Mistress, and Dies Iræ.” What can be said of such judgment in the face of such glorious poems as Music's Duel, Sospetto ďHerode, To the Name above every name, Hymn to St. Teresa, Psalm cxxxvii., To the Morning, &c. ? Crashaw's verse is marked by some of the highest qualities of poetry. He has strong affinities to two of our great nineteenth-century poets; he has the rich imagination and sensuousness of Keats, and the subtlety of thought and exquisite lyrical flow of Shelley. Crashaw is essentially a sacred poet, and, compared with George Herbert, is his superior, judged from the purely poetic standpoint. Herbert is, in a limited degree, a popular poet ; Crashaw is not, and has never been so. One of the reasons for this is (probably) the taste for artificial poetry of the school of Waller, Dryden, Pope, &c., during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The fact of his being a Catholic would also deter many readers from studying his works; but, poetical thought now being wider, and religious intolerance almost a thing of the past, it may be hoped that Crashaw will soon receive the recognition which is his due. The text of the following selection follows that adopted and amended from original sources by Rev. A. B. Grosart in his complete edition of Crashaw's Works in “The Fuller Worthies’ Library,” but the spelling has been modernized. I am under a debt of obligation to Dr Grosart for his kind permission in respect of the above-named edition of the Poet's works, an edition which will be indispensable to all future editors of Crashaw. I am especially indebted for the use of the Latin poem Christe, veni (Notes, p. 77), and the translation of it by the Rev. Richard Wilton, M.A. (p. 26). At the conclusion of my Notes will be found a Bibliography of Crashaw's Works. J. R. TUTIN. WATERWORKS STREET, HULL, October 18, 1887. CONTENTS. I. Satan. From “Sospetto d'Herode” V. In the Holy Nativity of our Lord God : a Hymn sung as VII. To the Name above every name, the Name of Jesus : a VIII. Dies iræ, dies illa : the Hymn of the Church, in medita- IX. Translation of“ Christe, veni,” by Rev. R. Wilton, X. Saint Mary Magdalene, or the Weeper XI. A Hymn to the Name and Honour of the admirable XII. From “The Flaming Heart : Picture of the seraphical Saint Teresa, as she is usually expressed with a Seraphim beside her XIII. Description of a Religious House and Condition of Life XIV. Psalm cxxxvii. 46 46 XVII. Upon the Sepulchre of our Lord XVIII. The Widow's Mites (Luke xxi. 2, 3) XIX. On the Prodigal (Luke xv.) XX. It is better to go into Heaven with one eye, etc. (Mark XXI. Give to Cæsarand to God—(Mark xii. 17) XXII. But now they have seen and hated (John xv. 24) XXIII. On the blessed Virgin's bashfulness XXV. Aquae in vinum versae (John ii. 1-11), and translation . II. Wishes. To his (supposed) Mistress III. To the Morning : Satisfaction for Sleep IV. On a foul Morning, being then to take a Journey V. In praise of Lessius's Rule of Health VI. Upon the Death of the most desired Mr Herrys VII. An Epitaph upon Mr Ashton, a conformable Citizen . VIII. Death's Lecture and the Funeral of a Young Gentleman IX. An Epitaph upon a Young Married Couple, dead and X. The Princesses Mary and Elizabeth. From “To the Queen upon her numerous progeny” 84 |
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