George Herbert

George Herbert (1593-1633) is important in the history of English Hymnody for a collection of poems entitled, The Temple (1633). Published posthumously, this remarkable collection contains several entries which have become standard hymns in most modern hymnals, namely:

Herbert is identified with a group of British poets in the mid 1600's who were collectively known as the "English metaphysical poets." All wrote devotional poetry intended mainly for private reading and contemplation, and various lines from many of their poems were later extracted as hymns. Other poets in the group were John Donne (1573-1631), Nicholas Ferrar (1592-1637) and Richard Crashaw (d. 1649). Herbert and several others were close friends of Isaac Walton (1593-1683), author of 'The Compleat Angler, or the Contemplative Man's Recreation' (1683), a “pastoral discourse on the joys and stratagems of fishing” (the Catholic Encyclopedia) which became one of the most frequently reprinted books in English literature.

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