in London, the son of a golem, L ee beet eet nen ice seston: He studi of apprenticeship to his wealthy uncle, during which he took part in an expe of Buckingham. As a royalist he lo 1648. In the same shies (which provided the background to much Cae nt fg Pt Senn ied at Cambrid ge after short period Sir William: Herrick, dition with the Duke st his post of Dean Prior at Devon of his poetry) in A fter the Restoration Herrick, however, was reinstated in his parish of Dean Prior, where he spent the remaining part of his life inthe quiet country.Wis lat OS ; ee, an feiineciats Pena ay cil by by its grace ace and gaiety, a fact which mak him one of the most him one of the most popular Poets of the ae The oo ete een ie eC \, Spontaneous impulse of his poems and ) “th harmonig 8 blending of happy word, phrase, and measure, in which! excels ’,(2) bring him him alive 1 in our own times. SAV. 7 bu é. * SEs JI > 9|Robert Herrick The achievement represented by of poems entitled Hesperides ( his only book, the collection: 1648), is gradually coming to be more fully appreciated. Hesperides as a whole have begun to reveal a Herrick whose artistry in the arrangement of his volume approximates the artistry of his individual works and whose sensibility is complex but coherent, subtle as well as substantive. In short, Robert Hetrick, who was proud to be one of ms of Ben,” has begun to be seen, along with his HearaeytibeaEaineionse, as one of the most noteworthy figures of — 17th-century English poetry. s eet all of the poems praise Tenaon as an artist, the oe — in Hesperides, “Upon Master Ben. Johnson. igh ae “Another,” are not without ambivalence Texas : ae “father” who has died (1637) and left his “son” behind. Bently NEIOROIS us Frayer a Ben ae Herrick Ti ae i in “To opoemnyithat . had explicitly eas NeainleisRectivie i the reverend eines of The poet sultimate finds expression in “Upon Ben Jonson” and in the pg. 1 ate Teege mer fea\ « is aX ou eer ts om inbim nos healayrcyHerrick also cultivated the royal ey with a series of flattering poems. Indeed, the king em \einy The king’s declining fortunes in the 1640s, however, must have made it difficult to sustain faith in his power to be a father to his subjects. As intimated by Herrick’s religious verse, the God The influence of Ben Jonson, however, goes oe these poate tributes. More than any of the other “sons,” Herrick acquaintance with the works of cls ssical v ich Greek poet of wine, women, and song, Anacreom ai Roman poets, especially H (all of whom Herrick mentions, SAURIES, or borrows . ick Herrick was Royalist, even though he was strongly sympathetic to the Puritan cause and to the parliamentary forces. In 1647 the poet was among the 142 clergymen expelled from their parishes for their convictions. classical ? os life lived Bite toe ity) focusing t Elsewhere in asi 3 not all nor even ipast of his poems can be classified as bucolic or pastora a ‘poetry, but all of the images also have to do withceremonies. Poetry can be thoug so perhaps H is indicating ht of as a kind of ritual, ‘ICK 18 indicating here th poet 0 | cer 1 . Alth ough youth, love, Ll reader that Hesperides includes ranging from flattering portraits of royalty and nobility to acerbic comments on government officials, practices, and policies. _ Nor does Herrick forewarn the reader that also includes shockingly listic: eve j - He also does not reveal that Hi erides is historically and morally grounded in numerous poems that bute to _ In addition, Herrick only hints at the existence of his poems of the good life, in the C - tradition, food and drink in general. _ The poet's soberer, philosophical vein, which surfaces in so many of the most important works in He Meee aa Feiss arahle —nhrase «i . Although he is not always solemn, Hetrick is often serious, and he takes “good verses” seriously indeed. No nglish poet is so involved i riting poetry about Det al10. ae and they are among the longest a throug es ae Se Spread ughout Hesperides are among the book’s ae memorable. For Herrick poetry 7 religion and the symbolic found last work in the collection is becomes a secular ation of Hesperides, The : a pattern poem in the shape of a classical column, “The Pillar of Fame.” effect is ] J he Cruciixion ane after! described as if the speaker (and the reader) are actual witnesses of the events. =| collection, 18 Mmé nainly of sacred epigrams. Many of these epigrams, offer explanations of Christian doctrine or are advisory in nature. Herrick professes to be “content” even if his earthly hours are numbered, and “indifferent” ifa long life lies before him. Herrick vows to contemplate his own death every night when he expresses quiet confidence that, if he dies, he will “rise triumphant in my Funeral. of his poems. Both are «s and depict the rituals that follow the marriage service and, as ceremonial works themselves. they participate in those rituals.