TH E CAVALIER POETS Their Lives Their a n , D y, a d Their Poetry BY CA RL H OL L ID A Y M . A . , , Acting Head of the Department of En glish Lit “ erature anderb lt Un e s t and autho of A , V i iv r i y, r ” “ H stor of Sout e n L te atu e The Cotton i y h r i r r , ” “ P cke and the Poe ms The L teratu e of i r O r , i r ” ” “ Colon al n a Once U on a T me Th ee i Virgi i , p i , r ” u es of ut e n Poet Etc . Ce nt ri So h r ry, NEW YORK AND WASHINGTON THE NEALE PUB LISH ING COMPANY 1 91 1 m a' Cor n r , 1 9 1 1 . B Y TH E NEA L E PUBL ISH ING COMPANY S 0 31 To THAT M E CAVAL E Pom OD RN I R , ' TH E M En rrs, W rr n ov r TH E THE DA NT METAPH CAL S E I Y YSI ING RS, AUSTIN DOBSON C ONTE NT S WHO WERE THE CAVALIER OR METAP HYSI CAL P OETS? T H E L E ADERS ; WHAT MANNER OF M E N ? 4 ROB ERT HERRICK FRANCIS Q UARLES G EORGE HE RB ERT TH OMAS CAREW EDM UND WALLER SIR JOH N SUCK LIN G ‘B IC H ARD CRASHAW RICHARD LOVELACE AB RAH AM C OWLEY CAVALIER SONGS G EORGE WITHER ROB ERT HERRI CK FRANCIS Q UARLES G EORGE HERB ERT D R JO . HN WILSON T HOMAS CAREW EDMUND WALLER WILLIAM HARINGTON CONT E NT S CAVALIER SONGS ( Con tin ued) PAGE Sm WILLIAM D AVENANT SIR JOHN SUC K LING WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT RICHARD CRASHAW RICHARD LOVELACE AB RAHAM COWLEY S IR E DWARD SHERB URNE 4 ANDREW MARVELL \ HE NRY VAU GHAN THOMAS STANLEY CHARLES COTTO N CHARLES SACK VILLE SIR CHARLES SEDLEY WORK S B Y THE CAVALIER P OETS BI B LIOGRAP HY INDEX OF AUTHORS AND SELECTIONS I NDEX OF FIRST LINES PREFACE M has ee ai an d itte a a ai uch b n s d wr n bout th t d nty, e en if a ti ia o Of t - v r fic l , gr up s even een th c entury s ingers known un der the v arious titles of M etaphys i a a a ie R e o i a i c l , C v l r, h t r c l , Fan tast c, and C aroline ac i a Poets . Pr t c lly ev ery course Of s tudy in E ng lish literature d evotes some space to their h appily as e s o and in e a e ma az in k tc e phr d n gs , num r bl g e s e h s an d essays h ave from time to time r emin ded us of the brave ry an d chivalry of thes e b elaced but stout ea e courtiers . m et far a am a a e h rt d d y , so s I w r , “ no adequ ate treatmen t of this quaint metaphys ” ical movement has b een attempted in any on e k an d t o ma of th c a i i are boo , , h ugh ny e h rm ng lyr cs a kn o n i ea n ce nin t ei i i and popul rly w , d s co r g h r or g n t i ak ar s e t me az he r m ers e, a a rul , ex re ly h y. T his study of the subj ect is intended for both a an ents of ite at e T he gen eral r e d ers d stud l r ur . lives an d works of the m ost importan t p oets in the a e een isc e and t e e e ti n s ic group h v b d uss d , hos s l c o wh h s eem most charact eristic of them and of their day a es t n t ese e e tions it is be h ve b een pr en ed . A d h s l c , liev d i com an ea e as s t an e s e , w ll e to m y r d rs not r g r , as f ien o e me n ow be but r ather old r ds , d ubly w lco o i ti a n e st c aus e m re n m tely u d r ood . t s i e n ot be e o s are a T he no e , wh ch n e d num r u , p i at a tec n i a an d are in ten e prec ative r her th n h c l , d d 1 1 1 2 PREFACE th s t en t a efe to n ot SO much for e ud , who usu lly pr rs a c es as for th ene a ea e m ake his o wn r es e r h , e g r l r d r, who prefers in his p oetical readin gs words for the it for the i te e t. s o t h eart along w h words n ll c In h r , ak t is n e is in I h ave en deavored to m e h , not a ex rc e i o o but a easin an d m at eti litera ph l l gy, pl g sy p h c ry “ ” k h i ten i e s ent e e I wor . For t e n s v tud , how v r, h av e added a list of works (with d ates ) by m eta si a et a at e f i i a an d ref phy c l po s , r h r ull b bl ogr phy, h es of all c iti a ta i n cren ees to t e sourc r c l quo t o s . I h ave had some difficulty in s ettlin g up on a n am e ' r in i in S i icate fo this qu a t cho r of s gers . A nd d o tic a ff a as ve it es an d ab ve, cri s h ve O ered t le t fi t l , yet n on e accurately des crib es the intan gibl e but dis tin e on a it e on in he e a ct p rs l y b l g g to t group . P rh ps, afte all a a ie i e as e as n for r , C v l r w ll s rv e w ll a y ; t all e e n ot a a i e in li tics all e at hough w r C v l r po , w re s me time in t ei i es a a ie i s i it t is o h r l v C v l r n p r . .I my o e t a the ee n es the ain tin ess the i a h p h t sw t s , d , ch v lry, the artistic temp er amen t of this spirit may be tran s mitted in s ome e ee the ea e Of t i e d gr to r d rs h s volum , an d t at as t e ea t e ma o e ea ize h , h y r d , h y y c m to r l at afte all ife i m as th , r , l s e ured In fee i n n o in t e n a . l gs, figur s o a di l We oul d coun e - Sh t time by h art throbs . ande b lt Un e s V r i iv r ity, Nas vill e T enness h , ee. INTRODUCTION WH O WE RE THE CAVALIER P OETS? T e e is c a an i t h r so mu h th t n roduction , however de ai e a ot mak a — t l d , c nn e cle r so mu ch of the inn er Spirit which on ly the actu al writings an d lives of the i e can ea e f t I a wr t rs br th or h . c n but state some r eas on ably c ertain facts about the m ovement wi th which this study d eals ; if you would u n derstand what motives moved the group of s on gsters known as the a a ie oe a an d om t e te C v l r P ts , wh t wh h y wro or wh t e os it i f , y h y ch e to wr e in certa n characteris tic a a a a i ain tin ss t e w ys , wh t pl e s nt b ts of d e h y t ou m st ea the ain on t em e es wrough , y u r d qu t s gs h s lv , an d with th em the n o les s lovabl e and o ften heroic lives of those who thus san g s o oddly an d so m elo iousl d y.