS BE ALIKE GLORIFIED
IF POISONOUS MINERALS, AND IF THAT TREE
KIND PITY CHOKES MY SPLEEN; BRAVE SCORN FORBIDS
MAN IS THE WORLD, AND DEATH THE OCEAN
MEN WRITE THAT LOVE AND REASON DISAGREE
MY FORTUNE AND MY WILL THIS CUSTOM BREAK
NATURE’S LAY IDIOT, I TAUGHT THEE TO LOVE
O! MIGHT THOSE SIGHS AND TEARS RETURN AGAIN
O, LET ME NOT SERVE SO, AS THOSE MEN SERVE
O, MY BLACK SOUL, NOW THOU ART SUMMONED
OBSEQUIES OF THE LORD HARRINGTON, BROTHER TO THE COUNTESS OF BEDFORD
ODE: VENGEANCE WILL SIT ABOVE OUR FAULTS
OH, TO VEX ME, CONTRARIES MEET IN ONE
SHOW ME, DEAR CHRIST, THY SPOUSE SO BRIGHT AND CLEAR
SINCE SHE WHOM I LOVED HATH PAID HER LAST DEBT
SIR; THOUGH (I THANKE GOD FOR IT) I DO HATE
SPIT IN MY FACE, YOU JEWS, AND PIERCE MY SIDE
THE LAMENTATIONS OF JEREMY, FOR THE MOST PART ACCORDING TO TREMELLIUS.
THIS IS MY PLAY’S LAST SCENE; HERE HEAVENS APPOINT
THOU HAST MADE ME, AND SHALL THY WORK DECAY?
THOU SHALT NOT LAUGH IN THIS LEAFE, MUSE, NOR THEY
TO GEORGE HERBERT, SENT HIM WITH ONE OF MY SEALS OF THE ANCHOR AND CHRIST.
TO MR. TILMAN AFTER HE HAD TAKEN ORDERS.
TO SIR EDWARD HERBERT, AT JULIERS
TO SIR HENRY WOTTON, AT HIS GOING AMBASSADOR TO VENICE
TO THE COUNTESS OF BEDFORD AT NEW YEAR'S TIDE
TO THE EARL OF DONCASTER WITH SIX HOLY SONNETS.
TO THE LADY MAGDALEN HERBERT, OF ST. MARY MAGDALEN.
TRANSLATED OUT OF GAZÆUS, “VOTA AMICO FACTA,” FOL. 160.
TRANSLATED OUT OF GAZÆUS, VOTA AMICO FACTA. FOL.160
UPON MR. THOMAS CORYATS CRUDITIES
UPON THE TRANSLATION OF THE PSALMS BY SIR PHILIP SIDNEY, AND THE COUNTESS OF PEMBROKE, HIS SISTER.
WELL; I MAY NOW RECEIVE, AND DIE; MY SINN
WHAT IF THIS PRESENT WERE THE WORLD’S LAST NIGHT?
WHY ARE WE BY ALL CREATURES WAITED ON?
WILT THOU LOVE GOD AS HE THEE?
The Prose
Donne’s house in Pyrford, Surrey, where he lived after his marriage to Egerton’s daughter Anne More in 1601. His father-in-law was furious with Donne and actually sent him to the Fleet Prison for a time. It was not until 1609 when they were fully reconciled. In the meantime, Donne lived as an exile of sorts, scraping a meagre living as a lawyer
BIATHANATOS
Written in 1608 and published after Donne’s death, this non-fiction treatise is a heterodox defence of suicide. In the work, Donne uses prominent Biblical examples including Jesus, Samson, Saul, and Judas Iscariot to support his argument.
John Donne by Issac Oliver, c. 1627
CONTENTS
THE FIRST PART: OF LAW AND NATURE
THE SECOND PART: OF THE LAW OF REASON
THE THIRD PART: OF THE LAW OF GOD
BIATHANATOS
A Declaration of the Paradox or Thesis that Self-homicide is not so Naturally a Sin that it May Never Be Otherwise; in which the nature and the extent of all the laws which seem to be violated by this act are diligently surveyed.
Written by John Donne, who afterwards was ordained in the Church of England and died Dean of Saint Paul’s, London....
“I do not profess everything to be true. But I will roil the waters for the readers’ profit.”
Published by Authority.
London. Printed for John Dawson.
THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY