by

Layling Stubbs

B.A. , Univers i ty o f B r i t i s h Col.rmSia, i.564

APPROVAL

Name : Mayling Stubbs

Degree : Master of A r t s

T i t l e of Thesis: Quarles and Benlowes: A Study of Contemplative Themes and Imagery i n the Emblemes and Theophila

Examining Committee:

Chairman: John Wilders Univers i ty of Oxford, England

Alan Rudrum Senior Supervisor

Paul DelanyL

!

/ John Wilders

Colin Williamson Universi ty of Oxf ord

England

Date Approved: November 24/72

The Emhlcmos (1635) of F r m c i s I',uzrles arid the ep ic ' i ' h e o ~ h t l a by

h i s younger friend Ec1,v:ard Benlo~,:cs p rov ide the stuc1cnL of seventeenth-

century rnr:taphysical poetry of 5evotion r;ith u s c f u l modois of co~terri-

plnt-ive themes entl imagery. T b e i r ci i i i~ctic. treatmerit oi' 2 po:?ular

ci.evo t i o n a l thcme--the soul . ' s progress fro^ t e r ~ e s t r i a l -Lo 61-vine love--

is relatec! t o p a t r i s t i c ar?d mec?ieval mystic.ni theology end t o Renaissance

r~co-Platonism, The ~ ~ ; . k ~ c l inf luence of St. Augustine cen be observed

ir! i h e pocts ' adoption of styli.sJkic var ie ty , v i sua l and vesbal devices

xh ich heightsn the rer:derl s s p i r t t ua l perception, ar?d the '::.ovlng'

so~i rof i f o r Ccd througi.l~ mnta ; pTayer.

Chapter

. . . . . . . I THZ RT&ICIIOUS :G;D LITZRsiRY BACKGROnTD

IV.

V.

C . .

. * .

The subjec t o f t h e present study i s two minor w o ~ k s of t he 1

~ n e t n p h y s i c z l s c h o o l , t h n 3 ~ h I emes ondo don, 1635) by F r z n c i s Q u a r l e s / 2 am1 t h e e p i c ~ L ~ ~ n C i o n , 1652) by Ed+:ard 3ar.lovt.s, t h e young

f r i e n d of Quar l e s and p t r o n o f a number o f con tempcra r r m i t e r s . 5

Both poems a r e r a t h ~ r 9dJ e x a n ~ p l e s o f t h e t r r i t i n m of' t h o metaphysi-

c a l s c h o o l , t h e formor LJ v i r t , u e o f its n o t o r i o u s popular . i ty amongst

' t h e v u l g a r t and t h e l a t t e r by i t s me taphys i ca l excessas. Tne

i n t e r e s t i n t h e poems t a k e n t o g e t h e r i s t h e m y i n which they p rov i f l e

t h e s tudent of r 3 l i g i o u s ~ c c t a p h y s i c a l p o e t r y wi th a o o m p r e ~ ~ e n s i v e

treatment of -the themes scC imagery o f the v i a ccnto~.nlatj .v& which

proved s o a t t r a c t i . v e t o t h e p e r i o d as a whole.

The FXrbTemes weze model led on t h e p o p u l a r c o n t i n m t a l vogue -- which combined ' l s imple a l l e g o r i c a l designsN u i t h li2n e x ~ l a n a t o x y

-I lill subsequei l t ~ e f c r e n c e s t o t h e Di~bls;~e;.: p e ~ t c i i ; t o t h e ---- Bodle i an L i b r z ~ y o r i g i n s 1 e d i t i o n , Dcuce Q4U.

" 821 subsequent r e f c rc r ioes t o Theoph i l a p e r t a i n t o t h e Bod le i an L i b r c r y o r i g i n a l , s d i t i o n , Oouce B. 799. Tia oxteuded ti.tlr is: t ')Leophila, o r l ~ e _ b ~ a c r i f i c e . A d i v l n e pcte2, K r i t t e n Sy E,B. . . . Several p a r t s t h e r e o f s e t t o f i t a i r e s b: , . . J.

Benloiiost r e c c n t b i o g r a p h e r l is ts t h e fo1lowir.g as p robab le r e c i p i e n t s of h i c l a , r&ess s : Francis Q u a r l e s , Ph ineas F l e t c h e r , John Ogi lby , Yape Fish:?-, S i r Y i l l i a m D ' A v e n a ~ t , Thomas F u l l e r , James H o ~ ; e l l , 2 a l p h h i n Lerton, aid John S i c t o r . Harold J e n k i n s , E d m r d B e n l o ~ ( e s (1602-1676) : B i o ; , ~ m h y o f a Iiiinor P o e t ondo don, ---- 1952rLass in .

motto . . . d e s t i n e d t o t e a c h i n an i n t u i t i v e form a moral t ru th . l t4

Quar les took h i s e n g r ~ v i n p s and &enern1 format from t t : ~ J e s u i t

s o u r c e s , Hernan Hugo's P i z D~;:sicl-eri.a ( ~ n t v e r p , 1624) a n d t h e anony-

mous Tyljus 1-undi (Antwerp, 1627) .5 The two were cornbincd i n Q u a r l e s '

v e r s i o n s o a s t o p resena t h e l a t t e r p l a t e s i n Books I and 11, and

t h e former i n Books I11 t o V. The p roduc t ion proved t o be 3 bes t -

s e l l e r i n an age o f g r e a t metaphysica l and d e v o t i o n a l poet ry . W h i l e

Herbe r t r:as k i n d l i n g i~ ti12 miiids of p o e t s and p l a t o ~ ~ i . s l s , " noted

Beachcrof t , Y&arlea ' &,hZ ens were en joy ing a r o b m t ~ ~ = . e : ~ a r i o u s l i f e , -- --- 'a wonderful voner2 t ion m o n g i h e v u l g a r 1 , as P h i l i p , M i l t o n ' s

6 nephew, c a l l e d it. I t A. torment by Horace b a l p o l e i n d j c d b d how even

John M i l t o n ' s fane was q c l i p s e d tltill t h e world had & m e a d n i r i n g

Quarl es . tt7

From t h e t ime o f t h 3 c r i g i n a l p u b l i c a t i o n i n 1635 wtil t h e

t u r n o f t h e cen tu ry , thc L'lr~ble~xes vent through twelve eC-iticns. 8

14ario P r a z , Stud ;es iz 3 e ~ e ~ n t - n t r y m y 2nd ed. ( ~ o m e , 1964) , p* 15.

6 T. 0. Beachcro f t , I c Q u a r l e ~ and t h e Zmbics Habi t , I 1 Dcblin

Beview, 188 ( 1 9 3 i ) , p. 8 ~ .

Douglas Bush, '$&j.:;i L i t e ~ m t u r e i n the~g~1&!SSenteenth n vontw,v, 1600-1660 ( G X ~ G T Z , 1345), p. 89. --

8 Gordon S. l iaigh t , "The Sources o f Q u a r l e s s R!aL.lerns, ghs L i b r a r y , 4 t h Sa-ies , XVi ( Septembeyy 1935) , 188..

Douglas Hush descr ibed i t a s Itthe nos t popular book o f ve r se of t h e

seventeenth century t l (p . 89). Some c r i t i c s have a t t r i b u t e d t h i s

q u a n t i t a t i v e d i s t i n c t i o n t o f z c t o r s ou t s ide t h e poe t ry i t s e l f . Pope,

f o r example, a ccu r s t c ly pointed t o t h e a t t r a c t i o n s of i t s v i s u a l

f o m ("Or :rhere t h e p i c t u r e s f o r t h e page a tone, / And Quarles is 9 saved by beau t i e s n o t h i s own.i'). Other c r i t i c s haft noted t h e

t imely appearance of Quarles' popular guidebook t o devotion i n con-

junct ion with a n a t i o n a l per iod o f i n t e n s e noraJ s e l f - s c ru t i ny and

i n t e r e s t i n t heo log i ca l doctrines.'' The p l ea s ing c;omtcnance of

t h e bblcrnes i n t h i s sense merely enhanced t h e d i d a c t i c p i e t y of --- t i e work.

There were, hoxeoer, reasons f o r t h e popula r i tg o f t h e work

xore d i r e c t l y r e l z t e a t o i t s rnets!.physical stgle and content . The

I t ' t h eo log i ca l w i t l l i " a f t h e ~ r o c t e r metaphysical poe t s cdded a

savoury elenlent t o Quar lesg cha . r ac t e r i s t i c Itdark vis ionv. The

persuas ive and v iv id metephorzcal expression common + o i h e school

of Donne was modified by Q x r l e s ' simple phreseology and co l l oqu i a l

nanner i n such a vay tha t h i s ve r se suggested t h e j .yr ic isn of

~ o u s m m r a t h e r than t he ' s t rong- l inedt poetry of Dcnne, An excerpt

from Enlblem 11.10 i l l u s t r a t e s Quar les t blenci. of h o n Q phrase and

n s l sncho l i c t h e m :

The Dunoiad, ed. Jtnies Su ther l ind , 3 r d cd. rev. ( ~ o n r l o i ? 2nd Herr Ikven, 1963 j , p. 280.

Beachcroft, p. 81.

I b i d : 9 P 80.

BUS^, p. 90.

2ond you th , go b u i l d t h y hopes on b e t t e r grounds: The s o u l e t h a t v a i n l y founds

Her I o y e s upon t h i s .rroyld, b u t feeds on empty sounds: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . O r what a r e Ken, bu.t puf fs of dying brea$h,

Heviv'd wi th 1- iv ing death? Fond l a d , 0 b u i l d t h y hopes on s u r e r grounds

Thcn r:h~.t dul i f ' l esh propounds ; T r u s t n o t t h i s h o l l o v t ~ o r l d , s h e e t s empty: Rark;

Beachcrof t r i ~ h t l y s u g g e s t s t h a t Quar l e s f o r t e lie^ j;; t h e n a t u r a l

emphasis and rhythm given t o c m e f u l l y s c l e c ted. ~ ? @ r d s . "The f low o f

unexpected 2nd. r a t h e r o6.d though t s and expr t i s s iom f r o a Quer les l pen

seems conv inc ing ly ready and unforced." (p. 80).

By c o n t r a s t v i t h t h e s t r i k i n g l u c i d i t y 3f t he A-L--.~ E ~ L i e n s s

!Ph~oph i l a i s a superb exm?l.a o f metaphysica i p o e t r y gone t o seed. - It t h r e a t e n s t o ontdo t h o l e a r n e d n e s s and a ~ ~ y m e n t t i t i v e wit o f Donne's

v e r s o a s v e l l as t h e "glowing i n t e n ~ i t ~ ' ~ ~ o f Crashax w19 t h e baroque

rcl lool o f d e w - t i c p a l poet ry . T i g h t l y kn i t by e 1 a b o r s . t ~ sor,cei-l;s,

c l e v e r word and. v i s u a l gmacv, and h y p e r b o l i c e jzcula t i u n s , Theophi la

is a x e x p l o s i v e p o ~ t i r : b u r d l e which demonst rs tes , e s c o ~ d i n g t o

Feorge hTillian;son, just llr;h;il; could happcn t o t i e t aphys lcz l poe.Lry

when it packed all o f i t:j axt ravagence i n t o c i ~ e minL ,!:-4

The conpl imentaqr vcrse o f D1kvenant, John H a l l , Jarerny C o l l i e r

and h a l t e r Elontague merely h i g h l i g h t e d t h e d i sc repancy between Benl.cwesf

assumgd r o l e o f v a t i s and h i s subsequent r a p i d f a l l from l i t e r m y fame.

Anthony ki Wood remarked w y ~ t i c a l l y i n 1691 t h a t Benlowes w a s "Kuch

n o t e d i n h i s t i m e , b u t s i n c e n o t , f o r t h e ert and faou3.i.y o f poet ry . ,,I5

' - ' ~ e o r ~ e lli l l iaxnson, The Donne T r a d i t i o n . . ., rpt. ( ~ e w York, 19581, P. 175.

l4 I b i d 9 P. 176.

15 Anthony & 7:ood, F a s t i Gxonienses. .& ondo don, 1691) , ii.,

358.

I n h i s " C h r a c t e r of a Smz3.1 Poet , ' S m u e l B u t l e r ' s a t t a c k on Benloves

f u r t h e r reduced t h e impcct o f T h e o ~ h i 3 e on l a t e r r e n d e r s , perhaps even

beyond i t s p roper s c a l e .

B u t l e r r i g h t l y de f ined BenLouest s t a t u s as a second.-rate poe t

i n t c m s of t h e l a , t t e r ' s a b s o r p t i v e use o f source -mate r i a l , f r e q u e n t l y

x i t h l i t t l e o r no a l t e r a t i o n from t h e o r i g i n a l : %ha teve r he l i g h t s

upon e i t h e r i n Books, o r Cc~npmy, he r n ~ l r c s bo ld wi th as h i s o m . I t 1 6

I n t h e c u r r e n t academic xor;.d, i n o t h e r r:ords, Benlowes would f a i l on

t h e ground of p l s g i c r i s c ; s lone , And y e t whst i s i f i t e r e c t i n g abowt

Benlovcs as a represen-tative of a p a s s i n g phase i n English l i t e r a t u r e

i s t h a t even i n t h i s v i c e (cnc: among rneny p o e t i c f z u l t s ) h e fo l lows

n a t u r e l l y t h e p r e c e p t s l a i d d o m by Owen Fentlia~n' s p o p i i l a ~ roedi t a t i v e

gu ide , t h e --- Resolves. There :'emham dei'ends t h e ~ x c t i c e o f "quot ing

wi thout naming o n e ' s eu thors t ! as a l i t e r m y technique z p p r o p r i a t e t o

gentlemen, f o r " t o do other:;S.se would be ' f o r a Gen-l lega~ . . , a

l i t t l e p e d a n t k c a l l ' . ,117

Benl.oues, a l a s ' , hus blc;o t o anst ier f o r h i s p&ant.)?..y. But t h e

cr-ax of h i s f a i l u r e as a pcs* l i e s t o a g r e a t e x t e n t i n h i s gentlemanly

approach t o t h e art. H e is r a t h e r more t h e c u l t u r e d v i r t u o s o o f t h e

Renaisssnce than he i c a y e t , H i s pen i s n o s t a l . g i c z l i y engaged i n

r e v i v i f y i n g a deca.s.iilg uc r ld by i n j e c t i n g i t with t h e ' c l d philosophy'

i n an e x a l t e d theological p o e t i c c u l t i v a t e d by o c c u l t i s t s o f t h e

I t a l i a n Renaissance. I n Z e o p h i l a t h e s t y l i s t i c p e c u l i a r i t i e s o f t h e

seventeenth-century -- c o n s e t t i s t i ---- and t h e o l o g i c a l n - i t e r s c.f t h e neo-

P1a.toxi.c school merge ~dtL t h e p o e t ' s g rand iose ra l ig ious m d p o e t i c 18 d e s i g n s t o c r e a t e t h e barpque p e a r l so r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e e r t i s t i c

emphasis o f t h e age. B u t l e r ' s neoc1a:;sical p e r s p e c t i v e i n t h e fo l lowing

16 - - Charac te r s E E ~ Pzssrz,b-e~ from i:o tebooks, ed. A. R. z l l e r ( ~ i r n b r i d ~ e , 1906), ?p. 47-8. O r i g i n a l l y p r i n t e d i n t h e iienains of 1759. --

.. .-..

I U T h e o n h i l e t s l ~ v i s h engravinps and e x h i l a r a t e d tone both con- s p i r e t o g i v e i t t h e t " i r r e g ~ i a r i t y ' ~ e tymolog ica l ly a s s o c i t t e d wi th t h e term :>arcaue. See 0. D c i.:ourgues, I:ef ~ ~ h p i ~ i : l ~ ~ P o ( ~ u ~ ~ - ? ~ ~ c ~ o u x --- P o e t r y , r 2 t . ( ~ e n n s ~ l v a n i a , 1369) , pp. 67-8.

passage enphas i ses t h e s t r i k i n g c o n t r a s t b e t ~ e e n t h e new p o e t i c

v a l u e s and t h o s e r e p r e s e n t e d i n Benlowes' e p i c :

There i s no F e a t of A c t i v i t y , r?or G m 1 0 0 3 o f 1Jit , t h a t e v e r vas performed by Z i m , 'from him t h e t v a u l t s on P e ~ a s ~ z s , t o him tklzt tumbles th rou& t h a Hoop o f en - hapam, b u t Benlo::~ h a s g o t t h e K a s t e r ; ~ i n i t , ~ r h e t h e r i t be high-rope L i t , o r lox-rope Nit. He h a s a l l S o r t s of gr;ocs, Rebus ' s , C&ono:-p~, &c. bos ides C z r x i t c h e t s , Clench cs , and &i~+eL?--k~s f o r A l t a r s and I 3 2 7 ; i o ; i n P o e t r y , he h a s out-done a l l b:en t h a t Gay; for llcs h?,s made a Chridiro;, a d a Ii4tyin&an i n Verse, t h t ? k z s i d e the Likeness i n Shape, t h e very Tone and Sowid cf %ha 'liords d i d p e r f e c t l y r e p r e s e n t t h e Nois2, k h 3 t i s mnde by those U t e n s i l s . . . 19

Xhi l e T h c o p h i l ~ ' ? s c c a s i o n a l shaped v e r s e s sllg;.est, an a e s t h e t i c

a f f i n i t y with H e r b e r t ' s Teak, t h e v i s u a l s p l c n G o u ~ s 3P t h e

erigravings r e i n f o r c e t h e n a t u r e o f t h e p o e t ' s 6Lebt t o t h e a ~ t of t h e

I t . z l i a n Renaissence. " Tnoophi la i s d e p i c t c d as a you th fu l rnater

dol-orosa, h e r cdes d i r e c t e d hemenwards as i f ii: a t r n n c c , h e r w e l l - - er1dowed f i g v r e envelopccl i n f lowing g~rmen+,s. Fmm t h e r a d i a n t

c? oucts about ihc Sun vinged a n g e l s descend t o crown t h s heroine--mcl

i n t e r t h e poe t himsell". I k r e t o o a r e portraycc? gscmetrica!. r ep ree -

e n t a t i o n s o f t h e Godhead, t h e heavenly h o s t s e a t c 3 amongst biilor.ring

c l o u d s , s i m e r s cascad ing d o m t o t h e f i e r y abyss.

The background of t h e o l o g i c a l and s t y l i s t i c c o n ~ e p t s which b e a r

on t h e v i s u a l enphas i s i n t h e .Fhbleaes and i n Theouhi lc is sn impor tant

a s p e c t o f t h e p r e s e n t s tudy. Both works t a k e Sor t h c i r c e n t r a l theme

t h e vay i n which t h e lov.lng s o u l p r e p a r e s i t s e l l " f ~ r t h e v i s i o

~ h c h n i g h t be exper ienced i m p e r f e c t l y d u r i n g man's c o r p o m l existence

and o n l y i n i t s f u l l g l o r y a f t e r t h e r e l e a s e o f t he s o u l f r ~ m i ts

i r rq r i son ing c e l l . The p a t h of t h e s o u l on t h i s r i g o r o u s journey i s

l9 Kaller edn., p. 53.

20 See J e n k i n s , gp. 48-55.

t h e m e d i t a t i v e way employed by t h e mys t i ca l t heo log ians . The p o e t s t

d .epic t ion of Anina and h e r r e l ? t i o n r , h i p v i t h t h e Divine Cupid r e v e a l s

t h e c o n s i d e r a b l e i n f l u e n c e o f S t . Augustine, t h e phi losopher-d iv ine

whose w r i t i n g s pemleatcd both Ca tho l i c ~ ~ n d . Ca1vini:j.t theology i n t h e

s e v e n t e e n t h cen tu ry . S-L, Augus t ine f s t h e o ~ i e s of C h r i s t i a n o r a t o r y

a l s o p rov ide an a e s t h e t i c , i jasia f o r the ---- Emblene:; 2nd Theophila . The

e a r l y F a t h e r ' s p r a i s e o f b i b l i c a l sirnplici-Ly on t h e one hcmd and o f

r i c h a l l e g o r i c a l synbo2.isrn on t h e o t h e r i s manifestec; i i l t h e two

s t y l i s t i c approaches xkich d i s t i n g u i s h t h e p o e t r y o f @.la-eles and

Benlotres.

S t . August ica s x r i t i n g s were h i g h l y va lued by Fici.no and t h e

I t a l i a n rieo-Platonia-ts f o r t h e i r P l a t o n i c con ten t . 13 The~plii.1.z

t ~ a c e s of t h e me%a?hysical d o c t r i n e s which e n t e r e d m y s t i c ~ l theology

from AuPst ins t s ea21y Greek sources mey be perce ived. As d i s c u s s e d

below, !I%eqphiia i s c o n s t r u c t e d i n such a way as t o m L o d y %he t r i a d i c

p r i n ~ i ~ 1 . e ~ which t h e C h r i s t ~ a n med i t a t ive t r a d i t i o n j q h e r i t e d from

t3.e e a r l y nm-I3::atonists, ?!'he f i n a l c h z p t e r s o f t h i s s t u a y w i l l f o c u s

on t h e imagery of 5 . l l an ina t ion and union vh ich e n t e r & -i.he metaphysi-

c a l p o e t r y o f Quar l c s 2nd i k ? i i l o ~ e s through t h e theol.ogicaJ. p o e t i c of

f e d i e v a l and Renai rsance mystical theologiens .

The Emblenes arid Thecphi la r e p r e s e a t two v a r y i n g d e p e c s o f - -- C h r i s t i a n neo-Platonism vhich a r e d e s c r i b e d by Ikrerl-::~.fie RPtstvie i n

h e r a r t i c l e "Images of P e r f e c t i o n f l . "It i s , " s h e writes,

a f a i r l y simpla m a t t e r t o prove t h a t 1 i u ~ s t i n e t s C h r i s t i a n i z e d v e r s i o n o f P l a t o n i c thought t n f l u e a s e d n o t o n l y t h e !S.didl~ Ages b u t a l s o t h e F iena i s saax , so t h a t i t nag be ~ i s e r t o r e f e r t o Renaissance sync re t i sm r? , the r t h a n Reneissance IJeoplatollj s m whenever t h e r e f e r e n c e is t o r:orks l i k e P i c o t s lieptapl!zs o r $3 c ino 's Tficolo,~ia P l a t o n i c a . . . . - The many s p c r e t i s t i c accounts o f c r e a t i o n pub- l i s h e d du3:ing -the Sena i s sance i l l u m i n a t e themes and i r n ~ g e s 04 f r e o u e n t occurregce i n Ehg l i sh p o e t r y from S p n s e r t o Idi l ton, e s p e c i a l l y images o f p e r f e c t i o n . 21

21 I n Seven t e e n t h 4 e n t u r . y InaC?ery: Essays on- Uses o f F i g u r a t i v e Language from Conns t o h ' s rcular , ed. L a r l L i n e r ( ~ e r k e l e ~ , e t c . , 1971) , PP* 2-30

I n t h e Emblenes Q u n r l e s weaves t h e emblems and imagery which evol-ved

o u t of August inian and neo-Pla tonic thought i n t o a p o e t i c cxpress ion

vh ich focuses on m e d i t a t i v e 2nd b i b l i c a l themes, and i n p a r t i c u l a r on

t h e personal ~ t r u ~ g l e s and c o n f l i c t s of t h e i n d i v i d u a l soul . I n

Theophi la t h e baclcgsound t o t h e exper ience o f t h e God-loviug s o u l i s

expmded and e i a b o r z t e d wi th a network of concepts s h i c h b e l i e a.

mam3 marked a f f i n i t y wi th t h e semi-occult themes o f t h e l o l d phi losophy ' ,

I n bo th poems t h e d o c t r i n e o f u n i v e r s a l correspondences undor-

l i e s such hierarchios .1 r e l a ' i i o n s h i p s a s , f o r example, t h a t between

b o d i l y p a s s i o n , t h e s o u l ' s i n t e l l e c t i v e and c r e a t i v e ' Ere, t h e cosmic

sur~ and t h e suprcrne Di~ . r i r ) e F i r e of God. The c o n t i n d i n g i n f l u e n c e o f

t h e Renaissa!?cc t:orld-view G i 1 mid-century minor p o e t s like Q y a r l e s f l

and Benlowea l e n d s suppor t i o Carrels s+,atement tha t t h e I1philosophy

t h c t 'pre.tend.eth t o d i s c o v e r t h z t c o r r e s p o n d e ~ ~ c e o r concntenat5on

which i s bottreen Qhc c u p m i o r g lobe and t h e i n f e r i o r : . . . cont inued

t o a b s o r b mmy t h o u ~ h t i u l . persons d u r i n g and a f t e r Bacon's ci2y." 22

'%here Beiiloweo d e p a r t s t o socle e x t e n t from Q ~ a r l e s ' more orthodox

a d a p t a t i o n o f such a ~ m c l d v i e ~ is i n h i s eage rness tc: ezyound many

of t h e s y x c r e t i s t i c i ' e a t ~ r e r c ,ut l ined by Carre ss belonging t o the

serni-occult f r i n z e o f t h e o l d p h i l o s o ~ h y :

I n t h e w r ? t i n g ~ o.," t h e s e i l - lumifiat i c7,ii e1.aborete t i s s u e of a l l e g o r y t:es xouen round t h e biorlds o f i ~ n i . ~ r e and o f s p i ~ i t * A 7 le tho2a o f m y s t i c z l expl.nnations were d r a m f rorn the biblic:i,i, n a r r a t i v e s , especially from tb.e s t o r y of t h e c r s a t i o n o f A h a i n Genesis; and. a mass o f o c c u l t cosmo10,gy x i s c u l l e d from t h e h e m e t i c bocks 2nd from t h e Cabbzla. . . . The opposing p r i n c i p l e s o f i l g h t and da rkness . . . ? l e y an impor tant rs le i n L l l s scheme of t h i n g s . The 1,1ir,d in l i g h t , t h e body darkness. Zvery f e a t u r e o f the heavens and t h e earth h a s i ts c o u n t e r p a r t i n t h e body and n i n d o f man, f o r God h a s made -two images of Himself , t h e I-:orld and. man. The a n a l o g i e s between 'the macrocosm and i h e microcosm are endless ly dram out . The c l a i m s o f a s t r o l o g y , alchemy, and sympathet ic ma@c are p r e s s e d a t e v e r y p o i n t ; f o r a l l t h i n g s a r e permeated with s e c r e t a f f i n i t i e s and z n t i p a t h i e s . As r e g a d s method, t h e o l d symbolism o f numbers, o f geometr ica l forms, and o f l e t t e r s , i s l a v i s h l y employed. *3

Franc is Quar les (1592-1644) and Edward Benlorres (1602-1676) were

c l o s e personal f r i e n d s , and t h e i r deep f r i endsh ip i s witnessed i n t h e

Dedication as veil a s i n two engravings of t h e Z m b l e ~ . 24 "idy deare

Fricml , I1 rmi tes -tho elcier poe t , "You hrve pu t i h c Theorboe i n t o rnz hnnd; and I ilsve-_nl?.d: You cave t h e I.:uzitian the f i r s t cricouragernent;

t h e Husicke re turnt ' s t o you f o r i>atror;a~:e." i3eyond t h e mutual fondness

f o r music 23d t h e a r t s an6 t h e f i nanc i a l l a rge s se of 3enlor:es c i t e d

by Quarlee i n h i s Gedicat:i.cn, t h e trro poets shared a comraon educational

and s o c i a l backezour,d, Bo-hi were born of Essex gentr3; an4 though a

decade separated t2to two aoe+,s, they had each been e~uc : t ed a t

Canbridge-Quczrles ct Ch5.s-t . '~ College and B c n l o ~ ~ c s a l Si. John's--

and had spent a yeaT zi; Lincoln ' s Inn, I n h i s biography 0 3 Rcnlowes

Earold Jenkiris records i h s ' :strong l o c a l t r a d i t i o n t I ~ t Qlt .r les

a c t u e l l y composed t ha -- i-il;ii.A:.c~ -- a t Brent Hal l [in P i m h i n g f ~ c l d , s i t e

of t h e Benlowes' f m i l y mknor] , ~There a. path besici3 an ci.?. ;;all i n

t h e go'rden i s s t i l l pointed out a s h i ? f ~ v o u r i t e walk w h i l e doing so, ,,25

The f r i endsh ip bett;mn Quarles and Denlorres a l ? ? included

Phineas F l e t che r (1582--1.650), whose poem The P u q l n IsLa-d / 1633) was

g r e a t l y admired by. Een2.o.i;es. Tho poe t i c k insh ip ;ii-th .Fletcher i s a

s i @ i f i c a ? ? t one, f o r Theonhila re f ' l ec t s a s i m i l a r i ~ t e r e ~ 1 1 i n a l l ego ry ,

belaboured ccr~espor:denc,es arld d i d a c t i c schema, and pseudo-scientif ic 26 themes. The Chr i s t i an Plc ionic poetry of Phineasl fat 'not , Giles

F l e t che r , a s wel l as t he e a r l i e r poetry of Du Bar tas xc! Sjmiser,

24 The engravings a r e those accompanying Emblem V.6 a ~ l d t h e I n v o c ~ t i o n t o Book I, iil shich t h e globe is narked by t h e i r x s i d e n c e s I

oxw well and Finchingf i e l d , r e spec t i ve ly ) .

25 Jenkins , p. 77. 26 See Jenk ins , pp. 65-70. Benlotres' alchemical image17 w i l l .be

discussed i n Ch2p-ter I V . The Pre face c e r e f u l l y maps ou t t h e astrono- mical r a t i o s and d i s t a z c e s bet7;een e e r t h a ~ d superlunaxy l e v e l s of t h e cosmos, thus reminding t h c rea.der of Benlowes' f r i endsh ip s i t h Alexander Ross, a con t rove r s i a l and conservat ive v i r t uoso i i l sc ience whose as t r s izon ic~ , l public::"cions chi-.llenged t h e t heo r i e s of the 11er.r philosophy.

were a l s o g r e a t l y esteemed by Benlories. The .irorl:~ o f t h e former two

p o e t s uncioubtedly r e i n f o r c e d i3enlowes1 Plz , tonic a d baroque i n c l i n -

a t i o n s .

Bei%hc,r Quar lcs n o r Benloves p e n e t r a t e d t h e l i t a r a r y c i r c l e s o f

t h e c o u r t , a l though t h e i r works were a t t imes eddressed t o r o y a l t y

and 3enlowrs s o u r h t r o y a l :eco~;ni t ion f o r h i s f r i e n , ? ' ~ work. 2 7

Quar les a t t z i n e d a modest r e p u t a t i o n d u r i n g t h e 1 6 2 ~ : ~ wit'n h i s

4zgalus and P:'aTtFenic, and b i b l i c a l n a r r a t i v e s ; and ti:<+ Divine

Fanc ies o r d e v o t i o n a l m e d i t a t i o n s o f 1632 were w e 3 1 rece ived. H e

m o t e a number o f p r o s e t r a c t a t e s i n the ear1.g L ~ ~ c ' Y , but t h e

Emblemes , f r e q u e n t l y combined 1i.i-th t h e H i e r o ~ ~ ; 1 ~ ~ 1 1 i c k r - ~ ~ 3 f t h e L i f e -- of Kan af-Ler t h e l a t t e r had ~tppeared i n 1638, proved t o be t h e main- .-- s t a y o f h i s p o p u l a r i t y .

Both men evinced b~ t h e i T p u b l i c a t i o n s an overr;helming concern

; ~ i t h d e v o t i o n a l t o p i c s emboc!iad i n a dic1act.i.c f o m . & u a r l e s t

Ihc:hiridj.on (1640-1) again d e a l t 715th r e l i g i o u s p r e w p t s , t h i s t ime

ir, psose . & a r t from a f e v conplimentary v e x e s and o ~ o o r ~ i a ,

3cn lo~ ;es a l s o concen t ra t ed cn r e l i g i o u s themes. One o f h i s e a r l y

works combinirte poe i ry an2 p r o s e was t h e Snh; nx T21eal~f:ica. T h i s

sons is tec i o f a s e r i e s o f n e d i t a t i o n s accompmiie2, like 'Aa ihblcmes, . 1 5 t h b i b l i c a l t e x t s . A Troluine o f devo t ionc l p o e t r y fo i lcwed T h ~ o -

p h i l a and %-as e n t i t l e s L2ci-a C o e l e s t i s (1673). J e n k h s c o m e n t .- r e v e e l s t h a t t h e l a t e r v o l u e on m i r a c l e s l ies as o the rwor ld ly a x d

wondrously c o n t r i v e d as h i s e p i c :

The d i s c c v c r y o f God's myster ious o r d e r made one write i n paradox; a:ld t o do s o r;as t o hcnour God by i m i t a t i o n . I n such a p o e t a s Benicwes tiSs 'metaphysica l ' method su rv ived r;ell i n t o tP.e Res to ra t ion . By now Hobbes and Newton had e x a l t e d

-- *' H i s "~;uar l%is" m a in t roduced by n poem t~ C h i r l e s I, and

tcuched on t h e misfor t lme t h a t h i s f r i e n d ' s va lu ;b l s s e r v i c e s v e r e as y e t u m o m r d e d ( ~ e n k i n s , p. 80). Qu: r l e s l Divine Pcems (1633) ------ was a l s o addressed t o t h e King.

r eason m d n z t u r a l la,w; bu t Bcnlovres still r e t a i n e d t h e e a r l i e r mind rihich, i n s t e a d of look: '~rq f o r a lucirl. system of t h i n g s , t h r i l l e d t o a mystery i n e x ~ l i c a b l e or. e s r t h . (P. 2951

The l a t e r c a n t o s of Theophi la reves.1 Benlo:.:esl fondness f o r

t h e l i f e of r u r a l r e t i ~ e m s n t nnci med i t a t ion , i n vilich t h e m i r a c l e s

o f c r e a t i o n c o n s t i t u t e f c r t h e devo t iona l p o e t an earth1.y Paradise:

T h i s t h e . ? ~ ? i a f ' - G : ?den t o spirituel 3:-cs, 5,hicli frz:~: nt Scent of Gums o~x t -v i e s ;

Three ICii1:~ h r d t!lonce t h e i r t r i p l e ~ ~ ~ y s t - ~ c ! . % c r i f i c e .

( X I X I , x x i i i - x x i v , p. 239)

I n Canto XI11 Ben1o:;es a t t r i b u t e s i n p a r t h i s d e v o t i c ? ~ t o "S'JilIPWRIA''

and t h e contenpla . t lve l i f e t o zn amorous m l s c h ~ ~ i c e o f h i s youth.

T h i s P e t r a r c h a n mot i f is apphre i i t ly subl imated i r i t h e 2025 's devo t ion . t o t h e s a i n t l y w&ys o f T h e o p b . i l ~ , 8nd may a l s o accocn t f o r h i s

P l a t o n i c c l o o f n e s s t o ",he chsrins of t h e f a i r sex. Th-2s he con t inues :

. . . A h i g h ' r Love ' s he re desigri 'd; Fi- t i n each BCeas t t a be e n s h r i n ' d :

B r i g h t Sn::els do ;amit no Sax, n o r does t h e Id.indt.2. (xxx, p. 2 39) 28

Quar les was no s w h absts.ir,e?-. b u t he d i d s h a r e h i s f r i e n d ' s d i sapprova l r

of t:anton c i t y T7ays and d e d i c a t i o n r a t h e r t o t h e contemplative rnodus

y fvand i . Indeed t h e r e l i g i o u s a f f i n i t i e s between both p o e t s can b e s t

be observed i n te rms of t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e c o n t i n e n t a l

m e d i t a t i v e t r ~ d i t i o n .

28 Grosa r t r e c o r d s t h e legend t h a t Q u a r l e s e a s " ' a u t h o r o f e i g h t e e n c h i l d r e n . ' " Rev. A, B. Grosar t , ed. , The Complete ;,or%s_ i n P r o s e ~ t n d Verse o f !?rsncis C+unrles, 3 vo l s . , Cher tsey i l o r t b i e s Ll k r a r y T ~ r i v a t c C i r c u l a t i o n , l o b K 1 , xxi .

Amidst t h e r e l i g i o u s tumul t s of t h e age Quar les and Berllo~res

s tood firm a g a i n s t hat t h e former d e s c r i b e d a s t h e "two v i c e s ,

Popery and a m a t i s m e . " Each a r r i v e d a t h i s uneasy compliance wi th

t h e Eigh h g l i c a n f z i t h by t h e c o n t r a s t , i n g r o u t e s o f Pur i t an i sm and

Cathol ic ism r e i p e c t i v e l y . But t h e i r ad.lierence .to %he Church o f

E n e l a i d ~ q r i the rnonsrchy es the r i g h t f u l r;iodu8 o p e r 2 p G remained a

s t r o n g bond between them. 29 Qua,rles summari ses t h e i r mutual p o s i t i o n

i n h i s 0i1l.y play, a n a l l e g o r i c s l "ComedieH e n t i t l e d The Virgin- i!iclo?i

(1640). 11; k c t V , Dr . A r t e s i o i s c a l l e d upon t o a s s i s t Lady Albion,

who i s %uch t r o u b l e d ir? h e r head, and when t h e f i t t a k e s h e r , ' she

s p e a . 1 ~ ~ n e v e r a word of sense: she t a l k s o f n o t h i n g ' b u t Bishops, and

P ~ t i t i o n s . f t ' Pe conciud.es +&et s h e i s b e s e t by " s o m bzd blood i n

h e r v e i n e s , " ?rhich rec ju i res o z ~ r t i o u s t r e a t m e n t , f o z :'if a v e i n e b e

once opene2, t h e best. b lcc5 i n h e r body may chance to p a s s too ,

which s h e cez~ hard ly spsre, wi thout p a l p a b l e a m g e r . Lady Temple,

i t t r a n s p i r e s , i s a i n i l a s l y plagued, i n h e r c a s e by a "LethargieM---

" a Chron ice l l d i s e a s e , a:d t ime must c u r e it." "3ut l e t h e r know,"

kraxs Cpa.clcs v i a D r . A r ' a s i o , t h a t so l o n c as zhe e n t e r t a i n s t h i s ru6c r ~ b b l e cf u n s m c t ? ~'li:~?. 1-eclmnicks, Shee c m n e v e r p r o s p e r i n h e r h ~ ~ i t h . T i l l s h e bz;?i.::h ~.hc,:a, t h c c e r.rii l kc? no rcomc f o r me. . . . L e t her f a s t i n g be f r e q u e n t , m d h e r Prs,yers, CoirL,,~on. 30

Khiie Quarles i n the cr thodox f a s h i o n denounce; t h e a c t i v i t i e s

o f t h e e x t r e m s o 2 a r a t i s t clen.lenl;s i n t h s P u r i t a n r a n k s , t h e r e is

n e v e r t h e l e s s a s t r o n g C a l v i n i s t i c f ls ,vour t o h i s p i e t y . H i s works

d i s p l t y a marked a v e r s i c n t o t h o s e s o c i a l a c t i v i t i e s z g p l n s t trhich

29 Both p o e t s p a i d d e a r l y f o r t h e i r r o y a l i s t g o s i t i o n . See Gordon S. Haigh t , I1Pranuis I,ua.-Ses i n t h e C i v i l k r , " z39, 1 2 , Ko.46 ( k p r i l , 1936) 2nd J e n k i n s , Chaster 21, " m d o f t h e Lanced Ckntleman."

30 I ia ight , i b i d . , pp. 148-151.

t h e Pur i ta izs inveighed., t o "p lays on Sunday . . . d r i n k i n g , and . . . t h e r i b a l d t a l k o f t h e txvern. 1 1 3 1 Grosar t w r i t e s t h a t t h i s a s c e t i c

tendency d e r i v e s from the p o e t ' s probable e a r l y t u t o r i n g by t h e l o c a l

c h a p l a i n , a man renowned a s a member "of t h e o l d s t o c k o f 'godly

Pur i t ans" ' ( y e xv), Indeed, d u r i n g h i s a d u l t y e a r s C:uarles a s s o c i a t e d

wi th " t h e b e t t e r c l a s s o f Pur i tansI t . Gordon liaig!:t n o t e s t h a t t h e

neigi lbouring Z a r r i n g t o n fami ly , i n f l u e n t i & Par l . iamenter ians , main-

t a i n e d f i n m c i ~ l and s o c i z l r e l a t i o n s wi th t h e poet . Quar les a l s o

d e l i v e r e d h i s " v a m l a t ions o f t h e Psalms t o t h e ??ex E h c l ~ n d P u r i t a n ,

John Cotton, I t ' f o r h i s ayprobs t ion . 1 1132

TO a g r e a t e x t e n t i t was t h i s deep p i e t y i n Quarloss l m i t i n g

which endeared him t o u wide reade r sh ip . The m o r a l i s t i c age appar-

e n t l y i d e n t i f 5 e d w i t h h i s p e r s i s t e n t theme o f t h e ltvr,?tc=hsiiness o f

man's ear th ly e x i s t e n c e . T h i s a s p e c t of Quzr l e s r texpcrsnieni: i s

q p r o p r i a t e l y represent ix i i n h i s first ~ o r k , a macabre Xeds-t f o r

Korines. F u l l e r , f o r one, r e l i s h e d t h e way ir, which Q m r l e s coifid -- v i s u a l i z e both %he e x t e r n a l and t h o i n n e r c o n d i t i o n of F ~ 1 l ~ a - 1 man:

W i s v e r s e s on Job a r e dons t o t h e l i f e , so t h a t t h s reader may s e e

h i s s o r e s , and througli t h m t h e a n m s h o f h i s s 0 u 1 . ~ ~ ~

T h i s a u s t e r e n o t e i s counterbalanced by an ideal ism which is

sugges ted by F u l l e r ' s f u r t h e r comment t h a t m a r l c s llhmi a mind b i a s e d

t o devot ion . Sad h e been contemporary wi th P l a t o ( t h a t g r e a t back-

f r i e n d t o p o e t s ) , he would ~ o t o n l y have al lowdd him t o l i v e , bu t

advstnced him t o an o f f i c e i n h i s colnm~n-cieal th.~ (I, 519). Th i s blend

o f wor ld ly rcnunci ; t ion r.i th o the rwor ld ly e s p i r s t i o n i s eviclent i n L

31 Haight , "F ranc i s Guar les . . . , I 1 p. 147.

32 I b i d , PP. 147-8-

33 D i c t i o n a r y o f -- I7ation::i Biozraphy, Vol. XVI, r p t . (oxford , 1921-22) P O 539s

34 Thomas F u l l e r , ghc H i s t o r y o f t h e i i o r t h i e s o f i h y h n d , ed. P. Aust in N u t t a l l , r p t . o f 1662 edn., 3 vo l s . ondo don, lb40) , 1, 519.

t h e Rmbl.cmes_. From t h e p o t c s q u e p o r t r a i t s an6 a s t r i n g e n t commen-

t a r y of 'che e a r l y T g ~ u a 1.fund.i p l a t e s t h e poem p r o g r e s s e s t o t h e f i n a l

e c s t a t i c scenes of d. ivine love . The e r o t i c ~ e n s , i b r i l ? ~ y and m y s t i c a l

l y r i c i s m o f t h e *titles 2nd Psalms f i g u r e prominently i n t h e l a t e r

emblems.

Benlowes l i v e d t o exper i ence t h e u ~ h c a v a l o f t l iz ;:ivil %r and

i n Theonhi la he a t t a c k e d t h e "Pro teus thn t s f f ;:ho t h r e a - k ~ e d t o d e s t r o y

t h e f a b r i c o f what he cons idered t h e h e a r t o f C h r i s t i a worship. A

l e n g t h y passage i n C m t o 111 d e p l o r e s t h e . ~ a r - t o r n pl ighJ! o f t h e

n a t i o n . There Benlowes r e c o u r t s wi th d i s m q t h e d i s ~ o s y x t o f t h e

''Sons of 'i'hunder" and ltruclelx fSerce" t f ~ ~ c s t e r s " fos t b s liigh 2ylgli- L can Sacraments ("LORD, thGy , t ,hr0~@1 f f a i t h l e s s e 3raar ,s , t h e F e a s t

disown / Of t h y C O X 3 L-icarnet iont ." [III, lxx ix , g. d77 1. The

pro:luction of Theonhila i n t h e y e a r s of t h e F u r i isan cscendency owed

much t o t h e p o e t ' c b e l i e f 'cLa-1, a m e t r i c a l d i s c o u r s e on l o v e oould

Cwe a g r e a t e r impact on t h c p u b l i c t h m t h e f s u - i n s t i l l i n g t a c t i c s

o f t h e Kon-ccnformists. He e x p r e s s e s h i s hope th?-L "Love -- -, n;&y Them

lezd by Verse, vhun -- Sermons f r i g h t ; Being Then, whel.e P8i.i-h cotes n o t ,

i l l t o Heavlns E igh t . " (IX, i 7 . , p. 1.29).

Bcnlowes ' sympathies, hc;r:ever, cou.l.d n o t r e s t e n t i r e l y withir .

t h e framcworle of t h e orthodox Anglican f a i t h . While h e h~-d ~banrioned

r h e C z t h o l i c f a i t h o f 5;s e a r l y y e a r s , 35 t h e need f o r a n i n t e n s e and

a r t i s t i c conponent i n r e l i g i o n remained. I n C;nto I he z l i g h t s t h e

x o r l d l y h i e r a y e h i e s o f t h e Church o f England i n fzvou-r o f a p u r e r and

more m y s t i c a l worship:

lam be ti^ was Cxfords I ihetstone: Yet above Preferments t ' irinzcle they move,

Xho s t r i n g t h e Un3verse, and b r z c e l e t It l o r LOVE.

3 5 ~ e n l ~ ~ r e s ' grandmother was a r e c u s a n t and L i s f a t h e r renowned as ' a l e z n e d P a p i s t . "' ( ~ e n k i n s , pp. 16-17). During t h e p o e t ' s p e r i o d o f t r ave l . on t h e Cont inent (1627-1630), two younger b r o t h e r s were s t u d e n t s a t t h e J e s u i t c o l l e g e i n Zouai ( J e n ~ i n s , p. 44). H e r e n o m c e d Czthol ic ism soon a f t e r h i s return t o England 5 6 ) .

Vir tues magnifick Orb i n f l ~ m e s t h e i r Zeal ; By high-rai:; ' d il;ZIHB*IS Flemes they hea l ;

(I, lx - lx i , p. 9)

Uhose Spel ls meke Enochs valk with TFISPU; withliold ' Corruntion, and t ra r i s lz te e ' r e old: -

A l l Vat-icons Lre drosse; 'I'LiS, IViagisterial -$Id. (I, x c i i i , p. 13)

Of t he orders of sc?,ints and Apostles enco~mtered by the poet i n h i s

contenplat ive journey i n Canto V I , t h r ee a r e s ingled out f o r p a r t i -

c u l a r esteem-St. Jolm , St, I.iary Nagdalene, and St. Augustine. These

f i g u r e s embody f o r t he post the cen t r a l t e n e t s of h i s ep ic theme o f

d iv ine love. Along with St. Paul and with the Virgin Mother and the

Psalmist heralded i n Cmto '!I, t h i s ga ther ing provides t h e focus of

3enlo~:es ' r e l i g ious insp i ra t ion . It encompasses two contra1 aspec ts

of Renaissance syncretism: %he exhi la ra ted concept of ?'divine M.;OUR'l

(VI, x i i i , p. 83) t he r ev iva l of i n t e r e s t i n t he apos to l ic and

p a t r i s t i c sowces of t h c Chr i s t ian f a i t h ,

The inf luence of t h e e a r l y C h r i s t i m poets and wr i t e r s has been

Cetected i n both irorks, '6 Qurrles adopts t h e s t a t i c personi f icz t ions

of the medieval a l l e g o r i c a i t r a d i t i o n , enl ivening thec by a character-

i s t i c a l l y x i t t y t u rn o f ~ h r a s e . I n h i s p e n u l t i m ~ t e ?hkLcm, f o r

example, Que.rLes li s t a tho st t i ispleasing hm-a1 a t t r i b u t e s which a r e

ahsent i n t he Heavenly Kir+;dom:

There, time i s o.-al1ovtd with Etern i ty ; Wry-mouthtd d i s d a i m , and corner-haunting l u s t , And t~r;-f ac ' d Freu6; m d beetle-brot:' d U i s t ru s t ; Soule-boglirg Page: an6 t rouble-s ta le sed i t ion : And giddy dcubt , and mpgle-ey d suspis ion; And Impish sor?ow, and degen'rous f ea re , Are banisht thence, and dea th ' s a s t ranc2r there: . . .

36 See Bai(:ht, "The Sources of Quarles' Znblems , I t pp. 205-7 and Eciouard Rodi t i , "The :iisdom and Fol ly o f Edvard. 3enlowes," Comgzrative L i t e r e t u r e , 2 (19501, p. 345.

R o d i t i f i n d s i i ~ ---- Theonhi la "a blend o f Renaissance J e s u i t o r a lmost

mecaronic: La-tin and mediaeval a ,bs t roc t ion w i ti) paradoxes, z n t i t h e s e s ,

puns, and o t h e r t r o p e s . . . I 1 (p . 345). Bcn101:es owes something o f

t h e d ramat i c Plrwour o f f;r'neophila a s we l l t o e a r l y C h r i s t i a n sources ,

as h i s s u b - t i t l e t lPnemato-sarco-nt~cl~iat t sugges ts . e x c e r p t from

P r u d e n t i u s l w,rchomachia - ( V h e F i g h t f o r l.izn~o111") r e v e a l s t h e

s t r i k i n g s i m i l a r i t y beth-een t h e t m works i n t h e i r hea-dy mixture of

enlo t i v e and l u x u r i o u s imegery :

Savage war T.accs h o t l y , r a g e s with-in our bones, and man's two-sided r i a t ~ w e i s i n an uoroa r of' re ' t ; s l l ion; f o r t h e f l e s h t h d t was formed o f c12y b e a r s doam upon t h e s p i r i t , bv? aya.in t h e s p i r i t t h a t i s s u e d froin t h e pure b r e a t h o f God i s h o t w i t h i n t h e dark pl.ison-house of t h e hea r i . , znd even i n i t s c l o s e bon$age r e j e c t s t h e body's f i l t h . L i g h t and darlazess v i t h theiia opposing s p i r i t s a r e 2% war, end our two-fold 5cj.ng i n s p i r e s pot;ers a t v s r i m c e x i t h each o t h c , ~ m t i l C h r i s t o u r God conies t o our a i d , o r d e r s a l l the jewels oT the v i r t u e s i n i; uure s e t t i n g , m d . ;:here s i n f o r l n a l y r e i p e d b u i l d s t h e golden c o u z t s c f hi^ temple, c ree . t ing f o r t k o s o d . , o u t o f tI?e t:rial o f i t s con- d u c t , ornamcn-i-u or r i c h Sisdom t o i'jnd dalig5-L i n as she reigns f o r e v e r on h e r beauteous throne. 37

The adop t ion by both pca t s o f a C h r i s t i a n r a t h e r thnn t h e

r ~ y t h o l o g i c a l I h s e o f ~ 1 i ~ s ~ : t l c a l l i t a r a t u r e r e f l e c t s a ;ur%her humanis t ic

i n - t e r e s t i n t h e p r ime l a u t h o r i t i e s of t h e Chri s t i a n trrj.il-tion. Thus

Q u a r l e s e x h o r t s h i s s o d t o

Invoke no fhse; l e t hezvfn be t h y Lpollo: And l e t h i s s a c r e d I n f l u e n c e s hallor: Thy high-bred 3trz-yncs; L e t h i s f u l l beames i r i s p i r e Thy r a v i s h t b r a l n e s 1:ith niore heroiclr f i r e ; . . .

F u l l e r r e c o r d s h i s approval o f th.e Kay i n vihich Quar les ' p o e t r y

a b j w e a t h e t tpxofmenees , m n t o n n e s s , and s a t i r i ~ a l n e s s ' ~ o f s e c u l e r

- - -

37 Works, t r a n s . t:. J. Thompson, 2 vo l s . ondo don and Cambridge, Mass., 19-I~ 343.

v e r s e and y e t r e t a i n s a l o f t y v i s i o n and express ion Ifas i f h e ' h s s

drank of Jordan i n s t e a d of Hel icon, and s l e p t on Illount O l i v e t f o r h i s

Pari iassus" ( p . 519). Benlorres a l s o i d e n t i f i e s t h e i ~ u s e of devo t iona l

p o e t r y wi th t h e Holy S p i r i t , f o r "The p ious bluse c o n t x H.XVtlI ; then

h i g h e s t Things / She s o a r s f o r , s t i l l ge c r a r e s , ZLEST DC\VZ, thy

Kings!" (IX, 15, p. 129). L a t e r i n t h e same c a t 0 he p l e a d s , A

Itshade m e , 0 LORD! I s e e k n o t V i r ~ i l s ~ ~ * e e ; / Hence, 3 n r i n ~ profane;

Gl ide , Siloam, by me!)' (Ix, 13, p. 131). I n effirm.r..t.ic,n o f t h i s

s u b ~ t i t u - : ~ i o n of s u p e r i o r C h r i s t i a n themes f o r c l a s s i c a l ones , Benlowes

i n ItThe Author ' s DesignM a c t u 2 J l y pa rod ies t h e g r e a t j j i r g i i i a n c p i c

t o sugges t t h e u l t i m a t e g l o r y o f h i s s u b j e c t :

And of t h e Joyes th: t t from Those iil.2cra cnx-ing, The Iforld e'er kfic!i; O f h e r Souls rngstick + m e ,

Quar l e s r e t z i n s t h e ,)a-L:l-istic t e x t u a l accompmiments which h i s

~ x e d e c e s s o r Hvgo had inc ludcd i n t h e Pia i ?es i ( ?e r i t enb leas , m d

cx-tcnds t h i s f 'or~rizt t o ir.cluC-e t h e -S l 1 w d j j sec+,i.cn sa well . I n

"?'he Sources o f Q u t r l e s ' s iGnGnJ-ms," Gordon h a i g h t e s s o c i a t e s t h j s

i n t e r e s t i n p e . t r i s t i c a u t h o r i t i e s wi th t h e I i m n n i e t t endenc ies o f

t h e Eng l i sh F r o t e s t a n t s .

A t t h e t im of t h e Hcfornat ion few mer. i n Lni.iand had read more t h ~ i s c r a m o f t h e F e t h e r s quoted i n & c r e t a l s and o t h c r e c c l e s i a s t i c a l m i t i n g s . But a f t e r t h e Counter Reformation had begun i t s work, p a t r i s t i c s tudy was s e r i o u s - l y unciertaken by Znglishrnen, who, though t h e y ronog i i zcd o n l y t h e B i b l e as a u t h c r i t y i n r e l i g i o u s m a t t e r s , fo7.md it exped ien t t o c o n f u t e t h e c la ims o f a C L t h o l i c o u t o f h i s o m favour ' l te Sooks. I:uarles was one rrho h e : ? L l i s i r va lue . D r . Love, t h e Vice -chmce l lo r o f G9rnhridge, cor.!mended t h e Emblems 'By F n t h e r s , back t ; by Holy k i t , l e d an , ' and Bcnlowes i n l u a r l z i s declbxed t h a t t h e r e a d e r o f t h e book walks through a garden oJ' p o e t s 2nd F a t h e r s l i k e s bee through f1or:ery f i e l d s . j8

For t h e Tgpus I .hndi emblems, Q u a r l e s s e l e c t s h i s t e x t u a l commentaries

from tile p a t r i s b i c anthology by Thornas Hibe rn icus enti:tled F l o r e s

Doctorum (1306). The combined group o f p r o s e passages r e v e a l s t h e 7.p-

dominant s t ~ t u s o f medieval mys t i ca l t h e o l g i n n s , i n c l u d i n g St. I

Gregory of I'?yssa and St . Bonaventure, a s ? ;e l l as t h e ma,;cr i n f l u e n c e

of S t . Auguotine.

I n t h e con templa t ive t r a d i t i o n e s t z b l i s h e d i n i ts C h r i s t i a n

form by S t , Augustina m2.y be found t h e i n f l u e n c e s which de termine

t h e combination i n Quar l ea l and Benlouesl p o e t r y o f an a s c e t i c

r e j e c t i o n of ~ : o r l d l y y ? ~ - s u j - t s v i t b an evoca t ion o f t h e l y r i c a l

s-1;rsins of C a t h o l i c rnyst.icism. Their p o e t r y i l 1 . u ~ t r n t e s t h t f o r

t h e s e minor p o e t s t o o , as J~ix-lrte observes o f t h e major devo t iona l

p o e t s , "[t] he realm b f medi ta t ion i s broad enougl~ t o hold J e s u i t

and Pwi t a n , Donne and Id'lbn, t h e baroque e x t r ~ ~ ~ - a g m c e o f Crashaw

and t h e d e l i c a t e r e s t r a i n i o f Herbert . n39 The wri t inj ih o f Bugust ine

e x e r c i s e an i n f l u e n c e on Q u w l e s and B s n l o m s which ex tends beyond

t h e conteinnlnt ive method i t s a L f t o inc1ud.e ih? wider mt.+,?,pkiysical

i s s u e s t r e a t e d by Berdowes i n Thenphila and a number o f s t y l i s t i c

f e a t u r e s p e c u l i a r t o b c t 3 pce t s .

X a r t z s t a . t e s t h a t " t h e Axgust inian mode o f m e d i t a t i c n was still.

h i g h l y i n f l u e n . t i a 1 i n the seven teen th c e n t u r y , throuch t b e widespread

c i r c u l a t i o n o f t h e works ol Acigustine and h i s followers. 40 mat i s

i x p o r t a n t i n r e l a t i o n t o Q u a r l e s and Benlowes i s t h e l i n k which

A u p s t i n e ' s w r i t i n g s demonstrete between neo-Platonic concep t s of

t h e s o u l ' s a s c e n t t o God and t h e l a t e r m y s t i c a l t heo logy o f Chr i s t - I

iaxi ty.

39 L o u i s

( ~ e w Haven and

4' Louis Century Verse, xxxix-xl .

L. X a r t z , ?h!li~o-etr,~s o f I k l i t a t i o n . . . , rev. edn. Londor, ,1362), pp. 3-4.

L. Mertz, ed., Tlie Anchor Antholoc+y o f Seventeenth- Vol. I, rev. ( ~ e w York, 1 9 6 9 ) , i31nt roduct ion , t t pp.

It %;as i iugus t ine ' s r o l e , by i n f u s i n g C h r i s t i ~ n v i t a l i t y i n t o t h e b e o p l a t o n i c t h e o r i e s on t h e p u r i f i c a t i o n o f t h o s o u l , t o i n t r o d u c e i n t o I les tcrn a s c e t i c i s m , even b e f o r e t h e t ime o f t h e pseudo- i i seop~gi te , t h e vhole c o l l e c t i o n of imeges 2nit f o ~ u l a s r h i c h s i i l l n o u r i s h o u r a s c e t i c s 1 l i t e r z t u r e . Thus n y s t i c a l t h ~ o l o e y owes t o him t h e d i s t i n c t i o n o f t h e t h r e s p e a t s t a g e s i n t h e a s c e n t of o u r s o u l t o Cod ~r l l ich a r e c a l l e d tkc nurga- t i v e , i l - lumina-t ive, and u n i t i v e ::ays o r l i ~ e s . 4 ~

T h i s v i a contemvla t ivn i s e x p l i c i t l y edopted by Benlotlea i n h i s

~tSurr~nary of t h e Poemtt a s t h e p a t h by which Theophi la a t t a i n s "an

eminent B g r e e of PIL'R7.,CTIOB i n t h e I n t e l l e c t u a l . (P . !-6;. The

God-loving s o u l ascends t o h e r Beloved, he m i t e s , "Ly three ik'ayes,

which Divines c a l l t h e Eurc:ativc, 17luminati-, and TJnitive; She i s

h a p p i l y l e d i n t o t h e D i s q u i s i t i o n o f Sin by &; o f Suf'i 'ering by

C7iRIST as SkDidSOR; of ---- S a l v ? t i o n , 112 H i m a s lUDhEJiL~?. " (p . 15) . T h i s

t h r e e f o l d approach i s associ;qted by Benlowes with t h e f u r t h e r t r i a d i c

schema of St. Paul--fai th, hope and c h a r i t y .

The ---> Emblemes c m t r a r y t o Eleanor James1 t h e o r y t h a t " t h e r e i s

no c o n s i s t e n t t h r e a d o f s t d r y t o l d by Quar l e s emblem pacms, "42praZrcss

by a similar r o u t e t o ?he v i s i o n o f t h e C i t y o f Cod and ' s g i r i t u 2 1

I?eC,ro t h a l wi th Chrj.st. The sub jec t -ma t t e r of t h e -us Kumii encrav-- --- inL% is t h e contemptus m u m s whence t h o contempla t ive 'cogins t h e f l i g h t

of t h e s o u l i n s e a r c h o f t h e on ly t r u e g o a l , t h e v e r y source o f a l l

c s e a t i o n . Books I and I1 c a s t i g a t e t h e s o u l o f n a r r a t o r and r e a d e r

f o r i ts wor ld ly p u r s u i t s , and b o l s t e r p e r s u a s i v e t r i c t i c s wi th a

f o r c e f u l p r e s e n t a t i o n of e o s p e l p r e c e p t s , t h e l f a i t k i which s % e e r s t h o

sol;; through t h e i n i t i a l p u r g a t i v e s t age . Beginning 4 t h k o k 111,

t h e now God-loving s o i d s t r u g g l e s t o rid i t s e l f of the ves t i .ges of

s e l f - l o v e and e a r t h l y i n t e r e s t and e v e n t u a l l y comes t o exper i ence t h e

mo~,-ntar- bu t r a p t u r o u s l o w - r e l a t i o n s h i p 1 5 t h C h r i s t , Its p i l g r i m s g e

i s one o f asceri t through t h e cosmic sphe res i n s e a r c h o f God and a l s o

one o f t h e i n t r o v e r t i v e s e l f - s c r u t i n y which y i e l d s Lh3 i n n c r s p i r i t u a l

map o f s a l v a t i o n .

'I ~ u & n e ~ o r t a l i g , A Guide t o t h e Thourht o f S a i n t Lugust ine , t r a n s . Ralph J. B a s t i a n ( l o n d o ~ , 1970), p. 285.

42 m e m o , James, "The Imagery o f F r s n c i s Q u a r l e s l Emblems," S t u d i e s i n &:-.lish (Aus t in , Texas, 1943), p. 31.

The dominant p r e s e n c e o f t h e Div ine Cupid i s t h e f o c a l p o i n t

of Q u a r l e s l C n r i s t o c c n t r i c cmphclsls i n t h e Emblemes. I n B e n l o ~ m s ~

e p i c t h i s t y p e of m e d i t a t i o n on t h e n a t u r e and e v e n t s o f C h r i s t ' s

I n c a r n a t i v n and p r u c i f i x i o n i s p o r t r z y e d i n t h o s e p a s s a g e s ( c a n t o s

11-IV) n a r r a t i n t ; Theoph i l a ' s t t l o v e - s a c r i f i c e H . Benloi\es expancls

t h e con templa t ive r o u t e , however, i n Cantos V I t o V I I I t o i l l u s t r a t e

t h a t cosmic f l i g h t o f t h e s o u l through t h e s u p e r - c e l e s t i a l r e g i o n s

where it comes t o r e s t in a g r e a t e r comprehcnsion o f God and of t h e

lnys t e r ious > ,ork ings of t1.e T r i n i t y . I n t h i s l a t t e r T h e o c e n t r i c

con templa t ion Theoph i l a a o i s as s p i r i t u a l gu ide i n t h e manner o f

E e a t r i c e i n t h e G i v i n s Comedy and Z l i z a b e t h Drury i n Donne's Second

Anniversary .

Augustine p ropo~mded a tt.rovingtt t y p e o f con-templaPion i n s h i c h

t h e s o u l se2,rches through e a r T h l y and heavenly r e a l m f o r knowledge

of and communion v i t h Cad, Mzr tz d e s c r i b e s t h e k u g u s f i r ~ l a n journey

o f t h e s o u l a s a

ruv.ing q u e s t f ~ r ti1& t r a c e s , t h e ves+, iges o f Cad, first i n e x t e r n a l natuj.cl and then , most i m p o r t a n t l y , w i t h i n t h e mind o f RFW-. A s Aumst ine e x p l a i n s t h e L:aest i n t h e t e n t h Fo3y o f h i s Confessions . . . i t c o f i s i s t s o f a s e a r c h f o r t k s i in : ee o f God w i t h i n t h e mind o f man, kn image d e i a c e d by s i n , b u t n e v e r t h e l e s z 1 cs t o r ed i n its e s s e n t i a l r,cJi;ers through t h e s a c r i f i c e o f Chr i s t . It Ss man's ciuty, a c c o r d i n g t o Augus t in ian tl-oizght, t o advance a s far as he can towerd e renewal of t h i s irnaga, ~ 5 t h t h e hsXp o f d i v i n e gr2ce.43

T h i s concep t of r e - e s t a b l i s h i n g t h e s o u l ' s s i m i l i t u 5 e t o i t s

Div ine P a r e n t and S m i o u r i s a n impor t an t one i n t h e 5m'ol~.rr,es and i n

Theonhi la . It had been an Frnportant theme o f t h e medieval m y s t i c a l

w r i t i n g s and Later o f t h e s y n c r z t i s t i c t h e o l o g i a n s oP 3enb' ' ~ l l s s a n c e

I t a l y . I n E n g l i s h p o e t r y b e f o r e t h e motaphys i ca l s i t hod been

43 L o u i s L. i k r t z , ed. , The Imcbor Anthology o f Seventeenth- Ge11tur.y Verse , I , r t In t roc luc t ion , t t p. xl,

e x q u i s i t e l y r endered i n Spenser ' s "Hyrnne o f Hewenly Love. '144 Tho poet

t h e r e ron.ms tilrough t h e e v e n t s o f Christ i t ini . t y s sp i r i - tu . a l h i s t o r y and

' d i s c o v e r s ' man's c r e a t i o n a f t e r t h e "hcauenly p a t t e r n e " of God. The

n a r r e t o r proceeds rayid3-y t o consic 'er t h e F211, t h e subsequent s u f f e r i n g

of Christ--tjlari:pe of l i g h t , / Kost l i u e l y image of t h y f s t h e r s f&ce,"--

and t h e profound l e s s o n t h a t man's s a l v s t i o n l i e s i n r e c i p r o c a t i n g t h e

d i v i n e act of love . h i%h t h i s un6ers tznding, t h e poe t r o u s e s h imsel f

, from b i s b r u t i s h image -3.rd +Uhrough m e d i t a t i o n r a i s e s h i s eyes t o t h e

Divine Imege. The f i n a l s t a n z a p o r t r a y s t h e b l i s s f u l end o f t h e s o u l ' s

s t r u g g l e tova rds a c l o a r c r p e r c e p t i o n 02 and s t e a d y i n t e r s e devo t ion

t o God:

Then s h a l l t h y r a u i s h t s o u l e i n s p i r e d bee With heaucnly t h u u ~ h t c , f a r r e aboue humane ski: 9

And thy bl-ichi; r a d i a n t eyes shal.1 p l a i n e l y see Th ' Idee of' pure g l o r i c , p r e s e n t s t i l l . Before t h y f w e , t h a t a l l t h y s p i r i - t s s h a l l f i l l Nith sweci,e e::ragcnent o f c c l e s t i a l . 1 l o u e , Kindled through s i ~ h t o f t h o s e f a i r e t h i n g s aboue. 4 5

Ben1or;est sunrnary of the s o u l ' s t h r e e f o l d approzch t o God enpha-

s i z e s t h i s i n i t , a t i v e theme:

I n t h e P-,:rt?.ive llaji she [ ~ h e o p h i l : ~ ] f a l l s upon Repen- tar:ce, L o r t i f i c c t t i m , Se l f -den ia l ; h e l p t ia ;7ttrt by t h e !tnovled.gs hers211?, which b reeds Ccr!trit ion, R e n m t i a t i o n , a r d Purpose o f Jier:cinent: In t h e I l l u m i n a t i v e -- she p w a u c s Koral V e r t u s s , T h e ~ l o ~ i c a l Graces, and Goszel-promises, r e v w l e d by !:?XIS'?, as t h e Great APOSTLE: which begets i n h e r Crsi;it:iCe, I m i t a t i o n , end Bppsopriat ion. I n t h e Uni t ive she i s wholly t s k e n up with I n t u i t i o n o f s u p e r - c o e l c s t i a l Excellent-, w i t h b e a t i f i c z l Apprehensions, agd A d h e r e ~ c i ~ , a s t o CIIBIYT i n o d i e , t o t h e Eoly GiiOST i n S p i r i t , t o CX)E t h e FATHM i n a b r i g h t Sesmb12nce o f t h e B i t r im Ea-Lilre.

(pp. 15-1.6. )

44 One of t h o $'or>r'o Eipnes pub l i shed i n 1596. E e r s c h ~ l Baker --- d e s c r i b e s t h e i ,ork a s t l t b e most s u s t a i n e d e s s a y i n Jieoplatonisrn o f t h e i m g l i s h Reneissence. " (?he 1ns~:e o f Ken . . . , Herper Torchbook r;t. ( ~ e w York, 1961) , p, 250).

- - 45 P o e t i c a l L-orks, ed. J. C. Smith end E. de S e l i n c o u r t , r p t . o on don, e t c . , 1970) , pp. 594-596-

T h i s " b r i g h t reserrlblonceu o f 3 e i t y , w h i l e a n i n t c p a l component o f

C h r i s t i a n t h e o l o g j , ?ece ives p e r t i c u l a r emphzsis i n t h e ~ a i t l . n g e o f

t h e m y s t i c a l P l a t o n i s t s G I the dcnaiss tmce and t h e s e v e n t e e n t h cen-

t u r y . Thzt i t cou ld evoke a s t r o n g r e a c t i o n from the more or-thoclox

s e c t o r o f t h e Anglican c l e r c y i s c l c c r from a co~nnent made by John

T i l l o - t s o n , late^ d r c h b i s h ~ ! : o f Canterbury, rho noted. t h a t ' I ' S t o r r y ,

p r z y i n g f o r R icha rd [c=.omrell] , used t h o s e indeccn-t t rords n e x t t o

lhat T i l l o t s o n ~ b ~ i a c t s t o as e n t h u s i a s t i c bol:meas i n a P u r i t a n

d i v i n e i s p r e c i s e l y t h c e v d n g e l i c a l optimism inhe r i t ec? from t h e

s y n c r e t i s t i c m o - P 1 a t o n i . s ~ o f Renaissance theolo,.;izns l i k e Fj.c irlo and

P i c o d e l l a 1:irmdol.a. J ~ 6 2 . m d I A i l e s , i n John C o l c i m c : t h e l?lc- ' tonic 1_---1-

~rndition.'~ - rrcori l r . t h e s t r o n g in3 luence o f t h i s t r - d i t i o n i n Lhe

~ , z r i t l n g s o f t h e h ~ ~ ~ r 7 1 ~ i s t r e f o r n e r and Dean of St. Paul ' s . Au~.;ust ine

2nd t h e p i i t s i s t i s ~rsi t e r 3 vere o f p e & t a t t r e c t i o n 50 t h e F l o r e n t i n e

dcadem~ innznuoh as t n e y ochoed i t s P l a t o n i c 2nd lieme tic i n - t c r c s t s .

P i c i n o , f o ~ example, s u g g e s t s L r e a d i n g l i s t f o r t h e s t v 4 e n t of

"F ' la tonic thought. ~ h : l c h r o v c a l s t h e eager- abso rp t l . c ? r , a :. e c r l y

C h r i s t i a n and mad.iev:+i t k o l ~ g h t i n t a a s y n c r e t i s e d Z!.enaissance Plr,t.on-

i s m . The l ist , a c c ~ ~ d - i n g t o Ros tv ig , ureco;nmenc?s n o t ozly iIernlee and

P l u 6 i n u s , b u t t h e g r e a t medieval t r e a t i s e s such e n C h z l c i d i x s f com-

mentary on t h e 'i'imaeus and k c r o b i u s ' I n Sam* S c i n i o n i a . I n --- Diorlysius thc: iil.eopa$.te omnin sun% F l a t o n i c a ; i n r lugust ine, multa . &?a

Traces o f t h i s n e o - P l a t ~ n i c h e r i t a g e are p r e s e n t x l s o i n t h e p o e t r y of

John Donne, es Frank Coggat t no tes :

To such a s tu2en t o f t h e Church F e t h e r s a s he ;;as: a c e r t a i n i i if i l t r a t i o n o f P lo tonism was i n e v i t s b l e . IIe could n o t f a i l t o a b s o r b i t from a r e n d i n g o f Lugcnt ine

46 Viv ian de S c l a P i n t o , P e t e r st err;^: Y l c t o n i - t s r d P u r i t m 1 6 1 3-1672 (Canbridge, 1934) , p. 35.

47 London, 1961.

47a REstv ig , ttImn.ges o f P e r f e c t i o n , " p. 2.

a lone , even i f P l o t i n u s were unknowm t o him. 48

However, vhereas ilonne ' s s e c u l a r verse could assert t h e complementmy

s t a t u s of t h e body ~t i i th t h e s o u l i n " the Sullc-:st and most p e r f e c t

l o ~ e , ' ~ ? ~ u a r l e s a n d Benlo:,es adhere t o t h e uncomgromising p o s i t i o n o f

t h e n e o - F l ~ t o n i s t s Fic-ino and Giordano Bruno ( i n t h e De G l i S r o i c i

~ u r o r i ) t h a t t r u e f u l f i l m e n t i s a t t a i n e d through t h a t r a p t u r o u s

s e p a r a t i o n and e l e v a t i o n o f t h e s o u l from t h e i n f e r i o r body. Only

a f t e r t h e s o d ' s " P r a n s l a t i ( j n l ~ ----:- 50t0 Heaven w i l l i t be jo ined by t h e

r e s u r r e c t e d body.

Beachcro ;t as tlr-tel t r remarks " t h a t Quar l e s m a d ~ i - n s i n t h e

market-place what c\ ttlelr. me t a p h y s i c a . 1 ~ were J o i n g f o r a fiii;ofe e x a c t i n g

audience. u ( ~ . 94). T ! h i l e mzrkedly l e s s ' e n t h u s i a s t i c ' and more

a t t u n e d t o m a n ' s p a l t r y c o n d i t i o n i n t h i s l i f e , bluarlss n e v e r t h e l e s s

echoes Benloxes i n t r a r m n i t t i n g t o t h e p u b l i c t i le 3-ufty 4 o c t r i n e s o f

Rent?issance neo-Pla touism which enphneised mall' s sgp;-ei;c porrers o f

e x a l t a t i o n through h i s s p i r i t u a l f a c u l t i a s . 'They arfirrr, + h e capaci t ; r

o f m a n t o draw himselS up i3y v i r t u e o f h i s d i v i n e l y wrcul;ht s o u l ar,d

t h e impetus of' d i v i ~ e g r a c e th rou& t h e kord o f t h e g c s p e l t o t h a t

degree o f p e r f e c t e d s imi l i tu ide 15 th Cad throuzh xhich rnm p a r t i c i p a t e s

i n a l o v e - r a l a t i o n s h i p r?S-th C h r i s t and u1tirn;tely i n t h e b e n t i f i c a l

l i f e o f Paradise . One could r e g a r d t h e populi t r 3rnbl.azs as a seven-

t e e n t h - c e n t u ~ y se l f -he lp c o u r s e i n s p i r i t u a l irnprovema;t. The way

is r i g o r o u s am1 L:uarLesl pen i s most a t home when d e p i c t i n g t h e

t r i a l s o f t h e journey. But t h e promise i s as d a z z l i n g as t h e i n i t i a l

p a t h i s da rk , and t h e s u c c e s s o f t h e Emblemes i n i t s t i n e i s r e l a t e d i

t o t h e c o n s t a n t empha:is on t h e eminent r o l e which m a 1 E X assume.

- 48 Frank A. D o g p t t , "Donnc s Y l a t o n i s n , '! Se:rance L{W; 1 - e ~ : ~ (1934) , P. 275.

49 I b i d p. 293..

50 Benlowes' term, I V , x c v i i , p. 69.

Benlos r s s i m i l a r l y i n t e n d s h i s e p i c as a guide f o r t h e l e s s e r

educated i n t h e e x a l t e d p r c c e n t s o f Divine Love, I n t h e P r e f a c e h i s

prograrncle o f u n i v e r s a l ra;;.eneration is s e t ag: . inst t h e bz.ck~:rounc! of

wha.t he viewed a s t h e f a l l e n s t ~ t e of man, Tlms t h e P r e f a c e opens on

t h e gloomy c o n s e r v a t i v e n o t e o f t h e " 3 o t q ~ o f t h e 3 o r l d H , i t s inhabi -

t a n t s mired i n v a n i t y "&nsu31itytt, " t h e - Herd . . . n igh t -v i ld red

i n t h e i r I n t e l l e c t s " . The p o s t ' s v i s i o n , i n t h e b e s t h u m m i s t t r a d i -

t i o n , i s one of i n s t i l l i n g i n t h e " f o o l i s h Xorlct, lo,,c?eg wi th Sin, fond of T r i f l o s " a r c z p e c t f o r sac red wisdom-"nothir~g be ing so g r e a t

i n humane Lc t ions a s a p i s u s m o ~ r i n g 14indet1. Indesd Css- Benloa~es, as

f o r t h e Heneissance n c o - F l ~ t o c i s t s , t h e r o l e o f t h e i ~ t c l l e c t i s

n o t h i n g l e s s t h a n % 1 ; ~ i n i r r c r sihlch r e c a p t u r e s t h e or ig l .ns1 a s p e c t o f

d i v i n i t y :

1 - h endusci v i t l ! A l t i t u d e o f Xsdorn, i n t h o c u e a i n e s s e o f C o n ~ c i ence and Keight o f 'Crertue, i s o f all Crea tu res sub-Sng3i icz l t h e WJd GZTIES Kns te r~ iece , t h c Image of

. h i s i:W.ER, a Csndidate o f CIVII;I'I'Y, 2nd IJoLsl o f t h e Universe ; . . .

Theophi la , tE13 poet; mnouncas , " i n a c u l a t e s G r a f t s o; $25' on t h e

Stock o f ~ z l i ~ i o n ' ' . It i s in tan6ed i n p a r t i c u l a r t o c;pture t h o s e

" [m] o s t wretched" pc r sons % h o s e ~ ~ d i s c i p l i i ~ l d i:ducziicn l e a v e s

them u n f u r n i s h t o f S k i l l t o spend t .he i r Time i n m y ?'king, bu t ~.htit

i n t h e p r o s e c u t i o n of Sin t e 1 1 3 ~ t o Death", t o "d ive r t ' ' t l l i ~ from t h e

MShelves o f i n d i s c r e e t V i c ~ , ~ ' and t o " d i r e c t " them t c S3e l i f e o f

C h r i s t i a n v j r t u e a d reason.

C e r t a i n AristoLeLizx l i t e r a r y p recep tx , a l s o enunc ia t cd i n S i r I

P h i l i p Sidney1 s h l o p i e A r P o e t r i e (1595) , are zdapted t o Benlowesl

s p i r i t u a l ends. His e p i c i s d i d a c t i c i n i t s concern t o Sisserninate

t h e C h r i s t i e n d o c t r i n e of Divine Love, t h e ~ o s i s o r unders tanding o f

i t s p recep t s . But i n p r s o n i f y i n g t h e s a i n t l y s o u l a s T h e o ~ h i l a and

through t h e p o e t ' s o m rated exper ience o f t h e contempla t ive l i f e

t h e p o e t d e s i r e s t o go b z y ~ n d -howledge t o p r a x i s by m o t i v a t i n g h i s

r e a d e r s t o f o l l o w t h e v i v i d exemple s e t f o r t h i n h i s h e r o i c ep ic ;

[HJ e r e i n i.n O r i r i n n l i s p r e s c n t c d zn Ex.zn~1.e o f L i f e , r:ith Force o f ~ x , " c e n t s , hzppy r;ho conpy them o u t i n t h e i - r dc t ions ! Indeed L ~ ~ r i n l e ~ and 1 r e c e n t s s r e a s Poems m d ~ i c ' i u r e s ; f o r , i,3 Foema n r e eperk ing Picturc::, x c i Pic tux: ; : z r e s i l c n t Pocms : so Sxamvle --- -- i s a s i l e n t k ~ a c e - : . ~ t , and P T ~ C F : ? ) ~ ; a speaking ikample:

The concept of t h e speelring p i c t u r e a p p l i e s i n Etn i m p o r t m t way t o

t h e ernblem form a s well . Tho J e s u i t s had been qu ick t o grasp t h e

e d u c a t i o n a l zdvant-.ges of x W i s i b l e poetry?151 which irocld b lend t h e

a r t i s t i c v i s u a l s t in ;u iua o f t h e engraving with t h e d o c i z i n a l l e s s o n

o f t h e accompanying poem. The Hora t ian coiicept o f ~ t s l c e t Culce

was undoubtedly a faehr i n L:uerlest e f f o r t s t o p rov ide p o e t i c para-

p h r a s e s of b i b l i c a l n a s m t 5 v e s . H i s t a k i n g up t h e p c p ~ z l ~ r cont in-

e n t a l vogue f o r elnblcii~s owes something t o a f u r t + h e r c!.c,ssical dictum

con ta ined i n t h e &oLorzi.e. Sidney t h e r e echoes P l u tar& ' s thouplit

i n s t a t i n g t h a t t h e poe t s e r v e s a v a l u a b l e r o l e as

-qlc_ rir 'nt, F ' o ~ u l F T Ehilosopher, wnnreo? Zsopg t a l e s glue good proofe : uhccs p x t t y A l l e g o r i e s 9 ~? ;ca ; ing vnder i h e i 'omal-l t a l c a o f S e a s t e s , m&c m;lny, more b e ~ s t l y hen E3e~si.s. begin t o h e z r e the ~ o m d of' v e r t u e from t h e s e d-mbs syeakers. 52

The vi.vic! n s t q : h o r i c a i express ion vhich l i n k s b c t h p o e t s t o t h e

metaphysica l s choo l i s a f u r t h e r and r e l a t c d form o f v i s u ~ . l emphasis.

The c o n t i n e n t a l t h e o r i s t s 3T t h e c o n c e t t i s t L adxired t h e rxetaphor f o r

i t s t t q ~ e l i t i ~ s of ins igh+, and ' ~ i s i o n " ~ & n d f o r i ts c a p a c i t y t o sugges t

t h o s e co r respond ing a s p e c t s o f a un ive r se composed o f layeyed p l e n e s P --

51 F u l l e r i n h i s E i s t o r y szys o f Quzr l e s : " H i s v i - s i k l e p o e t r y ( I mean h i s emblems) i s e x c e l l e n t , c a t c h i n g t h e r e i n t h s eye axd fancy a t one d raugh t , so -t.hr.L he h a t h o u t - A l c i ~ . t e d t h e r e i n , i n sons men's - judgment." (?. 519). -4i .ciat i v:as an impor tan t p o p u l a r i s e r of' t h e emblem vogue; h i s ~ ~ i b l e r n ~ ~ t u m L i b e r was pub l i shed i n 1531.

52 Sir F h i l i p Sidnsy. A l n fi_oologie f o r P o e t r i c , i n Z l i zabe than Critical E s s q p , ed. Gregory Smith, r p t . ((3rek-t ~ritxin,'1950),fT 167. - - '' Joseph A. Ihzzco , Xenuissance and Seventeenth-Century S t u d i e s ( ~ e w York 2nd London, 1964) , p. 34.

of being. 3enl.o.r~.es espouses t h e metephor f o r t h e same reasons t h a t

t h e Rena.issance admired t h e Egyptisn h ie rog lyph , namely a s a l i t e r a r y

( o r v i s u a l ) correspondence t o - that hi6:Iler i n t u i - t i y e mode o f c o g n i t i o n

which chnrac te r i zed . t h e com:uixi?ic.cttions o f z n g e l i c Iscings. According

t o Georce Boas i n t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n t o h i s e d i t i o n of H o r a p o l l o l s

H i e r o L 4 y p h i c s , P l o t i n u s w a s t h e source both of l a , t e r m i s r e p r e s e n t a t i o n

o f t h e Lgyptian symbols and o f Rennissznce i n t e r e s t i n v i s u a l symbols

as examples of' i n t e l l i g i 3 l e cogni t ion .

.. 'It must n o t bo %houp&t, ' he s2ys , ' t h a t i n t h e I n t e l l i g i b l ~ Xr?:cld t h e g0d.c 2nd t h e b l e s s e d s e e p r o p o s i t i o n s ; e v e r y t h i n g expressed t h g r e is a b e a u t i f u l i n s p , su,ch a s one imn.gincs t o be i n t h e s o u l oi' a w i s r man, imzges n o t d m r : . ~ ~ , but. r e a l . l a d t h e r e f o ~ e t h e Ancients s a i d tl.la.t - . r e a l b e i n g is l?ean and subs tances . . . . It seems t o me t h a t %ho Egyptian s s g e s , eithe;. h-orking by r i c h t r s a s o n i n ~ o r spontencuv.sly, -&en t h e y d e s i x d t o r e p e s e n t t h i n g s thrcugh wisdom lSo?hie] , d i d m.1: u s e l e t t e r s d e s c r i p t i v e of w r d s a d s e n t e n c ~ s , imi -k t ing t h e sounds ark?, p ro : imc ia t ion o f ~ r o p o s i t io i l s , bu i drew p i c % u r e s , imc cs msa ons p i c t u r e f o r each t h h g i n t h e i r t e n r l e s , t h u s naking m a n i f e s t t h e dessTi ; -~ t ion o f thczt t h x g . Thus ~ 2 . ~ 1 1

p i c t u r e was a k i n d o f m d e r s t n n d i n g si;d ~rirdsril a1d s u b s t a n c e ~t~.iCi given a l l a t once, and n o t discumive r e a s o n i n g m d 2 e l i be:r.etion. 54

T h i s h i g h e r wisdom i n i t s G!ir'Lstizn c o n t e x t i s p r e c i s e l y t h e i d e e l t o

which 8eniowea a s p i r e s a t t h e opening o f zheo?hi la :

IIIght Souls c o n v m s e with Sou l s , by iV;Gi&-way, &f r ; . r , c h l from t h e i r gris ' nine Clay,

ivhat 5%AUi9 by T O , iiould They tiien convily!

0, i 9 P o 0 During t h e p o e t ' s l a t c r con-Leaplation o f t h e vBright-harnessed

I F Z L L I G i 2 T C I E S " (VI, lxxii, p. 90) he d e s c r i b e s f u r t h e r tow t h e s e

s u p e r i o r be ings " l dneas see" (VI, x c i i i , p. 93) :

54 The H i e r o p l m ~ h i c s of U o r m o l l o , t r a n s . George Boas, S o l l i n g e n S e r i e s Y X X t (Iiex York, 1950) , p. 22.

Thus, TIIlX, v i i t h one f l e e t G l m c e i n t u i t i v e , I n t o E: ck! o t h e r ' s Lno7!l-edpe u ive ;

And, by Conscn-t, 'i'houghts, e l s e i n s c r u t a b l e , unrive.

(VI , x c i v , P* 9 3)

The h ie rog lyph or v i s u a l symbol w a s cons ide red by Renaissance occul -

t ists t o r e p r e s e n t t h e p r e l ~ u s z r i s n visdom, which a t t h e P a l l

descended i n t o d i s c u r s i v e thought m d l i n e a r express ion by means o f

t h e a lphzbet . Thc p n r a d o x i c ~ , l blend o f b r e v i t y and expens ive meaning

i n h e r e n t i n metaphor and t h e metaphor ica l c o n c e i t rendered such

l i t e r a r y conrilunication a f i t t i n g s imula t ion of t h e wisdom t o which

Benloses as a d e v o t i o ~ : z l p o e t a s p i r e d . Accordingly, . he u rges h i s

Cu l l &:etanilor:: m l l - i r e i p h f d and c l e z r , Enucl6ata ir\r-tcries t o th' ihr. Be - K i t L t c n o ~ r a p h y ' d, y e t free; ' T i s bargest i n Znitorce.

Benlotaes' vieta o f r?.e i . o p h ~ r co inc ides 1 5 t h t h e g e r ~ e ~ . a l o u t l i n e s

o f t h e seve i~ teen th -cen tc ry con-Linenta.1 t h e ; ) r i c t s f o r K ~ O I L a l l c r e a t i o n

c o n ~ t i t ~ u t e s a poem vkick i m i s a t e s t h e h2rmonicus s y l e n h u r of C Q ~ .

The book o f Nr-ture - 5 s f c r t h e s e w r i t e r s p a r e l l e l l e d Sy t h e book o f

Holy ;irit, both of vrhish r c i ' l s c t t h e mys te r ious m j e s t y o f t h e

Crea to r , I22zzeo o u t l i r i e ~ this view wi th r e g a r d t o one o f i t s p r i a c i -

p a l exponents, Cmmmuele '1'sstiuro :

Tesauro rnaj.nt?.iiled t h a t zczztezze o r c ~ n o c i t s xiere n o t c r e a t e d Fs men on ly b u t by God, h i s a n g e l s , 2nd by animals . The un ivc r se >;as c rcc . ted by a God ~ h o w a s a ' w i t t y c r e a t o r , . . . The x o r l d was a YJoern made up of conce i t s . The n o t i o n t h z t i h e xor ld i s a poem o:T Sod i s o l d enough a s a concept ion dn.6, i n vnri::us f o r m , goes back e t l e e s t t o P l c ti.nus. Howevsr, t h e i m p o r t a t d i f f e r e n c e f o r TesaWo i s t h a t t h e w r l d is a l r n e t ~ . p h y s i c z l l pocm a d God a 'metaphysical ' poet . He conceived i n ; - e ~ l o 3s t h e f a c u l t y i n mcln ms1o~:ous t o Cod's c r e a t i v e pot:er. It is a s m a l l p a r t i c l e o f t h e d i v i n e natu.re, f o r i t can c r e a t e ' bc ing ' tihere t h e r e was no ' b e i n g f before , A s God c r e ~ t e d a ' rnekqhys ica l ' so t h e poe t c r c a h e s 'meta2hysic:-l ' poems, T1"

55 Joseph A. IGazzeo, ---- 3 r n a i s r ~ : q o c end 3eventegnti.-Century Ytuc1ies - 9

P. 53.

h u g u s t i n e ' s v iews on t h o B i b l e ' s syr~:bolic o b s c u r i t y were a l s o an

importa:l t s o u r c e of t h i s l p t e r Ztcnaissance j -n t e rcn t i n metaphor, ar,d

Benloves may hcvc had t h e former i n mind vhcn h e r e f e r s t o Cod's

s u ~ i c r c e 1 e z t i ; l c r o i t i o n i n Canto V ss t lSeus o f BJ3ISSLf1 "enfenso[d; by , "Tomes -- f u l l of mys t i ck C l ~ i - - ~ e ~ " . Certai : l ly h e t h t n k s o f t h e

c r e a t i v e a c t of d e v o t i c n a l v e r s e as i n e x t r l c n b l y l i n k e d v i t h t h e

w r i t e r ' s 1mct:ledge o f t h e Div ine Ide2s : T o r ~ r i t e t o --- S e m e / I-I9ii?'NS C!~ronicJs, ~ :ou 'b as!< a I - i Z i ~ V ' I . D - I n t e l l i ~ ~ e ~ ~ . I t ( v , x i , p. 68).

?'he P r z f ? c e d e f i n c o p o e t r y i n terms o f h b r i d c c between the i ~ t e l l i g -

i b l e t ~ o r l d a d t h e c r e z t - l v e i rnzginat ion which f u n c t i o n s i n accordance

i s t h e i n l e r n n l T r l -mph o f t h e Kind, r z p t with S. La& i n t ~ , the t h i r d Kecxen, vhlcre She con tc:n?b,-,tes Inefi ';>.blca . . . - t h i s 3Jv-inn 2 a ; j t w ~ c h a i m the Minde t r i t h he rn~on iaus P r e c e p t s f rom a 6 i r i n e Inf lucnce, ~ h o s ~ Gpe:rztioiis a re as skb-tle and r e s i s t i e s s e as t h c I n f l u e n c e c f PI -ane ts . . .

The ~ i c h symbo l i ca l e x p ~ e o s i c n o f p o e t r y o p e r a t e s i n t h e sphere of

t h e a r t s i n thc, same :nt;nncr i n which t h e i.;ord ol" t h e J c b a l ~ n i n c t e x t

i i 3 u n i n e s t h e milld o f m m , t h a t is by supcr impos jng t h ? h idden s c c r e d

m e a n i q on -the l e s s e r . ! l senzus l t t p l e a s u r e s o f th,.: v i sua l . f s c u l t y . Thus

"Vivacity\. o f %c& in a f l c r i u S t y l e d i s p o s e t h L igh t znd L i f e t o a

F"em, v h e r e i n t h e I ; a s c u l i m and r e f i n e d P l e a s u r e s o:? t 3 e @ , d e r s t m d i n ~

tyenscefid t h e fm i n i n e an^ :ze?lsual o f t h e . . . I t ( The P r e f a c e ) ,

C a n t o I re i t s r :~ , l ;cs t h i s e x a l t e d view o f t h e i l l u m i n a t i n g v i r t u e s of

"Rich poes ie ! ' 4 :

A s , whers f x m J e i:els s p a r k l i n g L u s t r e d ; r t s , -- Those ax% e i i z t z r r e t h e duskia P a r t s :

So, - Reams o f Foeo to g i v e L i g h t , L i f e , Soul So 1;r-t~.

Q u a r l e s f a d d r e s s t o h i s r e n d e r s a d o p t s t h e neo-Pla tonic concept o f

t h e h i e r o g l ~ r p h t o h i s emblnmatic pa rab le s . "AT: Lhblene, l7 h e s a y s ,

i s b u t a s i l e n t Pa rnb le . L e t n o t t h e t e n d e r Eye checke, t o s e e t h e a l l u s i o n t o o u r b l e s s e d SAVIOUi? ficgurecl., i n t l ~ c s e 'I'YPSS. I n h o l y S c r i . o t ~ ~ r e , He i s some-times cal-led. a Sover; sometimes, a. F iz l ie r ; sometimes, a F h y s i t i a n : And vhy n o t p r e s e n t e d s o , a.s wll t o t h e ege , as t o t h e e a r e ? Before t h s krlornlecige of le'i t e rs , GGD r:as lu lome by JT-il.?rc- g l i ~ h i c ' c ; ; i n d e e d , x h c t a r e t h e Jicavens , t h e E a r t h , nay e v e r y C r e a t u r e , b u t -- Hicroyli;>11icizs - and Emblcnes of' K i s Glory? --- ..

t&zrlesl employment o f t h e me taphor i ca l c o n c e i t i s aevoid o f

t h e o r n e t c f l o u r i s h e s ad, t o some e x t e n t as w e l l , o f t h e i n c l i n a t i o n c; 6

shorn i n h i s J e s u i t x a r c e s t o my tho log ic s l a l l u s i o n , - H i s f ondness

f o r t h e p l e i n l y ilorcted e roc l i t i on o f t h e b i b l i c a l n a r r a t i v e again

c o n t r i b u t e d t o t h e c o n t i n u i n < : e p p e ~ l o f t h e drnblm&~ th roughou t t h e

s e v e n t e e n t h cen-iurj.. 'I'hls c!?cice o f an unadorned r h c t c r i c mzy have

been r e i n f o r c e d by t h o exampla s e t by h i s e a r l y errployer , 2-kchbishop

Ussher. 57 Richard P a r r d e s c r i b e s t h e &chb i shop l s a d d r e s s t o h i s

Oxford aud ience d u r i n g a v i s i t i n 1642. Uzsher ,

'no twi-:hstanciing.ig -the Learnednesc c f n,ost o f h i s H e a r e r s , . . . r;.,thor chose a p l a i n su ' i l s t c r~ t i a l way of P r e a c h i n p , f o r t h e promot ing c f F i r t y ~ n d Ver tue , t h e n st lCtie.3. ELocluencc, OT a v a i n os ten ta1 . ion of Le - rn ing : s o t h a t h:, c!ui'c,e p u t o a t o-? counten- a n c s t i l t t m n d y , c f f e c t e d s o r t o f Ora to ry , which was t h c n much i n usc, c a l l e d f l o r i d e p y a ~ c L i n g , o r

53 s t r o n g l i n c s . - Benlowes obv ious ly e spouses t h e l i t e r a r y mode o f t ls- tudied Eloquencet1

which Q u a r l e s and Ussher r e j e c t e d . But t h e k u g ~ s t i n i z n d o c t r i n e o f

c b s c u r i t y n e v e r t h e l e s s p rov ide= an i m p o r t a n t background t o t h e i r

mutual i n t e r e s t i n r o u s i n g t h e s o u l t o menta l and v i s u a l r o d s of a,

h i g h e r o rde r . "'170 one h a s m y doubt , ' wrote August ine ' t h a t '

some t h i n g s a r e unde r s tood more r e a d i l y t h r o u ~ 3 1 f i g u r e s o f speech ,

56 G. S. I i a i ~ h t , "The Sonrces o f Q u ~ : r l e s l s %1_e_%, I t pp. 204-5.

57 G r o s a r t , I, g~. x i x , r e c o r d s t h e s t a t e l r a n t o f Quar los t widow t h a t he hed been S e c r e t c r y t o t h e Lord Frimn.te o f I r e l a n d and s u g g e s t s t h a t Q u n r l e s ' enployment would have been eround 1621-22.

58 C i t e d i n Goorre i l i s o n j : eve~teen .LCrn tury o n t , 2nd cd. ondo don, 1 9 6 0 ) ~ p. 130.

m c l t h z t ;;hen somethin;: i s se:rc;:cd f o r l.rith d i f f i c u l t y , i t is , as

a. r e s u l t , nore deli; .htfuI ly c l i zcovered. t159 i p a r l e s ndherea t o t he

"provocz-L-i.vc 2nd evr , s iveu t cc ' c i c s f o r r;hich t h e I n t e r n e o - P l e t o n i s t s

The Vmbleifi~s a s h rrholc rrc. dornj.natc-d by t h e c e x e l e s s oucs- t ionjng of

t h e n a r r c t o r :

Czn nothin:. s e t t l e my uncer ta inc : b r e s t , And f i x rny r ambl ing Love?

(11.12, p. 109)

\!Bere i s t h 3 - t GOGCI, r;hich wise mcn p l e a s e t o c a l l The C h i e f e s t ? !does there m y such b e f a l l Mi th in m a ' s I . c & c ~ ? O r i s t h e r e such a Good r!,t al l?

It i s most o:ftsn cor111ine6 :ri-i,li t h e r i d d l e i n t h e c o n c i c e epigrams

l a t i o n throuzl i unusual o r e f i i p a t i c concep t s i s faun?. i n ~ I C I ~ I ! . ~ I ~ ! IV.13,

where t h e p o e t a l l u d e s t o t h e pssible n a t u r e o f t h e Chicf Good:

60 Sdgzr Xind, 1'r;mn kkstcr ias i n the Ren;-i::smcs, rev . end - e n l ~ r g e d e&n. ( ~rcct L r i - k i n , 1?67) , pp. 8-9. 3ind. u s e s t h e p h r a s e t o d e s c r i b e t h e s t y l e c11.1.iive tec! by Pico . The l a t t e r ' s a d n i m t i o n 201: t h e r i c h 2nd mystci*ious s u b l i ~ i i t y o f Porphyryt P r o c l u s , Iamblici lus , anlong o t h e r s : i s a l s o n o t e d by liind.

t h a t may t h i s i ixc ' lcnce be? does i t s u b s i z t k r o y e l l b s sencc , c louded i n t h e m i s t

Of c u r i o u s i d , o r c l e ~ r e t o e v ' r ; ~ eyc t h a t l i s t?

O r i s ' t a x a r t I d e a , t o p r o c u r e h %'d,rc, ; nci keep t h e o rzc t i c l : s o u l c i n u r e ,

L i k e thrr t dc; r e Chynick ciuat,, o r p u z z l i n g :,uadratuse?

Senlowes d e l i g h t s i n t h e e n t i r e gamut o f v e r b a l i n c e n u i t y and

t e n e b r o s i t y u i ~ h e l d by t,he o c c u l t i s t s o f t h e i iena issance and c i t e d i n

S u t l e r ' s s a t i r i c a l ske t ch . L i k e h i s p r e d e c e s s o r , John Donne, Benlowes

seems t o have model led hit p o e t i c mznnerisms on t h e a b s t r u s e s t y l e

and l o v e of pzradox so prorr.inent i n t h e w r i t i n g s o f ~ i c n . 61 However,

xihereas I iome cou ld i n i u s e t h e t r a d i t i o n with i n t . o , l l e c - t u ~ l b r i l l i a n c e

aml a f i r m c o > l t r o l eve? h i s ~ r i t t y eruci i t ior , , i n ~Pcophi1a t h e vogue a- d

d e g z n e r e t e s i n t o t h e ' : c ryp t i c pompct a r ea r j r convcntjonr,l i t . i .es which

s i g n a l l e d t h e p a s s i n g o f t h e t r a d i t i o n . 6 2 Amo~gs t t h e ' ~ i l ~ i o u s

t e c h n i q u e s of t h i s neo-Pl:~l,onic idiom, B e ~ l o w e s is p a r t i c u l a r l y fond

of t h a t microcosm-'.c c o n t r z r y o f o p p o s i t e s , t h e ptzedox. C h a r a c t e r i s t i -

c a l l y , i t i s a p p l i e d t o t h e cor:ms~oncl.5ng la.ye.:s of h i s p o e t i c cosnos--

t o t h e P e t r z r c h z n lover- o f k n t o I vho l i v e s i n a ciimsJi.e o f "warn

F r o s t s " ( v i i , p. 2) 2nd i n C m t o s I1 and VIII t o t h e i . n h a b i t a n t s o f

Eel.1: "Ridcll.e! Compo1.l Id, a t once , t o -- l i v e and die! / F ~ y i n & t h e y ---- ssz, 2nd f-reszina f r i e : " ( IT x l i i i , p. 28). The nur~ i s a. lso r e c r u i t e d

t o s u g g e s t tfie many l a y e r s o f r e a l i t y , and t h e L i l t i n 3 ef'i'ect o f

onomatopoeia t o i m i t a t e t h e d ~ u n k e r d s o f Ctn to I: "They s t a g c e r ,

r o w l , / T h e i ~ . f e e t i n d e n t , t h e i r Sense Being drunk wl; t h C i r c e s

( x x i , p. 4), Also i rcc ip isd tc ; cczpture t h e r e e d z r ' s i n t s l l e c t u a l r

eye a r e t h e theo1oi;icstl c m u n d . r m s of' which l J i cho la s o f Cusa was a l s o

enaiiiourecl. Thus i n Cento I t h e r e z d e r i s confron&ed with t h e l i n e s

"\&o s t e a l s from Time, Time s t e e . 1 ~ from him t h e Prey: 1 Pas t imes p e s s e - --

61 Wind, i b i d . , p. 216, nn. 76-8 d i s c u s s e s Donne's i n t e r e s t i n P i c o , L i c h o l a s of Cusa, and o t h e r neo -P la ton i s t s .

6 2 l i ind, l o c . c i t . The phrase quoted h e r e is used by Rind t o -- - d e s c r i b e P i c o ' s a t t e m p t s a t a n o r a t o r i c a l mechcnism s u i t a b l e f o r comn;uniceting t h e i n e f i ' s b l e (p . 11) .

HXAVIR away: . . . fl (xxxvi , p. 6) .

The C h r i s t i e n P l z t o n i s t l s re -cx .a t ion i n p o e t r y o f t h e mainifold

wonders of Divine Crea t ion could l e n d i t s e l f a s w e l l t o t h e employ-

mcni of v a r i e t y x i - th in a u n i f i e d fran!ev;ork which was n o t n e c e s s a r i l y

dominai;ed by t h e i a i s t o t e l i a i u n i t i e s . Benlorses appea r s t o some c r i t i c s

t o a b a d o c both u n i t y of s t z u c t u r e and c o n s i s t e n c y o f tone. Sdouard

R o d i t i , f o r exzmple, w r i t e s t h a t nih--do~t~es mixed, too f r e e l y f o r a r t

as i m i t a t i o n b u t n o t f r e e l y enough f o r a r t as i n v e n t i o n o r a s n a t u r e ,

t h e v a r i o u s n a m e r s m d ion3s of a r t , t h e gorgeous and t h e g ro tesque ,

t h o l o f t y and t h s rnac~.roilir;, t h e l i t u r g i c a l and t h e s a t i r i c a l . tl63

'Glilliz,mson a l s o f inl is i il the jumbled s t y l e s and d i s jo.in.tec1 rhythm --

t h o s e f a u l t s wh ich lessei: ~ m l o w e s l d t u r e i n t h o metaphysica l school .

"He combines g r e e t e r e x t r e m s of' c o l l o q u i a l and lezrned wonis, o f

Eng l i sh and L a t i n v e r s e , o f t h e ugly c o n t r s c t i o n s which are such a

b l o t on t h e poe t ry o f t h i s t i a e and t h e i r r e g u l a r s p t ~ x which ad6.s

t o t h e obscur i ty . n64.

These b l e ~ ~ i s h e s i n T h c o i d ~ i l a b e a r a ~ t r i k i n g s i m i l n r i t y t o %hose

found ir, t h e p o e t r y o f Du Btrrtas, whom Ben3or.w p r a i s e s i.r? t h e openirig

s t a n z z s of Canto 111. S i g r ~ ? P i c a n t l y , t h e P r o t e s t a n t p o e t had a l s o

regerded h imsel f a s a v z t i s r a f h e r than a c o u r t ? o e t , ar?2 poured o u t

his r e l i g i o u s enthusiasm I n zn "abominhble f u s t i a n " . 65 A ~ a r a c e l s e a x

of' t h e l i t e r e r y world, 3u B e r t s s c u l t i v a t e d a s t y l e at, once "bombastic; 6 6 . . . v u l g a r , t e d i o u s , d u l l . l a c k p n g i n J r e s t m i n t " . The tendency

o f t h e pedant and v i r t u o s o t o indu lge i n c l e v e r word-games consp i red

i n both p o e t s t o znchor and cof i to r t t h e smooth e l egance o f S p e n s e ~ i a n

poet ry . De Kourgues d a s c r i b e s ';he convoluted rne t r ics ~&lc_h make a I

6 3 R o d i t i , PP. 3.52-353.

66 F r a n c i s C. IIaber, introduction," B ~ r t s s H i s "uevine %ekes

and 7orks (1605) , T r ~ i ~ ~ l ~ t c c i by Jo:;hu~ S y l v e s t e r , f e c s i m i l e edn. ' G o s v i l l e , i ' l o r i d a , 1 ~ 6 5 ) ~ p. ix .

r e a d i n g o f T h e o ~ h i l a so l a b o r i o u s :

The q u a l i t y o f harmony, o f ~ ~ l ~ o l e n e s s , i s f a t a l l y e n d a g e r e d by a broken rhythm . . . t h e r e a d e r ' s mind, constantly stopped by r e c u r r e n t comn>s , and, moreover, i lmperea by t h e r e ~ e t i - t l o n s . . . , i s l e f t w i t h c u t m y ve.lut..ble t h r s z d t o fo l lo r i o r key- word*to gs.usc on; herice a.n u n p l c m a n t e f f e c t o f d i sconnec ted enumexi io i i o r j u x t a p o s i t i o n . . . (p.39).

It i s l i k e l y t h a t t h i s zssumption o f 2 p o e t i c l i c e n s e o f v a r i e t y

owes something t o St . Augus t ine ' s views on C h r i ~ t i ~ n o r a t o r y . He had

inociifiecf t h e C i c e r o n i m r u l e s o f speech by assuming tha.t s a c r e d l i t e r -

a t u r e d e a l t r i i t h a coi l s i s ten t; y sublime t o p i c . Re t h e r e f o r e advocated

" n v a r i e t y o f s t . y l e s G=. a mixtu re o f s t y l e s i n t h e t r e n - t i n c of a

-uniform sub jec t -ma t t e r . shorring t h z t , a l t h o u & a

hsve a prevailing s t y l c ,

of v a r i e t y Yu

. . S t , Augustine even t a k e s t h e s t e p o f

speech o r p i e c e o f m i t i r i g m y a p p r o p r j a t e l y

t h o n i x t u r e o f s t y l e s i s good f o r t h e seke

b n r l a s is a prominent spokesman c f t h i s

C h r i s t i a n a e s t h e t i c . T.3on c r i t i c i z e d f o r n e g l e c t i n g -to& c;las:;ical *

u n i t i e s , ~u &rtas r e p l i e s ( i n tj le Brief ' A2vc:rttissement s u r sa uysmiere r I- rGL1.J st ~ e c o n d e ;fomcine 1)' ,1 ) t h a t h c does c o t s o p i r c t c such an i d o a l

i n h i s C h r i s t i a n ep ic . Tho - Second !leek, he a t e t e s e n p h > t i c a l l y ,

i s n o t (no I ~ O X t h e n my f i r s t ) c ?.orkc p u r e l y 3piqu.e o r Ke>:oique, but I n p m t Pane~r r . l c i? . l l , i n ~ 2 2 %

Prophe-t iczl . l , znd ir. p a r t i j idasce t ique . b e r e I simply s e t ci31;ne t h a His to ry , t h e m 1 move a f fec - t i o n s : Heore I c z l i upon God, t h e r e Z y w l d him tlmxkes: h e e r e I s i l ig a aymc u n t o h i 2 & Li~cre I vomit o u t a S e t y r s a ~ a i n s t t h e Vices o f mine Age: l ieere I di:course of' nntur r . l16Qhin~:s , and o t h s r - xhere I p r a i s e good s p i r i t s .

A mixture o f ve r sz - fo rns i n a s i n g l e C h r i s t i a n wrk. o f devot ion

67 Joseph A. Eazzeo, ~ c n a i ~ s a a c e and S o v e n t e e r r - ~ l ~ ~ ~ e ~ ~ t u ~ y S t u d i e s , P. 13.

had been illustrated i n ~ a e t a p h y s i c a l p o e t r y by H e r b e r t ' s Ter:de_, 2nd

was a marked f e a t u r e of t h e &~ICI:ES .- 2s v e l l . Indeed, t h e p o p u l z r i t y

of t h e Z!n?)lernos, accord ing t o R.osein~ry Frccman, or;es much t o Quczrles'

book based on t h e Kin Ce:;ir?e& p l a t e s nr0vt.d Hentircl ; ; monotonous. ,I@

Where Quctrles can be r l i e t o r i c a l , d.rarnatic, dic!.actic, o r lyr ic ; - -1 by t u r n s , z t 0120 rnommt, u r g i n z t he s o u l with a l l t h e persuasivt3,ness of' a prezcher- 'n B . Z ~ t o r e t u r n fronl the path:; o f vickedness, ~t t h e n e x t e l e b c r a t i n z a scene b c t m e n t h e g u i l t y iul irsa xnci J u s t i c e i n xh ich C h r i s t d r a m a t i c a l l y i i l t e r v ~ : l c s to save t h e notr r e p e n t a t s i n n e r , I:ri.ral,;er p r e ~ x a t s each emblem from e x a c t l y t h e sane p o i n t o f vtev. I2vsry one o f h i s poems is a pious Lament by t h o s u l ) p l i a n t s o ill. . 70

' I ' h e o n h i l ~ i s ~ l s o based on t h e assumption t h e t a v a . ~ l e t j of s t y l e s and -_WL__

themes rencler t h e poem a t t r a c t i v e t o a l a r g e audience. Benlowes e x h o r t s

h i s c r e a t i v e il-nagin 3 t i o n

IT2 produces , accorci i n g l y , ;. poti3ourri o f hexanera l m? t e r i c l , d i d a c t i c

cornnentary, v i t t y s a t i 5 c a l slietclnes, pr ivate przynr m d ecs t? , t ie

l y r i c i s m . 1 n i r o d u c l i . n ~ h i s s a t i r i c n l Canto X, 3enlot:es sumejrs t h e

v a r i o u s s t y l i s t i c approac ;~ss ( a l l r e p r e s e n t e d i n h i s " sp : i r i tua l poem1f)

aid d e c i d e s t h a t "here" he chooses one s u i t e d t o h i s pc , r t i cu la r

in tent ion-a s w e p i n g g e s t u r e aga in r e m i n i s c e n t o f Du d ~ r t a s :

Vllrious are -- P o e t s Flames ; Some, 3cl.o.mes t r r i t e , O t h ~ r s d e s c r i b e a h o r r i d F i . , -

Some - 2 S t r a i n s , aid some t h e ~ ~ 7 i c k do deii6;ht:

69 Rosernzry Freeman, Z i g l i s h Xrnblen Books ( ~ o n ~ o n , 1948), p. 133.

But, h e r e my sliarpned Kuse s h a l l e n t e r t a i n - -

The S c o u ~ g c s o f %,t:-rick Vein , To lclsh t h e : :o r ld , i n r!hich such S t o r e o f ':ices r e i g n .

whole Sum of him"!' It i s c l e a r t h a t i n Theo:,hila Ben1o;:ss s e t s h i s

l i m i t e d c r L a t i v e t a l e n t s on h i g h e r s i c h t s t h e n t h e i m i t a t i o n o f t h e

o t h e r p o e t s ' r r i t t y say in,^. He does s o i n c o n j u n c t i o n s:ith & e s t h e t i c

of t h e C h r i s t i a n n e o - P l e t o n i s t s s;liich r e t a i n s t h e i L r i s t o t e l i a n mimesis,

but p r o v i d e s a h i g h e r p l m e o f irfirigc-mdcing more c l o s e l y a s s o c i c t e d

w i t h t h e P l e t o n i c Forms. I n h i s A33r)oloflie S idney had e s t a b l i s h e d t h e

pre-eminence of s a c r e d n o e t r p by s u b o r d i n a t i n g dr is t ,c? 'ulels i m i t a t i o n

o f n a t u r e a d human ever1.i.s t o t h e s u p e r i o r a r t o f "naking . . . images

o f nn e t e r n a l end i n t e l l i g i b l e r c n l i t y . " 7 2 I n tilo a p p l i c - i i o n o f hi::

c r e a t i v e f a c u l t y t o t h e searc!l i n t e l l i g i - b l e p r i n c i 7 l e e u n d e r l y i n g

t h e t r a n s i t o r y b e a u t y of '~ho s e m i b l e voT12, t h e d e v o t i z x a l p o e t

promotes t h e a s c e n t o f t h e r s 7 d e r t o t h e supscl~le ?ea . l i ty . Fo r

s i & ~ i i f i e s a s t ~ t u s h i g h e r than t h o t o f n a t u r e , ttr;hic_h i ~ i n o t h i n g hee

sheweth so nuch a s i n F.oet2ie , whcn wi th t h e f o r c e cf a d i v i n e b r e a t h

he b r i n g e t h t h i n g s f o r t h f a r s u r p e s s i n g h e r dooings . . . l t T 3 S idney

a c c o u n t s t l c h i e f c bo th i n z n t i q i l i t i e mcl exce l lenc ; ie l ' t h o s e p o e t s who

74 " i m i t a t e t h e i n c o n c e i u s b l e excellencies o f Gad"---ncluclil:g D w i d and

Solonon, t h e s c r i p t u r a l p o e t s s o i m p o r t a n t t o t h e Enblencs and Theo-

p h i l a . Sidney f u r t h e r m o r e cl-aims t h a t " t h e s k i 1 o f t h e k t i f i c e r - r

71 - C h a r e c t c r s . . ., ed. b.3. l i a l l e r , p. 48.

72 T h i s i s Joseph !~:axzeols a l l u s i o n t o P l a t o n i c i rn i tn t ion i n R e n x i s s ~ i l c e a n d Seventecnzh-Cen-tu :3 S t u d i e s , p. 193. -

73 S i r I J b i l i p Sidney, P* 157.

stanc!etb i n t h n t Idca o r :?om-conc,:i tc o f t h e ~ : o r k , and n o t i n t h e ?:.or!: - i t s e l f e . fmi t h n t t h e P o c t h a t h t h a t Idea is ~ m n i f e s t , by d e l i u e r i n g - them f o r t h i n such excel1el:ci.e ss he h a t h ina:.inc-4 then." 157). The

f u r t h e r neo-PI-zJi.onic n o t i o n '~h(?.t in i i tz . t ion o f d i v i n i t y e f f e c t s t h e trms-

fo rma t ion o f men i n t o a h i z h a r 1-eve1 o f b e i n g i s vo iced bjr G i l e s

F l e t c h e r i n h i s i n t r o d u c t i o n t o C h r i i s t l s V - i c t o r i . ~ and T r i ~ ~ 1 - i z

EIemen (1610). Contein?orar;,r r e a c t i o n t o h z v i n g "prophane P o e t r i e t o -- ? . s ~ l c v i t h d i v i n e t;ild heauenly m a t t e m " i s e v i d e i ~ t l y a cons id . e ra t ion

whjch must be met by C h r i s t i a n p o e t s , and F l c t c h e r r e p l i e s by e x p r e s s i n g

h i s n d ~ n i r a t i o n f o r t h e F s a l r a i s t vho "by i m i t a t i n ~ t h e s i n g i n g Angels i n

h o a u l n , h imsel f becane , thou.?:!! b e f o r e h i s t ime , an e a r t l l l y Lngel. ,175

I n accordcmcc wi th t h y s pvo t i c o f c r e a t i o n on a:! ~ ~ ; h e r r r o r l d l y

p a t t w n , B e n l o ~ ~ c s cc rnpos~s hi:: q i c 2:; a r e c i p r o c a l w-i; 0'; C : ~ r i s t i a n

devo t ion . J u ~ t c e C h r i s t , p v e E i s l i f e f o r man, tile p o e t c r e ~ t e s h i s

e p i c o f D iv ine Lovc a s a 1-dve-sac*-if ice t o Chr i c t . Dedicr . t jng h i s r:ork,

as d i d St . i iuguat ine i n t h e C?::fessj.ons, to t h e Sav iou r , ~ t . n l . o~ res s t r i t e s

Ir. C m t o IX Be171 or-es rcit ,cr*,-Lo5 t h i s theme by urf;lrtg C h r i s t ,

Up03 th) I-:! l , c m I c t my VCI'ZOP p rove The V i c t i n u , IIc:rt t::e iilthr, t h e F i r e Love!

The arrzyer iahich p recedes t h e "S-mmary o f t h e Poemtt expresses -the

conccpt i n t h e v i s u ~ l form 0 2 sn altar. Here t h e p o e t 1 s "OF?!';2IIIi<Gtt

o f l o v e i s d e s c r i b z d in t s x a c,f t h e c i r c l e o f Ueing f ami . l i n r t o neo-

P l a t o n i c t hough t : "As A11 c m e from l e t A l l r e twl l t o 'i'l!E3:1T

Benlolrest heyo ine a l s o r e f l s c t s t h e imi-ta,t ive paCtern , b e i n g a

q u i n t e s s e n t i a l p e r s o n i f i c a t i o r , o f t h o s e god ly v i r t u e s r ,hich produced

75 ---- The Focns o f G i l r . j ; B Z ~ t c h g , ad. Rev. A. B. G r o s a r t , The F u l l e r l : o r t j i i e s f L i b r a r y ( P r i v a t e C i r c u l e t i o n , 1868), pp. 65-7.

t h e g l o r i f i e d m ~ n l ~ e r s of t h e heavenly h ie ra rchy . She r e p r e s e n t s " t h e

i d e a l Kay of one s a n c t i f i e d soul. rho s t tmds f o r many,It76a p r i n c i p l e o f

p e r f e c t i o n and u n i t y a r i s i n g from t h e manifo ld realms o f t e r r e s t r i a l

being. 3eyond t h e s e t h e m z t i s re-cren.-tions of' t he i i iv ine p a t t e r n ,

hor;ever, Bcn1or;es t u r n s t o numerical p?inci!iles t o unite msthenat i -

c a l l y t h e v a r i o u s aspect^ 01' h i s S i v i n e theme, and i n p a r t i c n l n r t o

convey t h e c e n t r n l r o l e o f C h r i s t r.rit1iS.n t h e e p i c b3th a s t h e Second

Person o f t h e T r i n i t y and s.s t h e Nedia tor o f man's s a l v a t i o n .

Qvarnstfbrn h a s observcd the m a n i f e s t a t i o n i n 'iheo:,llila o f t h i s

nm1cr:i c a l form o f composit iox and i t s a f f i n i t i e s vi t h h z i l t o n f s

Fzrndice Lost . 77 A s t l ~ e "redeeming he ro , C h r i ~ $ ' ? nonumental

triumph over dea th i s p lzced by t h e poet a t t h o " i d e a l C h r i s t i a n

c s n t r e o f t h e poem. n79 1.F-d;ray throuch Canto VSI t h e c a r r z t i v e por-

tray:: t h e r e j e c t i o n ~f t empta t ion , end a t t h e prec ise %c-1.k~,ci i~otic~l

n id-poin t t t80 of Canto and o p i o , it b rcaks o f f drwn:.lisally v i t h t h e

h a l f - l i n c , "Then f o r t h t h c x rrcnt ' st--". The Three-in-One motif is

a l s o emboZied i n Benl-eves ' i-;rzf71 oyment o f t h e unusuzl t h r e e - l i n e

s t a n z a form. II61e c26:ain h p . l s ' t i n e l s i n f l u e n c e czn be d e t e c t e d , f o r

as Qvarnstrom n o t e s it " c z s t h e g r e a t F a t h e r o f t h z Church who p u t

t h e f i n a l s e a l of &ppzoval on t h e p r z c t i c e o f n m e r ~ l c g i c a l exe&esis ." 81

I n t h e Reri~issc2nce t h i s n u i s ~ ~ i c a l p a t t e r n o f crczzior: i s f r e q u e n t l y

a s s o c i c t c d y i t h t h a t %y;~cre t j stic kind o f I J c o p l ~ tonism hhlch

l n c l udea Hermetic ar,d C z b b a l i s t i c i d e a s ! ~ ~ 8 2

76 Gunnar < v a r n s t r h , !i%c20hnnCcd i?-lace: Scme 3 t r u c i u r a l m. .-

A s ~ e c t s o f P a r a d i s e h s t ( ~ t o c k h o l r n , 1367) , p. 63.

77 C f . fn . 70.

70 Gunnar C p a r n s t f i n , Ti letry and h n b e r s : On t h e S t r u c t u r a l - Use o f S.ym'oolic iiuxbers ( ~ u i d , 1966) , p. 60. -

79 I b i d . , p. 72.

G,vernstWm, The Enchsnted F a l ~ c e . . . , 3. 81. 81 I b i d * , P* 63.

82 Rostvig , The Hidden Sense (1?63), c i t e d i n QvarnstrBm, Yoe t r - znd Kumbers . . . , p. 44. -

The journey of t h e soul. t o God r e q u i r e s a f u n d a x ~ n l ~ e l tyans-

fo rma t ion of man's b ~ i n g from a c r e a t u r e dominiitcd by t h e a p p e t i t e s

of t h e body t o a heaven ly mcn, s i m u l a t i n g i n h i s i;erfec;tion t h e

h i g h e r intel1.i i ; ibl .e b e i n ~ s xhiclt r e v o l v e about, Gcd ir: ceaseless

con templa t ion and devot ion . I n del ines . . t ing t h e na tw-e of t h e i n t e l -

l i g i b l e ~ ro r l t l and o f t h e scu i ' 3 r e l a t i o n s h i p t o thet worl-d, t h e

C l ~ z i s t i a n p o e t s of t h e me t r !hys i ca l sc!lool manil's.=% &I j a t e l l e c t u a l

and a r t i s t i c a t t r e c t i o n t o t i l e neo-Ple ionic d o c t r i n e s ~ d ~ i c h e n t e r e d

C h r i s t i a n mystical. t h e o l o r 3 t r i r such writers as St. m g u s t i n e , t h e

pseudo-Dionysius, rmi hichol-3s of Cusa. These cioctr i t ies a r e s e t

f o r t h a t l e n g t h i n a d i d a c t i c f a s h i o n i n T h e o ~ d l i . 2nd t o n l e s s e r

e x t e n t i n t h e Smblcnes. Thcy p rov ide t h e ne tn13hys ica l bsc4ground t o

t h e s o u l ' s t.2ir6ef0ld Tray of a x c a n t , which i n i t s early st-ngss w i l l

c o n s t i t u t e t h e s u b j e c t - m t t e r o f t h e l a t t e r s e c t i o 3 o f t h i s c h a p t e r .

T h e c p h i l a repyesents the consunza t ion of BanZowcs' l o n g s t a n d i n g - i n t e r c s t i n t heo lopy , end irL p a r t i c u l a r t h e d o c t r i n e s o f Itiny s t i c a l

I i . H e conciuclee h i s e i s l l t h can to wi th t h e p h r a s e "C'WiIk i n

G I N , & i n OIXKC~~US LWS," a motto which u n d e r l i n e s t h e nat~,:re o f t h e

pocm's p h i l o s o p h i c a l and t h e o i o g i c a l o r i e n t a t i o n . Benlo~res ' i n t e g -

r a t i o n of t h e complex :lotions o f b e i n g and R e a l i t y c o ~ s t i t v l e s a

s t r i k i n g example of t h e def i r , i r , ion o f metaphysic:il p o e t r y y iven by

Jams Smith, f o r vhom t h i s genx-e is charac-Lerised by " ' a n overwhelming

cocce rn u i t h metaphys ics1 problems; with problems e i t h e r d e r i v i n g

from, o r c l o s e l y r e sembl ing i n t h e n ~ t u r e o f t h e i r d i f f i c u l t y , t h e

p ~ o b l e m o f t h e Lany and t h e One. 1

1 James bmith, "On L e t z p h y s i c a l 1 '0ctry,~ ' c i t e d i n Lou i s L. N a r t z , " I n t r o d u c t i o n , " The hnchor i a t h o l o ~ , ~ - o f Seventeenth Czntury V e r s e , p. xxvi.

The o u t l i n e of t h e fme tnghys i ca l ~ r o b l e m ' c o n f r o n t e d by

'iheophil-a end t h e p o e t is p r e s e n t e d i n Ben lo r~es ' Frci 'zce. It i s

c a s t jn a form similar t o t h a t found i n t h e mitin{:s of' i ~ i c h o l a s o f

Cusa: hox: can t h e s cemin@y fundamental d i spar i t ; r be tween man and

God Be b r idged? The v a s t coarlic d i s t a n c e i\i!ich s e p a r ~ t c s t e r r e s t r i a i

men from s u p s r - c e l e s t i a l b e i n g s vould seem t o r e i n f o r c e t h e mamitude

o f t h e problem. tian, it seems, is " l o c a l c n 2 c i r c w s z r l b e d by P l ~ c e , ! ~

EL " f i n i t e Crea tu re i1 i t g r o v e l i n g on E a r t h i n t h e biud of' E r m u r end

g r o s s e Ignorznce , . . . unab le by any Art o r I n 4 u a l - r i e t o f i n d e o u t

t h e t r u e i k t u r e , Form zsd V e r t u c o f t h e l e e s t f l ie oT yfiat," Kow -- remote i n eve ry T:ay from t h i s d iminu t ive c r c n t u r e i s t i le t r a l s c e n d e n t

One, d e s c r i b e d by Benlc~:es i n t h e a b s t m c t t e r m of P.l.otinus:

i t is i n r e l a t i o n t o t h i s incomperable God: t h a t t h e t e n s i o n of t h e

meditative poem i s gene r s t ed . How i s f i n i t e man wi th h i s incomple te

h o w l e d g e of t h e c r e s ~ t e d v o r l d ever t o a r r i v e a t a comprehension o f

t h e i n f i n i t e l y wise and untreated Source o f h i s being? r

According t o P l o t i n c s , Cad can be h o r n orily by !lis o m ki-nd, 2

- 3 o r as 3en loves s t a t e s e l s ewhere , ilonljr L i & t can I,i& declarei . - , The

p o s i t i v e c o r e o f t h e ~ e o - P l e t o n i c t:orldvieir is i t s a f f ' i r r x t i o n t h a t

rnm can 1 m . 0 ~ ( O T see) by means o f h i s i n n e r s p i r i t ~ a a l pe rcep t iun .

Xill iorn R. I nge , Tho Fhi lonophy o f P l o t i n u s , ?rd ed.. , 2 v o l s . ondo don, e t c . , 1948): I, 137.

Benloves r a i s e s t h i s conceptual p o s s i b i l i t y by sugye::ting

any Crea tu re h e r ; v h a t GOD is, he should be CQD; f o r none

b u t HII.ISX,Fv. T h i s hypo t h e t i c a l d e i f i c e t i o n of man i s soon confirmed

by t h e p o e t , v'no p e r c e i v e s i n Goit an ern'native i J r inc , ip l e I-rilich., upon

i n t e g r a t i o n by t h e c r e z t u r e s , succeeds i n d r a u i n ~ : them up t o I t s o m

d i v i n i t y :

. . . IFFiICITB4ESSE be ing t h c r i g h t Ph i losopher s Stone, which tumis a l l X e t a l s i n t o Gold, anci one Tram 03 33 ' b e i n g p u t , n o t oi?ly t o a Serr.n&, o r t o a whole Element, bu t even t o t h e l ezs t ; g r~a l ; i n t h e i.o.;.:d, o r t h e l e a s t mote i n t h e Sun, i s o f Force Lo : m h i t t r u e and v e r z GOD . . .

Uere i s revea led t h e mutual y r e n i s e of neo-Platonisn alid C h r i s t i a n i t y

t h a t t h e u n i v e r s e i s a un i f ied e n t i t y through participaiion i n t h e

In te l -Li f r ib le F r i n c i p l e whence i t origin; i . tes a d t o ~ l h i c h i t i s

d e s t i n e d t o r e t u r n . &nlo:res1 a l l u s i o n t o t h e a l chemica l symbol

freil_uently a s soc ia t sc l with Clr-?iat a s ~ r e a t o l ~ ~ c :Omc?amental t o t h e

experief ice whish Theophi la rw6 t h e poet undergo i n t h e e ~ i c . For i n

CI.nistfs Inczrr.nat3.or, end Resur rec t ion men f i n d s t h e p a t t e r n of h i s

o m r e t u r n t o God. "Ghy thevl," a s k s dugus t ine i n t h e Ci -ty o:? Cad,

if it i s the wiii o f t h e seme God I J ~ O m22e t h i s l i v i n g creatu;-e , cenvlot en e a r t h l y body be r a i s e d up t o a heavenly body, i f ' the s o u l , which belon;.? i;c 3 more e x a l t e d ordela o f h c i n p t h m zny bod>-, even 2 heavsnly body, could be l i c k c d with ;n e a r t h l y body? 3

Tne a l c h e m i s t s hsd w r e s t l e d rri-th t h e same p u z z l e on t h e x e t e l l i c p l a n e

of' c r ea . t ion , and h2d conclu&ed th t l t t h e p r o j e c t i o n o r d e s c e n t o f S p i r i t

i n t o l e s s e r r n ~ t t e r would h a s t e n t h e e v o l u t i o n of t h a t m a t t e r i n t o t h e t

p e r f e c t meta l gold. To t h e C h r i s t i a n , man must f i r s t . puri.fy h imse l f

i n o r d e r t o r e c e i v e t h e s p i r i . 1 ~ 8 1 g i f t or" grace ~?i?ich kind-les i n him

t h e w i l l t o proceed t o union x i t h God.

One t r e a t i s e based iin t h i s analogy, t h e z~on;.mous Soo!lic H y d r o l i t h , t r i l l be d i s c u s s e d i n Chapter IV . Chr is t a s t h e v i s i b l e co inc io ' en t i a opnositorum, t h e "Divine-humane ," i:: fmdementa l t o --- Theophi lc ' s emphesis on t h e med ia t ing r o l e o f C h r i s t i a n love.

m g u s t i n e , Concerninc t h e Cit,v,of God ai::inst t h e Pspans, t r a n s . Eenry Get tenson, F e n p i n ecin. ((:-rect J r i t a i n , 1972) , p. 1026 ( ~ o o k X<II, Chapter 4).

Through h i s microcosmic c o n s t i t u t i o n m n i s possessed o f t h e

a b i l i t y t o ascend from e a r t h t o heaven. He is , C i l c s F l c t c h e r r : r i t c s ,

"of t h e f i r ea t v o r l d t h ~ sma l l epitome. l t6 I n h i s 31w.len P i o m 1-edita-

t i o n s Cyorles r e p e a t s t h i s popul a r Ben;,issance thcme:

WATJ i n h : i x s c l f e t s a. l i t t l e 'i!o~.l(?., idone , ----.-- H i s S O U ~ . ' ~ C O L I ~ ~ , O r h i ~ % hneri .?L1. t;hI?o?Ie, --

. - -. Her handmaid.'?; !<ILL: Affec t ions , I.,e.id.s nf Iionor, ------- A l l f o l l ~Gay c l o s e , a d . duel:r vaitin:.? ci;ll ,Et7

I n t h e C h r i s t i a n vor ldview tl1.e o r i g i n 2 1 harmony cf man as ;?n a n g e l i c

b e i n g had been s h a t t e r e d by t h e presumptuous w i l l , znd in h i s f a l l e n

c o n d i t i o n m a n i s t o r n by !>is i rhrmediary p o s i t i o n hz-tveen a n g e l i c

and b e s t i a l e x i s t e n c e . n u g u s t i n e ' s d o c t r i n e i s echoed i n Eenlovresl

d i d a c t i c p o r t r a y a l of' v~arl's s t a t e i n C a t o I: - 7 t l 3 - Bru tes c o v e t rzoucht b u t what1 s t e r r e n e ; I~AQ'BS Quire

Do i n e t e m ~ l Goyes consp i re ; I h m , ' t r r i x t then Bo th , does intermediate '9;ind.z desire.

accord in^ t o Gombricil, t h i s t r i c d i c scheme o f man 1s a rnajor coiicern

i n t h e writiilgs o f :+'icino:

The n e t h e r p a r t s o f o u r s o u l l i n k un v i t h the ?rorld o f t h e body and i ts s e o s e s ; t h e e x a l t e d region cf the mind i ) v t a k e s o f t h e C iv lne ; and hwnm reason, which is man's o'tvn p r e r o g a t i ~ ~ e , s t a n d s i n b e t m e n . Our s o u l i s t h e scene o f c o n s t a n t s t r i f e between t h e f r e t f u l motion of t h e anirnzi i n s t i n c t an6 t h e y e o r n i n ~ s o f rezson--a

Gi l e s Fletcher., C h r i s t ' s V i c t o r i e , . ,, . i x -The i'ocws . . . ,

ed. Grosa r t , p. 94. ' Grosa r t , IS, p. 28.

s t r i f e rrhich on ly Divine guidznce can r e s o l v e from above, b r i n c i n g r . ~ i t.h it t h e s e r e n e s t i l l n e s s o f he ctvenLg si i sdom. 8 -

I n t h e I n v o c a t i o n t o his Ernblenes C,uarles maps o u t t h e v e r t i c a l ascent

of nan t o t h e a p e s of human p e r f e c t i o n a l o n g t h e three-runged l a d d e r

of t h e neo-11~ t o n i s t s . It i s a journey from t h e im:2ure f i r e s o f l u s t

t o t h e pure f lames of s e r z ; ~ h i c contcmplet ion:

. . . L e t E e x o n cu rbe Thy hot-rnouthld Pass ion ; and l e t hezv'na f i r e season The fsesh Cnilcei ts o f thy c o r r e c t e d ;ieason; . . .

(pp. 1.4)

Man's l i n k wi th i k i t y i s desc r ibed by Benlowes i n terms o f t h e

S t o i c pneuina, a conce?t p r e f e r r e d by S t , Pau l ove r t h e X e t o n i c nous

arid l a t e r found c h i e f l y i? the p a t r i s t i c m i ' t o r s . - R e f e r r i n g t o

t h e Divine a x t of crstztion, t h e poet r r r i t e s :

Then d i d o - f ' t h tE len ;en t s Dust Iirtns IjodLe f ~ m e ---- -- Ii pcrfc,:t Iiicrocosm, t h e Sane

. He quickrled riitl: a s p a r k l e o f P ~ i e u i m t i c k i ' lme .

(11, x i : p. 24)

T h i s "suyernz-tural p r i n c i p l c i t o f fire r e p r e s e n t s r c a n ' s c n p e c i t y f o r

g r e a t n e s s . It is " t h e l e t e n s X e i t ~ s o f Aquines, capable o f be ing -- --- at:ekcncd i n t o s a v i n g a c t i v i t y , 'blan, ~ r i t h o u t under st^-nc?ing, ( i . e. , t h e d i v i n e y A i i c i p l c ) i s r , ~ i ' t l i n g w r t h and i s ns the b a a s t s t h a t

p e r i s h . ' H i s s o u l , h i s a, z t a i d s a s a meon beiireen thc conlpeting

cl aims o f t h e sense-r:orld 2nd Super-nature. 1' 10 I n Pau$z n t s t r n i s l a -

t i 0 1 2 o f t h e epis-i;le s e n t by t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y Bishop Z w h e r l u s t t o

h i s kinsman V a l e r i a n u s , t h i s s o u l o f f i r e is r e l e t c d t o two impor tant i -- -

2.11. Gornbric?~: ~ ~ m b 0 1 . i ~ Images: S t u d i e s i n i h e ilrt o f t& Renaissance ondo don, 19721, g . 70. v

lo B a l t e r L e s l i e ! i l n h u r s t , " I n t r o d u ~ t i o n ~ ~ t o 1.1. ,. btwood, Hermetic Ph i l osophg \ l c h e n ~ , rev. edn. (h'ew York, 1960), pp. 27-8. The q u o t a t i o n i n the p reced inp s e n t e n c e i s from p. 27 of t h i s vork.

m o t i f s of metaphys ics1 r e l i g i o u s poetry-- those o f a s c e l ~ t t o t h e d i v i n e

o r i g i n and o/' man's e s s e n t i t l l i k e n e s s t o Go<:

Eut t h e Soul b e i n g descended from the Fatbo-. o f l i g h t s , i s l i k e t h e a p r k s o f firc s t i l l f l y i n g ~ l p ~ : e . ~ ? . s . The Soule i s t h e Irncge o f Cod h~ irs, and t h e p w . t i o u s p l e d e e

11 o f h i s f u t u r e mm.ii 'icence. .

The f i r e o f t h e human s o u l s e e k i n g i t s henveniy nLolp1e is i n a

v e r y r e a l sense t h e s t a r t o f t h e q > i r i t . u a l f l i g h t o f t h e con templ s t ive .

Fo r t h e p o e t t h e impetus o f e s c e n t i s i n t i n n t e l y a e s o c i a t e d wi th t h e

~rLnged f l i g h t oE t h e c r e a t i v e imagina t ion . 1n' both insiences what i s

sough t i s a r e t u r n o f t h e s p i r i t u e l f i r e o f mrtr, t o i t s Slaker. I n h i s

l n v o c n t i o n C,usr les n r c y s f o r t h e s o a l l s e s c a p e frorr. i t s e a r t h l y p r i s o n

and a s c e n t t o t h a t s ! ~ i r i t ~ a l freedom vhicl: r s s i d e s fa r above t he

t e r r e s t r i a l perspective: e f c a r p o r e a l man:

L e t L~csvc t l ' s ] f u l l bearnes i n s p i r e Thy r a v i s h t b r a i n c s .,dth more h e r o i c k f i r e : Snatch t h e e a Qui.31 from t h e s p r c ~ ~ d Zag le s rri.n{;, And, l i k e t h e alorning Lark, mount up an6 s i n g : Cast. o f f t h e s e danc<ling Ir'lurmets, t n a t s o c i cp: Thy l ~ b k r i i l t ; hcprt,, r:hlcli p o - p e s i n t h i s dark f o g O f dungeon e ~ r t h : L e t f l e s h and blood f o r b e n r e To s t o p t h y f l i c h t , , till t h i s b a s e v o r l d appeare A t h i n blerr Lsnsliip; L e t t h y p in i c l r s s o r e So h i g h a p i t c h , th:?t men m2.y secme no n o r e Than F i s m i ~ e s , c r a ~ i l i n g on t h i s 1.lolc;-hill e a r t h , Thy e z r e u t z o ~ x b l e c ! with t h e i r I ' r zn t i ck mirth, 0 . 0 . . a . . . * . . . * . . . . . . . .

No, we must f l i e !ilcc Eagles ; and o u r 2Mtnec I4us-b noun.'; t o he?-v'n, 2nd r ench t h ' Olympick ec re : Our hecv'n-blorme f i r e must s e e k no o t h e r Spheare: . . .

I n "To Idly Fzncy u p n Theophi la , ' l Benlowes a l s o p o r t r z p t h e

for thcoming journey as one xh ich v i l l remove k i n from -the clouded

v i s i o n of t h e s e n s i b l e m r l d t o a h e i g h t from which t h e i n v i s i b l e

D e i t y 1;ill ' s w i m i n t o ken ' :

-

11 The liorlc? Contcrnned . . . , trims. Iicnl-y Vaughzn, i n The L'orks

of Eenry Vauyhm, ed. L. C. b i a r t i n , 2nd edn. (Ckford, 1357) , p. 315.

Fly th rough Arts iiep t e r c h i e , be c l a d d i t h !,incs t o w, b u t n o t t o e. Thy I-ineon:: raise .r:i t h mys t i ck F i r e , Sonei imes 'bove hiyh-roof t Sense a s p i r e ,

1Jo 1.iusick c o u z t s s r t i r i t u e l L a m Like hi:.h-tun1 ci -mihc-ns ; T h i s u ? r e a r s Thee, P'ALCTX, r a p t t h r o u ~ h L i s t s of E'ezrs, And Clouds of i'enitc-ntitil. Years ; - h a g l i n g ' bovc trm::i i,(~i:;; Sphez m , T i l l c v l n t h e I i ; l l lLL8LJ appears .

1 2 T h i s mot i f of t he t 'mys t i co l ascent I1 a.dvai?ced by both sosts echoes

t h e invocs- t ion o f S p e n s e r l a Wyrnne o f Heaxenlg Lovo". I n t h e l e t t e r

t h e t r a n s i t i o n from hur !~~n t o o'ivi.ne l o v c i s markec! by t h e e x a l t e d

s e n s e of s11per-. :e~~rer;tr1al v i s i o n and by t h e song o f p r a i s e ?;hi&

adcompanies such a ?li&t:

LOue, l i f t Iiie v p vpon t h y p l n e n wings, Frorc t h i s bbcse cro~lci vn to t h y h e n u e m h i ~ h t , !acre I m:,y scc t h o s e d m i r a b l e t l l ings , & i c h t h e m t h o u : orl:est by il ly s o u c r a i n e n i g h t , b'arrc abouc f e e b l e rench o f e r r th l ; . s i g h t , 'That I ' ~ h e x e ~ i s n heauenly ii:yn:nr, n?y si7- -4nto the or' o f Louc, h igh heauens king.12

The hermetic ;:ri t j .ngs em5race a similar vier! of t h e s o o l ' s capacity

t o t r a n s c e n d t h e f i n i t e l imitc: t ions o f b o d i l y scnsa'iion. The A L L 1 f o l l o u i n g e x c e r p t l r o ~ C a i t o * - o f Theouh i l a i s r e m i n i s c e n t bo th o f

t h o Confess-ions ( ~ o o k 1, ijhs. 2-8) m d of trro p;?sssces i n t h e

-7 l3 P o e t i c a l ! . o ~ k s , - ed. J. C. Smith i.,nd r;. de S a l i n c o u r t , p. 593.

14 L.C. K a r t i n d i s c u s s e s t h 3 in-; ' luenc o f t h i s h e r m e t i c theme on Henry Vau~.lian i n h i s c r i i c l e "I-lenry Vmghan s n d Eermes ' I ' r i s m c & i ~ t u s , ~ ~ -, X'UIII (1342) , 3Q1-7.

---. l2 Rb.stvig, "Czsirnire Sarb ior i sk i and t h e Xnglj-dh Ode," S t u d i e s

i n F h i l o l o f y , L I ( 1 9 5 4 ) ~ p. 451.

The image o f t h e s o u l es a b i r d embarked on a T l i g h t t o

freedom i s s u s t a i n e d e t variou:: $o iL t s througllout bo th poems. I n 15 Emblem V. 9, aga in rsminj.sccnt of' A u ~ u s t i n e ' s b i b l i c a l a l l u s i o i L , t h e

s o u l i s c h ~ i n e d t o i t s t e r r e s t r i a l p r i s o n by i t s persistent ;f.ove o f

e a r t h l y o b j e c t s end. s o , S Z J S t h e 2 o e t

. . : xhcn my s o u l c d i r e c t s h s b e t t e r eye To herv'ne bripllC P a l l ace ( -here ny t r e x u r e l i e s )

I s p r s e d my rrillin:: ~: in;s , b u t c t z n o t f l i e , E a r t h h 2 l . e ~ me d o m e , I c m n o t , cannot r i s e ; . . .

(P. 278)

And i n &,lnble:n V . 1 0 th9 5i1.d metaphor aga in conveys t h e r e p r e s s i v e

p resence of t h e f l e s h l y oizge. During t h e tumultuous scene o f t:ar

i n Canto I11 Benloires i n t e r r u p t s t o urge h i . s soul. t o ~ n a i n t a i n i t s

f l i g h t beyond such e z r t h l . : ~ t r c . v a i l s :

HOT: v i l e ' s t h e TTor36! 7: nc ie , keep v . ~ t h ; ~ 1 i n g s , ( ~ u ~ f l e d rin I i u s t l e o f low Things,

Toss 'd i n the comon ih rong) . . , ( x v i i i . p. 39)

.the s p i r i t u a i l i f e :

THOU, .LOTE, vhen 2s my g u i l t y Soul ci3.t; dwel l --- I n Bes t o f h i m , d i d r s t u m k c l l

lly S g i r i t , (f!edg15 wi th G Z L C ~ ) from t h z t ? i s o r d t r e d Cell ,

( x v i i , p. 83)

K a n t s g l o r y f o r Reilsriss,r,nce neo-Pla tonis t~ 223 i i e r m e t i s t s l i e s

i n t h e o p e s z t i o n s o f t h e t i . ; o f in i J~e ly expz:nsi:~L~f Soul. For it i s t h e

l a t t e r which r ~ ~ 3 ~ n ~ through t h e l a y e r s o f c r e ~ t i o n ir: soa rch o f t h e

Chief Good and t h e n t u r n s inrsard t o d i s c o v e r t h e p r i n c i p l e o f d e i t y

the re . I n 2mblem V. 6 C.u:rles surnm~:rises t h e A u p s t i n i e n nrocedure

?he reby man contempla tes the c r e a t u r e s a d f i n d s a l l sp iendours o f

c r e a t i o n o u t m t c h e d by t h e suprcme God vhosc prescEce a i m e c o n s t i t u t e s 1 6

an i n n e r k a v e n f o r mm. The subdued ~ o t e o f p r a i s e i n t h i s poem, - - Confescionr, V I I , 6 , 11. -

remi,lj.scellt of I j c r b e r t , nzires i t oiie of Ciut~rles ' more succeosf-. i l

n l y r i c s . l h e pattern o f t h e fo1lot:lng excerpt i n d i c a t e s t h e n a t u r e

of t h e e a r l i e r ::tznzas, i n which J k r t h and Air a r o s i m i l a r l y eva l -

u3,ted by t h e ' m i n d ' s e& e' :

I lov2 t h e Sca; She i s my f e l l o x - C r e ~ ~ t u r e ; fay cc- r e f u l l Pu?:ve;ror; She p r o v i d e s me s t o r e : She r :n l l s me r o u x l ; She r&es my d i e t ?;re*-.ter; She ~mr"t:: ny t r ea su re from a f o r r e i s ~ e sho re :

But , Lord o? O::ems, :.!hen compzr'd ?:it21 t h e e , 1he-t is t!r.c Qcezn , o r h e r weal th , t o ms?

Xmblem I V . 1 3 reue;-~ts t h e n o t i f o f t h e q u e s t f o r G32 i l l t h c c r e a t u r e s

and p l e a s u r e s of - h e sublunar ;iorld. The Chief Good s3u&.t by man,

Q u a r l e ~ s t a t e s , must be Scyond decay rind c h a g ~ . o f m y s o r t and

encomozss t h e 1iii:hest Forrr, o f p e r f e c t i o n . The n a r r z t o r p~.l;coeds by

i n r :or ldly ime, i n p l e n s u r e . flnalysing each i n t u r n , h e p e r c e i v e s

t h e i r l i m i t e t i o n s znd t u r n s f i n a l l y t o soGr above the realm o f Ezt.ure

t o t h e Source o f c l l Good, tLe "-ALL Ii? LLL.

Nount, mount is7 s o u l ; and l e t my thou&i;s c ~ s h e i r e T, m r t h s vai:ze d e l i g h t s , and mite their 9111 c z r e i r e

A t h e a v l n s e t e r n z l l joyes ; . . . (P. 234)

The contempls . t izn o f t h e Absolu te r e i n f o r c e s t h e s o u l ir. its

~ r i s i o n o f p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n d i v i n i t y . I n Centos VII anci V I I I Uenlo~res

a scends t o such con tcmplc t ion o f t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t Deity:

But now behold &j&, Above a l l he igh t ! P l c c ' i; beyond t-l:;ce! iibnve L i g h t s Lirh'i_!

(VII, x i i , p. 87)

I n s k e t c h i n s the s u p e r s e n s i b l e One Benlowes dsar:s upon the a b s t r a c t

geonle t r ica l "irnriges of $ e r f e c t i o n t l nnci harmony t h i c h t h c Ticnaissance

neo-Fl&tonis t t r z d i t i o n hrd. i n h e r i t e d from t h e C h e i phi losophers .

Here is revesledj Ben lo~ ies ' adherence 'to what l i o s tv ig descr i 'nes as

t h e " e x e g e t i c s l t r a d i t i o n t h a t expressed t h e harmony o f c r e s t i o n 2nd

t h e scheme of redemption t h o u g h mxthematiczl. images i n the manner of

Fythagoras and F l a t o , imapes t h z t permi t t h e wcomacdzt ion t o o u r

world of sense o f - tha t p e r f e c t i o n of xhich t h e crca ted . u n i v e r s e i s

bu t a dim and shadorgr r e f l e c t i o n . " 3-7 The One o f Senlo-ires' e p i c

r e f l e c t s t h e psradoxic t l l ~ t t t r i b u t e s xihich NichoLzs o f Cusa had

d e l i n e a t e d i n t h e God vho i s a t once t r a n s c e n d e c t end i rnnment,

beyond t h e l o g i c 8 1 c o n t r a d i c t i o n s which marl's i z t c l l e c t cen see.

He i s t h e llIrnmense OiTLXfiSSZ" (VII, x x x v i i i , 3 C % ) , t h e l tpee r l e s se

w t c r e a t e d N A T U X P (~111, xi, p . l l O ) , t h e Chief (boil sought by Q u a r l e s

i n t h e Emblens . A s i i ~ t h e Bermotic and neo-Fla ' tonist r : r i t ings where

God--following ' r ' l a t o l s i d e ~ t i t i c a t i o n o f t h e Porta o f t h e Good with

the d a z z l i n g l i g h t c f a sp i r i . t ;ua l i se i l sun--is d e p i c t e d as %on-parel

LIGHTtf (VII, xxiv ? p.98), Bsnlowes' c o n t e ~ p l a t i v e Czntcs VI t o VIII

are dominated by t h e !trad.innt eminencett a t t h e source o f w e a t i o n .

The sense o f awe i&ich informs Benloves' metaphysica l p o r t r a . i t

of D e i t y r evo lves about this paradox a t t h e Source o f Eeing. ?or i ~ i e ]

i s n o t mere ly t h e O l l c , remote and s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t , b11t a l s o t h e Lany,

t h e overf lowing i n f i n i t y ~ i h i c h informs and encompassss a l l c r e a t i o n .

The Godhead is seen by t h e p o e t i n t h e emana,tivc form d e s c r i b e d by

P l o t i n u s , as a "never d e f i c i e n t B r i p h t n e ~ s e ~ ~ and "a Sprin:- ever- -- .- f lowing. " ( ~ h e p r e f a c e ) . T,L.eophilal s e c s t a t i c devot ion t o Cod i n

Ct.nto IV i s conveyecl i n terns o f t h e c o n c e n t r i c f low o f Dei-ty outwards

through t h e r inged l ~ y c r s c f being:

- -

I T Rbstv ig , "Imc(rs o f P e r f e c t i o n , " p. 22.

3i 15 t i n ~ , ns Lc,2f-gold! be n ' t sILm, -.-* - -- - , n O U , my 21, more! Love-lorn, rYiIi?L 0 11" still I WOO!

( IV, l x x v i i , p 62)

Qus r l c s .Loo d e s c r i b e s Go2 a s ' ' the f1or;ing S p r i n g o f Light , I t -to vhom

he przjrs: ".-nrich mins eyes ~ r i t h t h y r e f u l g e n t Ray" (IV. 2, p. 190).

L i k e t h e ' s i n g l e eye' Irnciga rr i th which M i c h o l ~ s o f Cusa d e s c r i b e s

a D e i t y a t once t r a n s c w d m t and imnsment, i3enlores1 Qd is "A

L i g h t unseen, y e t in czc-k Flc?ce d o s t shine! (VII, lxxx ix , ~1.106).

H e i s t h c Archessence bo th beyomi and ~ r i t h i n t h e o b j x t s o f c r e a t i o n :

I n dep ic t i r lg Cmd ii? t h e geomet r i ca l form of t h e c i r c l e , Eenlowes

adcp ts a metaphor of ' pe r rcc - t i cn i n prhich b i h l i o z l auJbho.rity b lends

wi th P l ~ Z o i ~ i c a n d l ~ c r m t i c thought. l9 Thi 5 t t e no t i o n o f God as "a

sphere vhose c i r c m f k r e n c e :is everywhere e;;d rrhose center is nowhere"

i s employ& by Bm131.e~ n.3 i t hitd been by Donne and t h e e e r l i e r

t h e o l o g i z n s Eicholc s o f CUBR, S t . Bonaventure and St. h g u s t l n e . 20

I n Canto VII t h e p o e t axpyeEscs h i s aawe ct t h e i n f i n i t k 1 ~ 5 - k ~ :

Since THUU zn i f i d s t e r n i n a b l e CIRCLS a t !

EZsm%~here he q u s r i c s "what may t h e whole CiiiC'u7!2.&BFXCZ s u r ~ . o m d ~ pihen

18 2. F. Jacob d incussos t h e famous i c o n i n C:?~ar:us: t h e - Theolo~: i rn , r p t . f r o m t h e 5ullet5.n of' thc J o h n kZyI.tn:q-s Li-F P

Vol. XI, Lo. 2, October 193'1 (1.-mchester, l 9 3 7 ) , p?. 16-16.

20 Tbid . , p. 12, See a l s o Inge , 11, 118-9.

p h y s i c a l c i e l ~ i c t i o n of t h e s o u l s coimunion ::it,h Go6 2s the coincici .ence

of c o l i c e n t r i c c i r c l e s i s i.ug;;csted i n Canto !-V. T h e r e the h e r o i n e ' s

r e a d i n e s s f o r Lhe scent 'r,o f k a v e n i s a t t r i b u t e d t o he r s p i ~ i - L u a l

a l - ig imcnt wi-1;h God:

A u g u s t i n s a b s o r b e d -!ha F l a c o n i c Lun-Go6 metaphor , a- cS:*borateci by 2 1

P l o t i n u s , i n t o tiis 1iutio11 of the T r i n i t y ~2nd the rcsultil;; . i n t c r -

r e l a t i o n s h i p b c t ~ : e c n i b a LOU^ a d i ts S o u r c c o f f i r e and ! . i ; .ht2~roved

in lmmse ly i m p o r t a n t t o I n t e r ndapt;l-Lions o f t h e t h r e e f c l d m y o f

a s c e n t t o t h e D c i t y , Z ~ l n i ~ c ? L i l c s d i s c u s s s s t h e b1er.d o.? n a o - F l a t c n i c

and s c r i p t u r a l a l l u s i o n s i n t h e ; ! r i t i n g s o f P i u p s t i n e .

T h i c n e o - t ' l a h o ~ i c Sun-God analo::y i s a d o p t e d by Sienloves i n s e t t i n g

f o r t h t h e n a n n c r i n which man c s n i n t e r p r e t t h e h y p o s t t l s e s oI" t h e

21 The n e o - P l s t o n i s t s m r a n o t o r i o u s l y f o n d o f t r i a J 3 . c e o h e n e s o f . T

H e a l i t y . See ; i a l l i n , w 3 2 . e t o n i ~ , pp. 136, 130-134.

22 The t r i c d i c p ~ l i . n c i p l c s o f ? c a l i t y r ~ c r e o f t e n d e p i c t e d i n t e r n s of t h e Pl:?.tonic g r i n c i n l c r : o f 1ic.h.k snc? f i r e . Sce F.I.:. Co~n-forc? , Plzt-to' s Cosmo1oi:y: Thlc 5i;weus o f P1.r t o , i ~ c l . . t r z n s l . , r t , , ( E e w ---- -- Yorl:, n. d. ) , pp. 152-3 ( r c 'i ,lim~Ee~~, , s e c t i o n s 459-46).

C h r i s t i a n T r i n i t y . I n C m t o V I I I h e s t a t e s tha . t

By Speculat ic in from Solz S u b s t a ~ c c , we The FlLi'YiER; from i t s SnleuGor s c e

The 501;; fror? 'c I -kz t t h e 1%LY GiiGA' . E e ~ c , i s Thi-ec.

( x l i i , p. 114)

T h i s t r i a d i s t h e i n ~ p i ~ o t i o n a l foun t of ' much n e t a p h y s i c a l imagery

as it i s a p p l i e d t o man's 5 o u ~ n e y o f ascent t o God. l i h i l o i n t h e

m y s t i c a l s t a g e of p u r i f i c s t i o n t h e a s p i r a n t endeavours t o c l e c n s e

h i n s e l i ' o f a l l t h a t is uri;cdl-y, i n t h e l a t t e r s t e y e s of' i l l u n i n a t i o n

and un ion t h e s o u l ndswnces t o t h o s e two con templa t ive a x p e r i e n c e s

enunclz -ted by Lu:. ~ c ; t l i ? e and t h e n e d i e v o l mys t i c 2 1 theologiens-- the

knowin,?; and t he lov i r ig o f Cad. That t h e R e n a i s s a c e ilsc - F l a t o n i s t s

c o u l d f i n d room i n t h e i r s p e r e t i s t i c p h i l o s o p h i e s f o ~ t h e k i lgus t in i an

'law o f l o v e ' i n it:; C h r i s t i a n frarne.c:ork is sugf;esteci hj Fic - ino ' s

i n v o c a t i o n i n t h e Sopra l . ' h o r e . Here w e finG t h e mn%ephors of

t h e f i n a l c o n t e r c ~ ~ l a t i v o s teges-those o f l i g h t and f i re - -cncs a g z i n

~ p p l i e d t o D iv ine Love i n cl. neo-Pla tonic c c n i e x t . " 'Kay bhc Zoly

S p i r i t ; of D iv ine Love," writes F i c i n o , " . . . i l .1umi .a~ o z r minds,

and i n f l a x ? o u r trills, i n such f a s h i o n t h a t we may l o v e X i m i n a l l

H i s b e a u - t i f u l worlcs, and the9 l o v e H i s 7:orks i n l i in, so come t o

r e j o i c e i n f i n i t e l y i n Fiis i n f i i i i t c Bezuty. ' "24 Giordrino Yrunols

emblermt ic p r o s e t r ' e a t i a e Ds G 1 i i Z r o i c i F u r o r i a l s c o v t l f n e s t h e

u n i f y i n g impetus o f t h a t corl.tcrn?l a t i o n which s e e k s t o effe2-t man ' S

union x i t h God th rough in -ce l l a c t and d.evotion:

By v i r t u e o f hc.rinony 2nd t h e f u s i o n o f o p p o s i t e s %he i n t c l l e c t m c o ~ ~ ~ e s one r ; i t h t h e a f f e c t i o n s , and m a r e a l i z e s t h e C-oci i m d r isrs t o t h e kno::lcdge o f t h e t r u e . A l l con;'-!ict,ing d e s i r e s b e i n g a t l a s t u r i t a i i , t h e y b ~ c o m e fixed. upon one o b j e c t , one ;-rezt i n t ~ n t - - t h e Love o f t h o S i v i r ~ e , xrhich i s t h o h i g h e s t w u t h a d t h e h i g h e s t g3cd025

24 Ci ted i n Er'nund G. ~ardnc$~*"~ntroductioc," --- k P l i t o n i c k D i s c o u ~ s e unon Love, 7rj.t S,:l-&n I t r i l i t n by John i - icus L A i r z n ? ~ ~ l a . . . , E n ~ l i s h t r a n c l c - t i o n by itom.:; ;it;mley ( ~ o n c . o n , 1 6 5 1 ) , i n '?he I i u w n i s t ' s L i b r a r y , ed. Lei:is & i n s t e i n , Vol. VII- (iinndon, 1 5 14), p. xv.

25 L. ? ; i l l i ; m s , t r a n s l . , 11, 31-2.

Second P e r s o n of dugvstinc's Tr in i . t y t a k e r on t h e e t l : i l~utc ,s of' t h c

s t a t u s by vir+,ue of being , i n Bei?lov!es1 r:oriiz, ~COAX~:U.'IL t o t h e 1 ~ c t ' l e r ] bo th i n ATTBIiiE'ZS, and i n I.XJ~WIIi?t (VIII, x i , p. 11-3).

t h e on12 teacher, thc 1i:;ht which p u t s u s i n conteci- ?;.i i;h ?;ruth." 2 8

Thou.' l t vie:r i.5- L gGL, a;hc-t not: by Ci1.5.rnn2, 1:-4' Sto~: i - , f n _ ---.. 9

Thou c s n s t lvlt s p y ; . . . .

Completing t h e 'i'rhi t y i s thc IIoly S;3irj.t, i r l t i ~ n : i r ? l y zszocirzteci

w i th C h r i s t ac the bond i n %ha i n t e l l i g i b l e t r i a d , 2:: r : e i l as i n t h e

v e r t i c a l a s s o c i z t i o n of nan x i t h God through C!lr is t . A s t h o super- f

n a t u r s l porrer o f goodness c ~ ~ r e l l i r i g i n man and c o m t i t ~ n - l i n g the s o u l ' s

pcrnivlc for r e t u r n to its Source, t h e Y p i r i t i s a t onci t h e spa3.J; o f

t - - divinj . i;;r rrithin man mi! t h e i~gefit r:hich " i n f u s e s . . . ~ o m ' o r

gri;ceW. 29 - --- ^YIIW

2 6 F o r You? as ir,t-aitive c o g n i t i o n s e e : 'allis, g .53 -6 . P

27 ~ u z e n e F o r t a l i e , , A Guide tn*e Tiilouyht o P 3 l n t i 1 y u s t in^, -- t r a n s l . Ralph 5. B n s t i a n (London, l9'{0), p. 100.

28 I b i d -a , p. 100.

29 Niles, John Co le t . . . , p. 92.

Ben101.n~ su:yests t h i s :'mportant, r e l z t i o n s h i p bc tveen C h r i s t

and t h e Ho1.y Ghost i n t - s m s o f t h e neo-P1;"rnj.c metaphors o f i l lum-

i n a t i o n en6 f'leme:

Three ciomiiirint thcrnes o f neo-Pla.tonic thought--the sectrch f o r

of a h i g h e r P r i n c i p l e o f R e a l i t y , and t h e t r c i s f o r m a t i o n o f t h e phi lo-

s ~ p h i c a l l o v e r i n t o the o b j e c t desired--merge i n t h e c ~ n t e r n ~ l a t i v e

m y o f C h r i s t i a n mystlcc.1 t.heol.ogy. \;hen t h e s u ~ c r n a i u r z , l f a c u l t i e s

o f m a 1 a r e uni i iec! ~ n d c~ncel~t rc i -bed s o l e l y on Go& d u r i n ~ c ~ n t e r n p l ~ t i o n ,

t i le i m i t a t i o n o f t h e harmoniou:; o p e r a t i o n s o f t h c q ' r i n i t y f a c i l i t a t e s

man's f u t u r e e s s i r n i l : ~ t , i o ~ w i t 1 1 l le i ty. B e n l o i r ~ ~ fo l lor rs t h s t r i z d i c

metaphors o f t h e Godhead c i t & above (p. 5 0 ) by a d e s c r i c t i o n of' t h e

r e l z t e d menzcr i n ~:h-ich mag t r a s c e n d s t h c i 'ragnented ar;d mutable

c o n d i t i o n o r t h e F a l l :

Ona Sou l , y e t m e Clis-Linct i n outr.!ard E o r l c i n ~ still! -- Thus, t o ms-cnre from m, r e ncy d e c c r i e

TIiZ ilRU.LIT i~ KJITY! I n s c r u t a b l e idYSSi r e b a t e s o u r ~realcer @!

(~111, x l i i i - x l i v , pp. 114-115)

BenLowes ' contempla t ive " re i ' l ec t ion o f t h e T r i n i t y t 1 i s a prominent

f e a t u r e of St. August ine ' s I ) ex r f i i i t a t e and of t h e l a t e r rnedievaJ

t h e o l o g i a n s , S t . Bonaveilture ;r.nc? i?icherd o f St . Vic tor . 30

I n t h e hblencs a d Theol>h-i& t h o g l o s i o u s p r o n ~ i s e o f contem-

p l a t i o n i s c l o s e l y rclr'ced t o t h e C imis t i sn v e r s i o n oP i io rnce l s

b c a t u s i l l e theme. I n Emblem IV.7 ; duz r l c s f :3;!1.tlise o f r u r a l r e t i r e m e n t -- -

30 C o l l i n s , C h r i s t i m Iibs t l c i s m i n t h e B l i zabothon Age, P* 59.

i s bzeed on t he in t roduc tory t e x t from C ~ n t i c l c s

Belovcci, l e t us go f o r t h i n t o t h e f i e l d s ; l e i us

vi1lrr;:es." Tnc Soul is ad?rcssed by Cnris t :

Come, cone, my d e ~ r e , 2nd let us both

vi i .8 : ltCome, my

lodge i n t h e

r e t i r e And arhiffe t h e d a i n t i e s of t h e Przc,rant f i e l d s :

\".here varblin: i~j-ij 1 ' ne1 cznd t he shr i l l -~nouth ' cl 1 u i r e Chaunt f o r t h Cheir ropturcs ; vhere -the T u r t l e bui lgs

Her l o n e l y n e s t ; arid where t h e neri-borne Brye? Breathes f o r t h t h e streetriesse t h s t he r Apri l1 ycelds :

Come, cone, my love ly f z i r e , 21-16 l e t us t r y These rura l1 d e l i c n t e s ; where thou and I

lhy m c l t i n p r i % < i t s f l m c s , and f e m e no stmder-by.

The trorld-weary Lou1 concu:r:s i n t he fo l l ov ing stanza:

O u r C i t i e mansio~l i s t h e f a i r e r Home, But Countri-sweetc a r e t m g ' d with l e s s e r Trouble; . . .

(p* 209)

The poem is a~cornp:~nied by St. Bernard's p r a i s e of t h e joys of

conJ~emplation, couched S n t ~ ~ ? i a t o n i c lunguace of a s c m t f m m

sublunar mu tab i l i t y t o Civiqa immutabil i ty :

I n Theophils Bcnlo~:?s expands t h i s theme of VEX ,C,iimT1;!ZSS OF

m12;JP:liN'l' OR 'ilHL.; RAPPII~ASS OF il FFUVATX LIFE" t o two Cantos (XII,

"The Segregation" a,nd XIII, "The ~ e i n v i t a , t i o n " ) . Leaving t h e v a n i t i e s

of t he s e c u l a r commercial. ~ ; o r l d behind, t h e j ~ o e t t u r n s t o the more

r e ~ r a r d i n g p u r s u i t s of gemiine f r i endsh ip and t h e ~ i s i o a;. From public? Beads, t o p r i v a t e Joy 's o w F l i g h t ;

To view GOOS LOVE, vre l e ave I.xns s i g h t ; - Rich i n t h e P u r c h ~ s e of a hki-.nc?, riho g i l d s Delight.

(XII, xx? p. 222)

The surrounding l m d s c a p e i s infused ~ 5 t h t h e p o e t ' s mystics1 a s p i r a t i o n s ,

and t h e hea,uties of c r ea t i on a r e i nex t r i c ab ly bound up with an a:?areness

of Cad's immanence vhich spin s u ~ ~ e s t s t h e p o e t ' s he rme t i c i n t e r e s t s :

think in^^. xh ich Some deem I d l e i ~ e s s e , t o me - A )

12. secns L i f e s Henin on L r t h .to be; By ( ; b s e r v a t i ~ i i CQD i s sccn i n d l rre see.

Our Books re i id i ,V1~ . abovo us, ;!ire and Sea ~ T o u ~ I c ~ , k r t h w d ~ r : F c i t h ' s o u r S tay ,

And C;r;;ce o u r h i d e , i h e ;rord o u r i,i[;ht, & C1i~0:S'l' ou r Lay.

F r i e n d , view t h a t m, 2nd t h i n k from Xocks green Yo~md Hor: th i r s t - expe l l in [< S t r e m s d i d bow~d:

Vies.? Streams, t n d t h i n k how J o r d ~ n d i d become d r y Ground.

(XII, lxxix- lxxxi , P* 223)

I n "Bonlowes, :.L~rvc$13 , and t h e Oiviiie Czsimire ,." ~ b s t v i ~ traces

t h e minor poet Is a f ' f i n 2 t l e s trit.l.1 t h e P o l i s h J e w i t p r i e s t ~ rhose

immensely po;?uler neo-Iiori-tiam odes and cpoiles cn~wed hSm t o be

h e r a l d e d as t?!e Vor. . i : t iu~. 2ledlvivus". Ben1o:-es ' acqua in tance wi th

C a s i n i r e Sarhie t ; sk i prob?,.biy o r i g i n a t e d s.:itli h i s continerz-La.1 t o u r i n

t h e l a . t e 1620%. 32 Thrit ile had. rend t h e t r i ? i ~ s l a t i o n bg G. H i l s i n

1646 of Casimi3:e1s poet.r;r i s e v i d e n t from ~ 6 s t v i g ' s a r t i c l e , which

S n d i c s t e s t h a t Senlowes 0 ~ 2 a number of occ&sidno makes 'la w n s c i o u a

gir;:phrar;evl of t h e i ingl is i i vers ion .33 C b s i m i r e Bleniin tXe u c l a s s i c z l

b e c t u s i l l e p l ~ ? l o s o p h y ~ ~ r 2 i t h e ' ;Chr is t ian t h m s o f t h e p ious d e l . i & t s --- P

of a m e d i t a t i v e ~ o l i t u c ! c ; " ~ d ~ d t h i s i n t h e e x q u i s i t e l i n c s o f t h c

S c s u i t p o e t enciecired h i n t o a number o f w r i t e r s o f t h e time. Mlere

Ben1 owes and b n r v c l l , a long 7;ith Henry V?ughm, ? a r t f m n t h o con-

v c n l i o n a l mot i f s and espouse Cas imi re ' s Hermetic thema i s i n t h e i r

e v o c a t i o n of t h e f l s l ~ i r i t u i . l r e r l i t y113af t h e n a t u r a l s cene and i n t h e

mjrst ical r a p t w e which makes o f n;-ture a t y p e of paradisiacal Garden

of e a r t h l y d e l i g h t s . The n o t i o n t h a t L a t u r e is i t s e l f i~nimated by

31 Earen-so fie 3;s tv ig , l tBenlo~res, I ~ i a r v e l l , and tl:a Divine Casirnirc,ll m, 18 (1954-5) 9 p. 13.

34 Ib id . , p. 17

t h e Divine P rescnce i s a prominent a s p e c t o f t h e Fernlet ic corpus.

F o r Eenlo; es t h e i 2 x t h l y Garden is t h e rnediuln t h r o u c i ~ r ~ h i c h

man cornmuaes r i i th t h e Onr: j n t h e r a p t u r e s o f Divine Love; m(i t h u s

t h o mci.a~hy:;ic:~l problem o f t h e l 'refkce f i n d s t h e h c p p i e s t s o l u t i o n

p o s s i b l e t o m a p h i l e y e t a c o r p o r e a l e n t i t y :

n his is I Ie~ .v lns Antepas t ! By Union He's O n e i o A l l , and. A l l t o Gne

I n Loves i n t r i n s i c k Lys te ry t o Souls alone!

E c s t a t i c k 3;vqtimw l o o s e o u r H w r t s on h i g h ; r i th Joyes l i i c l f t i b i l i t i e !

Exub' rmt S-c~z-t,; 3rer:helm, 3s T o r r e n t s , Toncue ;< Xye,

(XIII., xlv-xlv i , P, 241)

& s t v i g conclucles t h e t :ill " t 5 e s e d e s c r i p t i o n s of t h o E a r t h l y Para .d ise

enjoyed by t h e con tenp la i v e h e ~ t u s y& t h e tone i s s o sensuous, both

i n Casj mi re a n d Bedo.;-es, thcn t on ly t h e obvious connecti:ln r.;it!l

Cantic! 6)s an6 x i i h the phi losophy OF Hermes Tr i s rneg ic tm s ~ c s them -- from a chnrge o r g r o s s s e n s u ~ , i i ty. t, 36 In *hi!: r e s p e c t ben!.o~,es

eagerness t o 6 i s t i l and l ) 0 7 n f o r t h She ecsta'iic, t e n e t s o f t h e

Eenaissance -- t r ~ t t a t i d'eno-rc. - --. t a k e s him much farther totrs-r.ds 1ny:;tical

a d o c c u l t ~ : ~ n c r c t i s t i c th0ught than do t h e mom c o n v e ~ l l ; i o n ~ 1 l y r i c s

of c s a r l e s . B u t bo th evoke t h e love-experience o f t h e &nti.cl ~s t o

convey t h e e x h i l e r a t e d ~ o a l o f t h e contempla t ive rout?:, and t h e

f 'wther m o t i f s of t h e mysticai yTay rrhich guide t h c x a d e r through

the r i g o r o u s my-ze o f t h e ~ p l ~ l t u a l pilgrimage.

The convers ion o f t h e s o u l from t h e wor ld ly t o t h e t r m s c e n r t e n t a l

p a t h o f t h e s p i r i t u a l q u e s t n e c e s s i t a t e s an awttlcening cf - the s o u l ' s

consc iousness t o i t s p r o y e ? p u r s u i t . The v igorous impetus o f (;uarles

and 3enlorres i s zimed a t z r o u s i k ~ g t h e r e a d e r t o an awareness of t h e

r e a l i t y o f h i s m o r t a l i la ture and o f t h e necessa ry mental ene rgy and

d i s c i p l i n e invo lved i n the esca9e from f i n i tc3 e x i s t e n c e , C4uzrles

36 ~ G s t v i ~ , Ib id . , p. 18.

conveys t h e sensc o f a c t i v i t y demanded by t h e conternplaLive r o u t e t o

sa . lv t l t ion ezr1.y i n t h e ?j.m4; book o f emblems. In Emblem 1.7 t h e

Mhy do ; , t t hou suffer l u s t f u l s l o t h -Lo c r e e p e ( ~ u l l Cypritin la?) i n t o thy xrsnton bro?:es? Is this a t ime t o pa.y tlline i d l e vowcs

A t ~~~nr~~lic~~s Shr+ne? .- Is t h i s a time to s t e e p e Yhy brnines i n ~ra , s t fu l . l s lumbers? up, end rouze

Th? l e r . den s p i r i t 3 ; Is this a tine to s l e e p e ? Ad j o u r c e .52..y s m p i n k dren.mes, Ilr:;:!cs, a r i s e ;

l i l keeping vvrith the 1x0--1 l< m n i c corres?onc?,encc hezaeen. day? i g h t 2nd

t h e s u ~ e r n ~ 4 , u r a . l i l l w n i l z ~ t j o n zf t h e ; .ord, t h e s o c t >ids nlen t o

b e s t i r . himss1.f i i i t o t he clctive promotion o f t h e 3jvir.e ' h rkr

k r i s a ; 2nd i r - i r y , e r r ~ 1 c . t ~ t h e r:,m --- h d u a t r i o l ~ s ? : ) in s t ew, who v i th f a i r

f i b r o i d ries chsc'cer-::ark t h e Chamb~~s of t h e A5 r.

Bscond; Sol cloos on E i l l s h i s Cold d i s p l a y , An$, s c u - t t ' r i ; ~ ~ 3 - c c t s , docs s ; i icc t h e LEY:,

h d s h o o t s d e l i ~ l j t +,brough j sn tu re r i i th each a+:-ors'd Bay.

(1, l x i v - i x ~ , p. 9)

37 See i k e l y n U ~ d e r h i l l , g s t i c f sn : A Stud-7 --&- in t h e i:itxre ind Development of :-:+,II' s S~iri tw? Conr;cS.nu:mess, r p t . o f 1 2 t h e6n. revised - ( L o n ~ o n , 1960) , , 11, "'ih A~iabenin;; o f t h e pp. 176-197. Spense r ' s "Ilyrnne of Ecavei>ly Love" a l s o i n c l u d e s t h e n y s t i c e l c e l l t o t h e e s r th - r idZen s e l f , ibir i . , p. 555.

57

There i'o1lo;:s t h c r i g o r o u s n rocess o f s t r i p p i n 2 Ihe s o u l o l i t s

v o r l d l y 2%-t.~..ckmen-ts, of p u r i f y i n g i t of a l l t h o t i s n o t Ihd. It i s

i n pursur- ncc of this task thi?.-t: !:;uaries ' puri t :mics l teri~perzinen'c f i n d E

it:: forte. ttThe world 's n ~ o p u 1 . z ~ disez,s.ett (1.8, p. 33) i s h i s motto

2niblem 1.9 t h e :ioet opposes t h o s e " s p i r i t s i ~ h o sco rne t o l i g h t L t l l e i r J

h a l l o v ' d Tn2o-ars, b u t 2-t h o n o w s f l m e , t h e % m i n e - c i ck Lcvers [-c.:ho] i- l o ~ o r i no heav 'n b u t i n L t h n i r ] Iblistresze eyes ; " t h e vcliadlill i:o;ld-

l i n g s n o f the t t fa i - lh l c.s::e, f i c k l e xor ld . (pg. 37-8). I n Emblem 1 2

of t h e sane Book t i l e a!-li~gyrioal v i c e of' g l u t t o n y i s conveyed by

a v i v i d onomatopoetic . t ,~uch. Thus t h e two "fools1' gyeeci.ily sucking

nourishment from t h e ~ : l ~ b u l a : r bosom a r e 1 i l ;e ra l l .y njlti. ~ inc3npronis -

ing ly ' exposed t :

Thy Patmcli i s d rops icd , and t h y Cheekt?s ~ L T C b l o a t ; . . r . . . . . * . . . . . . . . t .

Thy f l e s h , s t r c u ' u i i n : ~ Bogge, 3 (-uagxirt; f u l l of'

The associ2 , t ion o f i m t t e r wit3 e v i l i s t o be Po~ti=d in t h e

e n r l y neo-Pln-l o n i c !mi i i - ~ g s 01 F l o t i n u s . Dean lrqw r r.1 t~:, t h s t i n -

1 W i e polernic : gain.:$ mtl-';nri?liwn L a t t e r f o r i3lotinu:;j n ~ t w c l l y

bccomes t h e ? r . i r ~ c i p l e o f c x + e m c C 1 i t ~ , t h e 'mu6ciy v e s t u m oi" decay ' r h i c h impedes o u r v i r i o n u f t h i n f x invisible to n o r h l si g-Lt. "38i;s

t h e lo r i e s t run? on t h e s c a l e o f being, matter r tccordinyly ho l5s t h e

lo-irest s t a t u s on thrj "e t i r i ca l o : ~ s p i r i t u a l s c a l e . u39 A n t l i n t m g i b l s

impalpable a l l -but -noth ingi f lmlesu informed by h i + w p r i n c i p l e s of

R e c l i t y , mcztter TKZS l i k s n e d by P l o t i n u s t o "not-baing," cns! t o a

shadowy and tYu2i t i v e baublev. 40 --

38 Inge, The i h ~ _ ~ ~ c o r ) h , y o f P l o t i n u s , I, 1'35.

39 -. Ibid. 9 I , ljl*

40 - Ib id . , I , 130.

on t h e g l o b u l ; ~ . r moti i ' ci e r i v e d from t h e TTpou~: I.:unEi p l e t e s by rcclucing

t h e vorlcl t o t h e i n s i ~ m 5 f i . c a n c e o f t h e P l o t i n i a n symbol thr-ouch h i s

Xy s o u l s ; ! i h ( > t f s l i ~ h t e r t han a i'c:at.her? ::inti : Thnn rind? ??he f i r e : And r h n t t h a n f i r e ? 'i'hc minc!: ; ! h a t ' s l i g h t e r t han t h e mind? 11 thought : Thc.n .i;Sougllt? T'nis 'bubble-z:qrld. : iihrit, thnn t h i s Bubble? I"ou~11t.

Benlo;.es ' s a t i r i c ; J a t t a c k on vorlcS1.y v n n i t y i n Cr.~. tos X rind dYI

is e q u a l l y i n d e b t e d t a f!le a s c e t i c t e a c h i n g o f St . J~il?. The p o e t ' s

1657 revis iojq of s2+,ii5cal s k e t c h e s from Theo-~hil? , , -- .-- p r i ~ t e d under the

t i t l e P - The Sun~mr:i of' ---.c I . ~ e c l a r ~ c - - L ~ ~ opcns u i t h t h e n p o s t a i i c t e x t ( I Joiin

2.15-17) : "Love no i tlic ',:&)-rlcl, n o i t h e y t h e -thin;.s tlltti a r a i n tho - -

Lor ld ; i f any Lan l o v e ti lo Korld, t h e l o v e o f the FAT<I;:I is no t in

him". I n s e c t i o n 3 c f thjs l a t e r r;ork 3enlor;es attac!rs t h e t h r e e

e v j l s o f t . ~ o ~ l - d l y man p r o v j c u s l y de~ouncec! by I'uarle: 2nd i n St . John

i d e n t i f i e d a s ' I tha L u s t of t h e Zyes, t h e L u s t o f t he FLesk, and t h e

P r i d e 0 2 L i f e" :

Tlie sketch of t h e u s u r e r Avaro I n Theophil& n l l ego r i ca1 l .y embodies

t h e first v ice . fJodel led ;zfter JO~ISOII'S Volpone, he i s '!void o f

Grace . . . s t o r f d / !! i th Gold t h e CQD h i s Soul a d o r ' d n . bian's -- -- 7

l u s t f o r p l e a s u r e is ~ e r ~ n n i f i e d 111 t h e p o r t r a i t s of Avaro's son

f o l u p t o , t h e c o u r t &ncf;r and drunkard , and h i s c ~ u r t s s a n , a ~ i a l k i n g

l e s s o n i n l a d d e r - r e v e r s E l :

Iier .?:yes s3rzzd Nets , h e r L i p s B e i t s , 6; h e r Anas 221 t l i r a i l i n g Chzins : Sense hu& t h e Charms

Of Id lenessc ; or16 F r i d e , wh i l e i l eason ' s f r e e f'ro~h Har r t~s .

(XI, liii, p. 200)

. . . spendls t pre t ious Dayes I n D ~ n c e s , 3bnquet:;, Courtism:;, Playes,

To gain the shade of J o y , xhich, soon 2s gaind, decayes.

F i n e l l y , the r&der i s rcouested t o

Suamon ,231 136, rrith h i s Looms 02 Stzto To w a v e Prides d&b, i n s p i t e of Fate;

tho, once got up, tbroves dom the Steps did elevate.

Thl I;rnbitloup t r c ; x h l r o u s a re , and hoodwinkt au i to ; Their g i t i d . ~ Iieads hzve dazled a l l t ,

For, J e a l o ~ ~ i ~ ~ c lo thes 'L'm th i n d o u b l e Llis t,s of Spite.

H i s mu:", see, and vin!:; h i s Fontrue must ' o r~vo , l a d f i i , t t f ;~~ too ; 11is 2 mu::-l have

Audience, y e t c ~ r e l e s s be: Thus a c t s he KCMG C Slave.

A l l is ephemerzl f o r the poet. whose 0i.m biographical 2nd Yiterary

example i s i roni call^ a p t : "Great FCRI-S~ grea t Hopes, ,.reclt P lo t s ,

g rea t b:en makc; Trzgedics! " (Y ,lvii, 1-66).

t i v e s tage which -the p i o u s soul rnus.L undergo t o e rase i t s ~ ro r ld ly

dross and se l f - in teyes t . Benlqses portrays the -ourif i c:-*tory process

experienced by 'fheo?hil? i n hi:; second canto (Wls Hilmilirtion") , pref ixed by t h e hexrtrnesal ~ c s o u n t o f c rea t ion znd ma's Pall. H i s

a l l e g o r i c z l por t raya l of tile s p i r i t u n l var fare endured by the contem-

p l a t i v e owes much t o the rnedi~val mystics, and such descr ipt ions a s

t h a t of Sin show how f a n t a s t i c the poet ' s "Fancieft can be:

Black Sin! i;iore hideous then green 3rw:onc, 512:-e, Dm? C , r ~ p u 'Talons, s v a r t Be-rs Pa'ar;s,

Then checquer' d Pacthers Teeth, o r tnvnic Li 011s Jcws. -- (II, xxiv, p. 26)

The meditative genre's dedication to t h a t v i sua l i sa t ion o f death which

charac ter i ses s o much Jacoboaa devotional l i t e r a t u r e a l so takes on

a p o t e s q u e aura i n Benlowes' eyes:

E1 r e on t h y shaking h'et1c-i 5no;res l i c h t ; , ' r e rouxd t h y p a l s y ' ? k ~ r t I c c be cc~ngealed q u i t e ;

El r e i n t ~ l y Poc!:et thou t h i n e ;;yes dont r:ec?r; . . * . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ];'re i n t h y -- Hand's t h y 2 1 , o r Si1 .v~" i n thy Ha i r ;

P r e v e n t i n g I 'Iiyo~~-]r use. Think, no11 ye h e a r * The Dcnd-a.c:ahenln:: Tr1131;; Lo ; t h e r e

The qucas ie-s toneck t Grcves d l s ~ : o r g e ;,orrns f a t n i n g Chear.

I n f e c r and g u i l t Theophiln "runs F a i t h s Courseli from d e s p i r

and g r i e f t o t h e darning enl i&tenment o f t h e s o u l ' s r e s t o r a t i o n

through "second Grcce, r e n e u i n ~ ' r ' i r eu ( l l , Ixxxv, p. 34). The z e a l of

ishe s o u l ' s i n t c ; r ~ l r ~ l ct n p a l p m o u s e s a l l o f t h e poe t '.s e v a n g e l i c a l

f e w o r , bu t p r e s e n t e d i n 3ei1lor.res' c h a r ~ c t e r i s t i c h y p e r b o l i c and

impersonzl f a s h i o n , it cvokea i n tho r e a d e r memly pa thos m d d i s b e l i e f :

To HLAVIR cow 3;aes s h e on h e r Knees; which c r y Loud., a:: her '2on.cue; much sneaks h e r Gye:

IJEAVIW, s t z r m i d 'b3. Violence, yir-ll-ds. Eyes, i i ' m ~ e , end I h e e s sce.Re high.

(11, xcvii, 35)

T h e 1 , u r g ~ t i v e t r i a l s of tho s o u l i n s c a r c h of Cod a r c more

sur';cossfull,y r endered i n tht? ?'.!nblencs, where they a r e p resen ted i n

t h e t h i r d book ( ~ u ~ o ' s f i r s t s e c t i o n ) . The torments o f t h e g r i e f -

s t r i c k e n Xnima a r e en6e::r i ngly conveyed through h e r w i t t y d i a l o g u e

:zit11 C h r i s t 2s Phys ic i an :

J e s . - Hold f o r t h t h i n e ikrne, and Lei; my Tingers t r y Thy Pu l se : ~ i l i e re ( c h i e f l y ) dozs thy tormei-it l ie '?

Soul. -- From heaci t o f o o t ; i t r e i g n s i n e v l r y p r t , But p l a y ~ e s t h e selfe-1er:'ci Tyrznt i n my hear t .

JES. - Canst thou d i c e s t ? c m s t r e l i s h wholsone fooci? How ztenc7s .thy t a s t e ? Soul. To notl l ing t h a t is good: r

1LL1 s i n f u l t r c s h , an6 e a r t h s unszv ' ry s t u f f I cen ciigeat and r e l i s h uel-1 enough: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jes . - How o l d ' s t h y g r i e f ? --- Soul. I tookc i t a t t h e F a l l i l i t h e c t i n g F r u i t .

J e s . - . . . ' T i s 3p idemica l l ;

Bere a t le:.st t h e d o c t r i i l a l comn~entary i s made pa l ; t a b l e by t h e n o t e

of humour. O r elser.;here (~rnblem 111.5, f o r example) , t h e i n t e r i o r

d e b a t e b e t ~ r e e n h u m i l i t y m d p r i d e may s u f f e r from a p r o s a i c d i d ~ c t i c i s m

b u t i t i s cr;?.hoaied i n r -lern,ncred forrn r h i c h avoids t h e cmbarrassncnt - of 3enlo;!cs' ou2;bursts. The emblem of t h c repent::flt Yecyer, a theme

common t o m e d i t a t i v e t r c a t n c n t s o f St. Fzqr Ikj-dalen nrld rendered i n

t h e baroque form o f t h e J s s u i t cnLllem books by Richard C ~ a s h ~ w , i s a l s o ,

p r e s e n t e d i n Book 111. The cub6ued t o n e s o f Q u a r l e s hcrs a r e i n

marked con t r r ; a t t o t h e emotive express ion o f both Crashcw and Cenlor:es,

and. aga in sugges t t h e former ' s p r e f e r e n c e f o r H e ~ b e r t ' s s t y l e :

I n t h i n er ; r ly s.t;ge o f t h e s o u l ' s q u e s t , i e s p a i r mc? t h e tiiffi-

c u l t i e s of ysnmciu t ; ion or" i i ~ ~ l . d l y p u r s u i t s a r e conveyec'l through t h e

predominance o f d a r k i m ~ , ~ ; e s . 3mblem 111.15, f c s example, is rcmi-

a i s c e n t of t h a t ' da rk n i g h t o f t h e s o u l ' descr-ibed by St . John o f the

Cross, as t h a n a r r a t c F gon?ers

HOT: o f t e n , -ii.i.:rj v i t h t8he f a s t i d i o u s l i g h i , Eave my ft:.i.nt l i p s Fmldor'd t h e shhdes o f n i g h t ? 1:o~: oftezl h a v e iny n i g h t l y ?'orrnsr!ts p r a i d For l inggring t r i i l i zh:, g l u t t e d ::it11 t h e shade!

( re 181)

I n a v i d e r sense t h e im;:.gerg o f da rkncss an& 1i;:ht i s e ~ p l o y e d through-

o u t t h e Eritblernes and Theoohila t o evoke t h e c o n f l l c t between body and

s p i r i t rrhich b e s e t s t i le >ovrr.ey o f t h e s o u l t o i t s rie;f;i;fl.CL home.

Kenneth Kirk s t a t e s t h a t ttChris-';.:i.anity 1 x 6 corile i n t o the ::orld

t h e i n t e r e s t of t h e Reneis::al~ce h u m m i s t i n t h i s pr.ina.1 2xd imx:cc~i;t-le

t h e ne tayhor ica l expression so p reva len t i n seve:~tec;i~th cm-tury

devc t iona l poetry i s in t imz te ly associa.ted ~ r i t h tile contempl.r.tivcl ss

at tempts t o v i s u a l j s e and i n i t a t e t he pz-item o f C h r i s t , So Loo

a r e t h e 12e-tal)h~ra of t h e S~i^l-C70d eniployed i n d e s s i i b l n g %lie illuminz-

t i v e s t a g e of t h e n y s t i c a l ritzy, >;here t h e sou l evltcr~ t i ~ c h l i ~ r , f u l

r ad iance of g r x e t,hrough its kinsh ip v i t h t h e Lorti.

of t he i l l m i n z t i n g n t t r i b u t c s ol t h e Good rem;tit~c!d a s i g ? l E i c a t

aspec t o f t h e Augs i i in ien T r i n i t y . I n t h e operat ions of h m m v i s ion ,

3s well , P l a t o l s concept o f trro types of percept ion i n eccordance v i t h

s e n s i b l e ex i s tence 2nd t he i n t e l l i g i b l e r e a l i t y elitezed t h e icyst icai

t r a d i t i o n of Chr i s t i an i t y . Plclto had l ikened t h e visuc!l aerise-orgzns

of iilan t o t he cosmic sun. K 6 spec i f i ed t h . ~ cceueal mla. t ions!i ip between

t h c a b i l i t y of i h e e2e t o perceive v i s i b l e objcct:; ~ n d t he t i s t r e m ' t 2 " d i s r \ c m s e d by t h e Sun" rdlich floocis t h e eye 17i tli i i ~ h t and thus

L Kenneth Z. Kirk, Thc: Vision of Cod: The C k j . S ~ t i : ~ ~ l Uoctr:ii?e of --- 0-

t h e S~u~!?r;lurn Bonm ( L O ~ I C ~ O ~ , e t c . , 1931), 2. 1.

2 F.L. C o r i ~ ~ f o ~ d , The ? o ? u ? ~ l i c o-F T'l nto, r p t . ( ~ x f o r c i , ~ Y A Z ) , p. 214.

e n a b l e s t h e a c t of v i s i o n t o occur . Hc had a l s o extended t h e concept

f e s t l y i n p o a s s s s i c n of i n t e l l i ~ c n c e . But ~ rhen i t look:: t o r ~ a r d s % h a t

t v i l i g h t v:orld of t11i.n::~ th2. t come i n t o e x i s t e n c e and uass away, i t s

s i g h t i s &in ~ m d it. h;s on1.y o p i n i o n s end be l . i e f c ~ ik ich . s h i f t tto and

f r o , anci no:: i t seems l i k e a t h i n g t h a t h a s no i n t e l l i g e n c e . 113 or F l a t o i-i: i s t h e Forrs of Goodness which gives " t o t h e o b j e c t s o f

lznorrledp+-? t i l e i r t r u t h and t o him r41o k n o m thorn b i s p31:er o f knor:ingu.

t h e way i n vh ich t h e C h r i s t i e n P l z t o n i s t cbsorbed the a p o s t o l i c

c o n v i c t i o n t.hn.t mas ca;? a c h i e v e a f o r e t a s t e o r g l i c p s s of t h e

r a d i a n t lory o f Cod i:! t h i s l i f e , and t h ~ r:ay i n rahtch t h i s v i s j o n e r y

e m p h ~ s i s i s b lended r.lit,!l t h e P i c t o n i c ne t c j , ho r s oT" t h $ bofi i ly p r i s o n .

Culverr :el l tz:ies t h e F a u l i x e t e x t o f 1 C o r i n t h i m s 1 3 a:: t i le b a s i s

of h i s t s e a - t i s e , r:hich cmphr~s i se s t h e clifi 'oronce d i i c h 3-et exis 0s

between t h o re -bapt j zed s o u l ' s irnpe:lafect mil cloud3 v i s i o ~ i n t h i s

ex i s t ence by c o n t r e s t i.i+Jh t h e ~ l o r i f i e d s o u l ' s I t fu l l all:?. c l e a r e

v i s i o n " of' God.

T h m r:.h~i: a b e l i e v i n ~ s o u l r o t u r n s t o Goti L h ~ t s2ve - i t , i t sees him f o c e t o f a c e , a d f i x e s i i s e i s upon hirn t o 21.7. e k c m i t y . As soon es ever t h e SCUI i s mshr,-a.th'c' froni the bod ie , i t c:lis-:-ters n o c t g?.orious!.y; as soon 2 s eveF i t is unclouded i'ron ~ o ~ . ? ' u g t i ~ i l , it shall bezn f o r t h moat o r i e n t l y ; 2s soon a s ii i s l e t l o o s e from this cczge o f c l Z y , i - t s i n c s most me3 od- i o u s l y : r,cthin,r hinder:: ;! C h r i s t i a n from a sig1:t of God f a c e tm face, b u t t h e i n t e r p o s i t i o n o f 2 grgsse ea:rtQ: body; it i s d e a t h s o f f i c e t o 73re~"~I.c 6or.n t h i s wall of sc?pgrFtion, t i ! : t t h e s o u l m q 3c ~ G m i t t e d i n t o t h e p re sence o P God. :5 --

b e g i n n i n g "For nor: xc see t h rough c, glt;.ss d 2 r k l y . . . I b i d . , p. 9.

t he p r a y e r

iA1or w i th t h e s o u l ' a jre;r:rning

Li ~ h t :

If these r e f ~ ~ l ~ e i l t G u i l d . no t the i i q , . . . . . . . . .

A s n c t e d i n t h e p r e v i o u s ch : -y te r , B o n l o ~ . e s t d e b t t o t h e neo-

P l a t o n i c netcp; ior of Gcd ae XLI e - le rnnl ~:elI.:;l?ring o f li&t i s

p a r t i c u l e r l y e v i d e n t i n . i h ~ C C Z - I ~ ~ ~ ~ conte11l~~l;r t ive cmb05. The s o u l ' s

c e l o s t i z l journey i s re?r.rded by the p o e t as a. lllaui-d:[inc] i n t o

s h o r e l e s s Seas o f L igh t " , Befer r inc : t o Cod 2s t!le abe tx-rict :'super-

eminence o f l i l s t r e , ' ' 3 e n l o - r : ~ ~ ct-teinyts t o i n f u r e t h e im;,msonal

ntct:~,phor 1 5 t h a n e l e n e c t o f mystical. r a p t u r e :

Fron Xnch of ' T!li.nr: -..-.-- ineff;bl:; bri&"i. > 2 ~ 1 !

ILi f ' i ' ~ : ; i ~ l l o f S.L!C~ ---..- Si?l ~ : i ? ? ~ r g!.i.d.~:;, Ls r o ~ r l s ' bo-JS i l ~ o ~ : ; s ; ~ d Secs o .i' JCiiiKS i11 i.1 ;itnini; ?'j.G.c;r, . . .

Ifhe no t i : , n of God ?,s an e t e r n a l c i r c l e o f supreme l i g h t is a com-

pel:Ling i ispect o f Fc rmc t i c t houch t , and onc wlnicli iIeiwy Vau@an

m a j e s t i c a l l y in te ,yc t .cs :-ilth the C h r i s t i e n p u r v i e ~ r in h i s poem "The

. I ;or ld." 6 Here the s u l i j e o t i v e ex~>er . i cncc o f t h e 1)os-i; i s h ~ m o i - ~ i o u s l y

l inked . rii t h th c remote zni! s i l e n t P r i n c i p l e ; and -tl?e v i s i o n uf!f u r l s

w i t h ~ 1 1 t,l?e g rmdeu i ' o f profound. moment r e c r e a t d i n t h e t rann ,u i l -

l i t y of t h e p o e t ' s n c n o ~ ~ y :

B e n l o ~ ~ ~ e s t o o y r e s e i ~ % s tt,o ' I 'heophi la t h e t i m e l e s s c i r c l e o f li&t and

Thou s h a l t be Gro~m'c l : d t h . r e [ tlls o f er:dln"c, . L i ~ . h z : - -*-- IV,-TY,- 11. 5 i ) But how d i f f e r e ~ l t f r o n thc r o l l i n p d i g n i t y and s e n s e af exaltation

i n Vaughan i s t h e minor p o e t ' s h a n d l i n g o f his nstanhysical imzge.

The cor respondences ~ r h i c h r e n d e r man a microcoslii o f t h e u n i v e r s e

e n t e r i n t o "Ie s p i r i t u a l journe2- towards l i g h t by V i r t u e o f t h e s o u l ' s

i n t e r m e d i s t e p o s i t i o n hetwesn t h e s u p e r i ~ ~ Swl a1d t h e d a r k t e r r i t o r y f

of t h e body. A p r i n c i p a l s o u r c e f o r t h e a s t r o n o m i c a l n ~ e t a p h o r s of

e c l i p s e i s P l i r y s ? ;~ , t ; i~ '~ l Sir; t o r y , which d e s c r i b e s t h e shad-ovrs

6 L. C. ] ' ,ar t in c3i::cusses t h e Kermct-ic s o u r c e o f V n u & , n f s image

i n flIienry Vnu&~-~n ax5 Hermes T r i ~ m e g i s t u s , ~ ~ p. 307.

Tile Eorks . , . el. L.C. t i , p. 466.

r e s u l t i n g from t h e i n t e r v o n t i o r , 0.l' e m t 3 m d moon bet::een t h e . s u i ~

t s a n s f e r s t h e a s t r o n o n ~ i c a l theme t o the hunnn p l m c t o e x p r e s s the

s o u l ' s t 1 t e sn r : t i ng f e a r and ecs tasy i n rcl:.ti.olz t o t L c ? Source of

i t s e x i s t e n c e and s p i r i t u a l e v o l u t i o n : .

3enlowes re!)eats t h c as tro:.iomical image i n dclinc-zJ6i_.i,y ' i 'heophila 's

r e l z t i o n t o C h r i s t :

The i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of C h r i s t v i t h the v i s i b l e suii of mm's

wsmos l e n d s t h e r e l i g i o u s e inblemat i s t s t o employ. i b e ~ o i i c e i t o f

t h e h e l i o t r o p i c sui1flowe-r t.o desc3-ibe the s o u l ' s f ~ j t i ~ f ~ l aclherci-ice

t o i t s s p i ~ i t u a l Source o f Light. ' The c c n c e i t d e r i v e s Prom t h o

O t l d i z n t a l e c f C l y t i e , w o h a v i n z d i e d f o r l o v e or' t h e Stm-god, i s

t r ans fo rmed i n t o t h e p l e n t rer,or;ned f o r i t s oonstrzncy I n t r a c i n g t h e 1- 0

p a t h o f t h e sun. Benlowes a p p l i e s t h e metzphor t o 5 'beophi la1s g s z e

in Canto IV: "Ye Ttrins o f L l i $ l t , as Sunf ' l~ ; t .~ i - s be e ~ ~ c l l n ' d / '20 t h l I

3UIJ o f RI GIiTZGU3'dSS . . . ( TV, 15. , p. 5 3 ) . Book 11, I . 7.

Freeman, p. 1 2 ; P r a z , l l ennisscnce anti s ewn t r w i t h - C m t u q S t u d i e s , pp, 109-110.

1 0 P r a z , k. G.

s u n l i k e presence of Cod. The Cjvidian ir,l;~c of t h e au.n 2,s t h e cyc? of

t h e universe12 becones r i n p o r i m t conccpi i n Copcrnicnn t!:ou(;??t.

and neo-Py-thz,-orcan con tex t :

' l 'hereforc, silicc; t h e SUQ i s tlic source o f 1 i ~ : h t id c;ye of t h e rrorl.d, t? ie c e i ~ i r e i s ciuc t o i t i n o r d e r thr.-t t h e sun - 2.s the. father i n tk-: d i v i n e sgntbolizing - may c o n t e x p l n t . ~ i t s o l f ' i n t i le ~r l lo le surf: cc - which i s t h e synb01 of Geld the Son - end t c k e p l e e s u r e i i l t h e imac:e of i t s e l f , a.nd i l l u m i n 2 t e i t s e l f by a i i i . r , h l ~ , and in f l ame i t s e l f by i:hrning. 1~

The neo-P le ton i s t s a l s o r e f a r t o a xor ld-soul o r Lnt,er:~edisry h-lpos-

s i m i l e i n Canto 111 d i s t i n g u i s h i n g T h e o p h i l a t s sinil-i+,l;cie t o t h e

s p i r i t u a l Sun ra ther . t han t h e r e f l e c t e d 2nd nuta'oie i u a i r o o f t h e moon

c o ~ c l u d e s '~5th " i e c o n l ~ incd iaeta2hoi.s i i iccussed a b o . ~ G :

C1 So, Cyn-i;h-i2 s p m a at~?,r-c;hambn,rs Pmr:j.den+,, G i t h c r e s c e n ' ~ Epie.r&>r from C o 1 I c n t , ---

Rallyin:; h e r s h r r i c YTL+OL t o gdnrci h e r gli.ttc:i.iri@ -T=i.

' 'paradies L o s t , V , 171..

l4 P l i n y s a y s of ti ic sun (Eat . H i s t . , 11. i v .13 ) , "we must b e l i e v e - him t o be t h e s o u l , o r m o w p r e c i s e l y t h e mind, of t;:o ?;hole !;oi:ld, t h e supreme ru l - ine g r inc ip l .= , and d i v i n i t g o f n a t u m . " Trans l . H. EackJlam, The Loeb C l a s s i c s l L i b r a r y ondo don, 1938) , p. 179.

I n t h i s l,cfssn;.e Ben101 cs a l s o su:;.csts t h e t t go ldcn - t r e s scd f t Lover of

t h e Canticles - ~ ~ l d t h e 11co-Platonic m i v e r s e i n xhich t h e p a r t i c l e s

r c f i c c t t h e l i g h t p r i c c i p l e o f t h e Source. 15

Thc Sum-C*c? ana logy i s e q u a l l y i m p o r t a n t as a descr l l j : ion of

t h e poet':.; r c l ~ t i c n s l l i p t o h i s s p i r i t u a l f o u n t o f i n s : ? i r s t i on i n

Thee-!,hila. The p o e t i n Cznto IX s e e s h i s s a c r e d muse i n t h e r o l e - o f t h e emblematic s u n f l o ~ x a :

B l e s t I.,uqc t h e A l t : T buil .ds, r:here LOVE'S a d o r l d ; - - And th=.ovreth d o ~ ~ i l , l n o s c &t_, thy iks t zbhos-r'd:

She, %~A-lil;e, t o t h ' o f Glory t v r n s ; COB i s her a, r r i t i ~ Li&:hC or' Z e d She burns.

inipresa c o n t a i n e d anorigst o t h e r e n , ~ a v i n g s i n F h i n c c s ITl.etchcr's

P v n ; e Is1 fnd - d e n o n s t r r - t e s the c o n s i d e r ? b l e personal. i ~ ~ t c r e s t i n - t h i s i 6

s w f 1 o i ; e r crrlllea, The ~ n p r s s s r e p r e s e n t s lienlose;;' en;igram, "Sun-

ward[@] 3c lovcdU m d t h c 2 e s c r i p i i o n by J e n k i n s r e v e a l s t h e mmner

i n which Eenloves t chs,ri.it.,ble and p o e t i c i n s t i n c t s bo tii o r b i t abou t

t h e Div ine Sun:

The s c r o l l s were cntt.;ii?ed. one r r i l : h rz s m f l o ~ . r r r . . . t h e o t h c ! ~ w i t h e pansy, a t t h e t o 9 o f t h e p l ; i t e a n embleri~a.I.5.c; sm a p p r o p r i a t e l y shone, a ~ d 'sun- m r d e belovc?d ' var, used es t h e t i t i e or" t h e v e r s e s , in which T l e - t . c h ~ ~ , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e c u r i o u s fczskion o f t h e t ime , curnpcred t h e pansy upon xhose !?u.rple p e t a l s t h e sun p r i n t s i t s golden image t o 3is o m s o u l r e c e i v i n ~ : up>^ it the image o f t h e s p i r i t u a l SLUI, tha . t i s , o f God, 1 7

A c c o s d i ~ g t o S t . Paul, ( 2 C o r i n t h i z n s i i i . l b ) "we a i l , r e f i o c t i r l g

as i n a m i r r o r t h e g l o r y o f the L o r d , a r e t rms f ' c r r~~ed ; i n t o tl:e sane

image. " Tha t image, S t . v s x l and l a t e r C h r i s t i a n F l a t v n l s t s a f f i r m ,

See :,ind, Parziy! Y - y s t c ~ i e s i n t h t & m a i s s m c e , p. 40; I n g e , l ' he Phi losonhg of i ' l o t i n i ! ~ , I, 152; Lirk, Thc d i s i o n oi Cod, lO2-ld5.

16 See J e n k i n s , 31:;ard Renl-cms . . . , p. 71. 7

l7 J e n k i n s , loo . c i t . --

i s devoid. of t h e appe l ; i t i ve i n c l i n x t i o n s m d r e s t r i c t e d knn1:ledge

assocj .~ ; t ,ed wi th c o r p o r e a l i t y . Thus i n o r d e r t o r e f l e c t t h e d i v i n e

imcge, mnn must p u t asi6.e h i s bod.ily aid. ntenCz.1 p e r c e p t i o n , and

pe rmi t t l ~ e i l l u m i n a t i o n of t h e Kord t o inforrn h i s %?hole being. I n A che Smma The010 ~ i a e Lquincc, eckoes t h e kugustj.n:ian d o c t r i n e o f

g r a c e through t h e descen t o f t h e d i v i n e P r i n c i p l e , an impor tan t

d e p a r t u r e from t h e P l a t o n i c a s c e n t t o b e a t i i ' i c ~ i s i o i l tiwnu[l;h man's

unaicl.ed e f f o r t s of intellect anci w i l l :

The b o d i l y aelises, . h q % r e v e ~ pure t h e y may be, can s e e no t h i n g vis-i.'i!le without t h e ssn's 5. l luminr~tion. ThereTore t 3 e h u n m mind, ho~:ever p e r f e c t i t may be, c,u?r;ot l i no~~ , t i i ~ 'brilth by r e e s o n i n g 1:-i.thout d i v i n e i1lumin::t:i.o . h d t h i . s be longs t o t h e a s s i s t . t n c e o f grace. 18

Lugust ine anci l c te? Chris t i e n i l i l t o n i s t s do, never i h e l c s s ,

r e t c i n t h e neo-I'la-tonic l ~ - t , ~ o v i i * t i v c p a t h t o d i v i x iino~rlcd&e.

Sensual p e r c e p t i o n , t h e y USGC, i s u n c e r t a i n 3r.d inadeg1:a t t: t o r e v e a l

Co man t h e uncrer,ted Esselics o f God. I n Emblem 11.6 q u ~ r l e s e x h o r t s

I t h e r c ~ d c ~ ~ u t t c l e i h i s "Opticks be iibus'd" (p.86) by t i ~ s a t t r z c l i v e

snare:, o f e e r J d d y v i s i o n . '?he engrzv inc t o t h i s e~nbler~t :;ug;,ests i t s I . n e t a p h y s i c a i pzrzdox and accompenying moral. It shows a d i ~ ~ ~ i n u t i v e

mima gas in? mtr;Azxeci c t t t 3 a mc~ ,mi f i t~d s c l i - i n ; f.o ~rhicl t 2p.sesrs i n

I t h e [:lobe-shc.~cci rnirrcr 'cc7ore him. I n t h e bacl;::rowr?, e f ~ y z n t i c

I Civ ine Cupid k o l 2 s a t i n y u ~ i x r a r i n such a m y es tc: c n p t u r c t h e

I d a z z l i n g rap o f t h e s u p e r n = t 1 z s l Sun.

Q u a r l e s nttemp tjs t o d i s p e l t h e ' darke cloud o f v a n i t y t tt19throuch

xh ich t h o reader pu r sues merely s u p e r f i c i a l goals, by ~ e . s e a 1 j . n ~ t h e

f a l s i t y o f t h e enrth1.y " F ~ ~ t r c i i t u r e s ~ ~ :

18 5'homax Lauinps, g s n ~ %eolo::i.ae, ed. z.nd -i;ransl. Cornel ius

E m s t , Vol. 30 ("The Cospcl Q'T. Grece") (Gxforci, 1 ~ 7 2 ) ~ p, 69. 1

l9 From S t . August ine, S o l i l o n ~ , C E ~ . r r x i i i , t h e tcxt accompmying Lmblem 111.1, p. 133 oi' 1.uarles ' e d i t i o n .

Re proceeds "i expla in i h z t t h e soul gains i n st::turc a n d i n t r i r , s i c

s p i r i t u a l l i $ > - ' c i n d i r e c t i-ntio t o i t s rc2cc t ion of t h e r!orl.cils

noone of Grece" it must no-i lengthen t h e sho.dor?s of momel.ity but

rather see i t s e l f h m b l y j ; ~ t h e f u l l r ays of Truth. By "shrinkin@

in" ( "Thy se l fc ' s t h e Oh j sc t thou should' s t scet l ) t h r o q h r igorous

s e l f - s c r u t i ~ y , t h s sou l can pa rnc iox i c~ l ly cxpanci i t s ~ p - ~ i t u a l

horizons.

I n Emblem I T l . l r l . the a o t i f of t r u e vis:i.on j.s prescmted i n t h e

form of a dinlocue b e t w e n Flesh and S p i r i t . The f o r ~ n e r ohcoses t o

perceive only t h e cx tc rna l beau t i a s of t h e -r:orii; throu:tl: b e r t i n t e d

By con t r a s t r i t h t h i s coneem f o r t h e ephemeral pl-easilrr- 9,' " ~ a i n t e d

co lours , " S ~ \ i r i t seeks t o comprehmd t h e pea t e y rea!.it,les o f b e i y .

R e r v i s u a l e i d i e t h e tclescone. "It he lps t h 5 s i g h t ; mn!i-,cs th ings

r e n o t - appzare / I n p e r f e c t v iev ; It* drawes t h e ob j ec t neare." (P. 1 7 ~ ) ~

The "object" tilus confront& i s " G r i m Death, e 'en st:lndi-ng ?t t h e I

Glasses end" and beyond Ll ia t gz izz ly s p e c t r e t h e sox.Zl's s i a r k

a l t e m a t i v e s : above, t be "Sonne / Of g lo ry on h i s high T r i t u n a l l

Throneu; belo;:, t h c a:ocized i nhab i t an t s of Ee l l .

Self-h;nor.;lecige i s :he constant theme of t h e medi ta t ive genre i n

i t s sync i . a t i r ; t i c i i e n a i s s m c e form. ' ,uzrles c i t e s t h e t e x t from

a n i m p o r t a n t a t e n I n the zscen-t t o Ckd, b u t i n t h e n e o - P k t o n i c

schema it too m u s t b e su;;crseded by that intuitive p ~ r c e ? , t i o n which

c p e m t e s on a p l a n s bepin6 concep tua l thoupht . As Ber11o::cs s t a t e s

in Canto 111, 1tEiiiV'3<S P e r s p e c t i v e i s over - recs n i n g 'r;'AI1L%, / Xhich

Sou l -en t rmci i ,~g VISICI?S h:%nlt, (xxi, p. 40). Tne C h r i s t i a n emphzsis --- -- on h u m i l i t y , rnorco.vor, w o k e ~ an a,Yltagonistic re2dAicl1 t o %he man who

p r i d e s h i m s e l f o n accoun?; o f h l s l ec rn i i i g facv.1-tias. F'cT C;uuarles 2nd.

B e n l o m s t l ie l i g h t of' ? Ja t -~rc ns s o l e gu ide i s i d e n t i f i e d ~ i % h a tha i sm - and mortal i t ; . C:uarles acc.ord. in&y s c o r n s t h e man +:hose !.ox d e s i r e / Can finc7.e s v f f l c i e n t srarstll from Xaturos f i r e t t . P e t e r S - t a n y e x p l a i i ~ s

t h e o t h e ~ v o r l d l y p e r s p e c t i v e vhicll relegates rertson t o a via media -- -- between s e n s e and the L i g h t o f l j i v ine Xsdom. IIe employs t h e c m d l e

metaphor p o p u l n r i s e d by Cenjtmin Khichcote and the C m b r i d g c P l a t o n i s t

~ c h o o l . "Thouph t h e --- crx61-e of' Reeson e x c e l l i n l ig11 t i he Glov-~rorms

o f s e n s e . . . Yet i t i s 5 u t a c m d l e , n o t t h e Sun it s e l f ; i t m&cs - no day; o n l y s h i n e s i n t h e d s r k n c s s e o f t h e n i p h t . 11 20

20 C i t e d i n The Ce;..brid~e P l ~ t o : i j s t ~ , ed. C.B. F a t r i d c s , Stratford-upon-i,.vc n L i b r a r y 5 ondo don, 1569) , p. 11. I b i c h c o t e l s c e n d l c metaphor i s fro;; r r o v e r b s 20.27, lttlie s l ) i r i t o f man i s tl ie cnnd le o f t h e Lord.

Quar l ss ' dmblem 11.1 ? l a c e s huncn r e a s o n i n t h i s l e s s e r c a t e -

go ry i n accordance r : i t h t h e acco:n~,mying t e s t o f S t . Gregory t h a t

m m , "by ho:. U C ~ the nore hce E ; C . ~ S t h e 1i.yh-L o f Gr-, b : ~ so mucfi

tl:e more )?c: L i ~ ; ; 1 , l i i l ~ ~ -I:?c l - i ~ $ - j ; o ? nz-turn, " The p o e t s o b e r l y - - _ _ . - I - - . - - --.-- q u e r i e s t h e f n t e of t!ie a g n o s t i c :!no rrould "J?uff o u t I i e ~ ~ . v l n l s g l o r y "

i n o r d e r t o i n f l a t e human renson:

Spen6 horrowtd b-matii, and blow, !3lor: vbn42, mc6e ::trong rTi t i l s p i t e ;

Yhen t h o u h a s t pul"l".L t h e ~ r e ~ t e r l i g h t , Th~r l e s s e r spar!ce mi y sh i j le , en6 wmxe t h e

n i g h t ; YIC?:? made

Hesv lns T r ? p n - ~ r o u t , and you h m e a a e n t y9ur ovne, Yhai i':i?>c sltc~11 v a m e ye then? 21

(P. 6 6 )

P r i d e i s f r e q u e n t l ; ~ a s s o c i n t e d wi th t h e a q b i t i c u s s s l f - i n f l a t i o n

e f t h e contcnplnJ i ive i?l h i s i?srjir::tions t o f i n d Gbd. i n t h i s i n r t a n c e

-the emblem of ' I c z r v s i:. em1)loyed t o i l l u s t r ~ ~ t c t h e ' Jh r i s tLan hwn i l i t y

r e q u i r e d by t h c n o v i c e cs ;:dl as t h e ultimo."c porrer d f t h e Sun C e i t y :

I n IV.11 t h e ' r o v i n g 1 n a r r s t o r r e p o r t s :

I s e e r c h ' d t h i s ylo!.ious Ci.ty; H e e l s n o t heyo; I sough t t h e Countrcy; She s tar idc er?pty-h, nded:

I sec rc l l ' d t h e C9ur-L; lie i s e stri-,ngcr tllcre: 1 askld the 'lail6; I i c e l s s lz ippld: 'bhe sea; h e e ' s landed:

I c l i n b ' d t h e a p e , my t l ioutqhts begril % ! a s p i r e ; But , dl: t h e t i i n - s o f my t o o bold desi :w,

S o a r i n g t o o nc;re t h o Sun, were s i n g l d wi th s a c r e d f i r e .

(P* 226)

1"nc c o n c e i t is extended -lo i .nclude t h e ephemeral n a t i x e o f honour i n r

Emblem 1.9:

Dra,w n e e r e , brave s p a r k s , whose si,irits s c o r u t o l i g h t Your hal1o:ri d Tapours , b u t a t IIonours f lme ;

You, whose heroicl: Llc-tions t a k e c ie l igh t To v a r n i s h o v e r a n e x p a i n t e d neme;

21 Q u a r l e s r e f e r c a g a i n t o " t h a t f s l s e , f e e b l e l i g h t / O f

ilatures Cadleu i n Snbl-crn XV. 10.

;%ose hi6:h-bred thouyh t s disd;. ine t o t2l;c t h e i r i ' l i ~ h t , But on t h ' I c e r i a n wing; oi" b z b b l i n ~ E: me,

Bchold, hol- t o t t r i n ~ ZIT your hi:-h-built s t o r i e s Or" e a r t 5 , hereon you t r u s t t h e ground-xosk o f your ~ l o r i e s .

(9. 37 )

Beri101:es d . e sc r ibes t h e i l l u i n i n a t i v e p l a t e a u r eached by Yheophila

i n C a t o 111 i n a c o n t e x t r ; u g ~ e s t i v e bo th o f S t . P n u l l s mi;.ror image

and of t h o neo-Pla tonic notion o f bezu ty ns t h e r n i t i m t i n t e r i o r Form

o f t h e G o d . P r i o r t o t h i s he had s t r e s r e d t h z t the: cow?t .e r fe i t

s p l e n d o u r s of e x t e r m l beauty sirioulcl n o t b l i n d man LJ she "nob le r

L i p h t / G ' t h ' -- I n t e l l_ec t t l --- (I , x i i i , p. 3). *' Be had n ! s o d e p i c t e d t h e

p a t h t o pcnuine becu-ty as the i n - t r o v e r t i v e method ~ r e s c r i ' c z d by St.

The s o u l , thz-i, Lt?czuteousness o f Grace c-xqaires , And t o c k c l i n e !3y-~)zth~ s des i i ' e s , Idust ini~r:rcl b e ~ ~ ~ i the r a y s o f h i s selec+,ccl f i r e s .

I n t h e conte~: i?lc?t ion of' C h r i s t ' s s z c s i f i c s : ~ 3 . t h e e a m e s t

a t t e m p t t o mods1 h i s l i f e e c c o r d i n g t o t h e d i v i n e p o t t e r n , rnw c l e a n s e s

h i s s o u l of i t s sinful accr .e t inns and p e r m i t s t h e grez-Lv in f lo r r of

i l l m i n a t i n g grzce . It, i s alone t h i s C h r i c t o c e n t r i c r o u t e t h e t Theo-

p h i l a p r o , - r a s e s t o t h e b l i ~ s - ? d dawnin:: o f f i r a t i z jA.l.a~inz ti= in Canto 111. Thcre t h c -tri;.ls o f p u r g a t i o n cec:se r;,omr,ilizrily a d s h e

assumes t h e "next-born" c h a r n c l s r i s t i c s of' q p r o z c k i n ~ . ~ ; ? i ~ - i t u a l f u l f i l -

ment. B e n l o ~ i e s ' d e s c r i p t i o n o f t h i s s t a t e combixes t h e e s h i l a r s t e d

s e n s e o f growth i n e p i r i + , u e l l i f e as s re l l 2s t h e P l o t i n i m n o t i o n t h a t

t r u e beau ty i n h e r e s i n t h a l o v i n g s o u l ' s d i v i n e Form, 'la k i n d of' f o r c e 2 3 r

o r l i g h t s h i n i n g f r ~ a God":

- 22 Benlor;est n t T i ; j n c i s v e r y sirnil; r t o LeoncSbreo. See The -

Phi losonhy o Y Lovc ( - i ? i ~ l d : id d ' - m o ~ e ) , t r e n s l . F. Priecieberg-Scelcy end J e m 11. k r n e s (Lonl.on, 1937), p. 211.

The C::se S C S i - 5 i ' c i r e r by t h e ;?Lame: So, d o t s lI3i1V'i ; 'C bric:hteu LCV3 briii;1~i.en %hi:: - l o v e l y Dame ; . . .

(111, xxii-x::v, p. 40) The 1-IF sssp r:hich f o l l o m p ~ o v i d c s a s t r i k i n g exomplc of t h e

s - r t and sonsun l beaut:- i s d e ~ x n d c n t ugon the in f low o f r ? c ? i ~ n t

a s y s t,em -thr?t cons t rued t h e u n i v e r s e , even t h c physical. v?orlri., a s a s e r i c s o f c n m a t i o n s ~ ~ c : . r t i c i ~ ~ i i n p ; t o a s.>en-t,sr o r l o s s c r degree i n t h e p u r i t y o f s ~ ~ i r i t mode i t p o s s i t l e for. man t o h m e his ccke E.EC?. e r t ir. too. 6s a Xeop l . a ton i s t , one c o u l d r e v e l in t h e sensugus beau-ty oi ths p h y s i c a l ~ :o r ld . m d z 1 i t h e vr'niI..- h m e as h i s ultimate g a a l the beauty 2nd v i ?? tue o f s p i r i t . Onc c o u l d o b s e r - ~ e sit11 consir.l.erable e r o t i c s s t i s l ~ c i i o ~ ? J ~ n e 7 s h q e l y h r e a s t e o f o n e ' s m i s t r e s s , aad y e t 6 . sc la re thz , t h e l ovcd h e r most, for t,he beau ty o f h e y scul.

(p. 248)

l & i l e Benlotres coul d n o t b r i i l s h i m s e l f t o s a c t i c n ihe r ~ a n t o n

pursuits of the P e t m s c h ~ i n s o x c t e e r s , t h e 2:bovs d e s s r i r , t i o n does

i n t h e main encompass t h o blend. o f 2 i e t y 2nd art is ti.^ s e m i t i v i t y

found i n Thcophi.12. As arduous as Quas l e s i n cas t iga t inc : t he f l e s h

and i t s t e m p t a t i m s , R c n l ~ v e s ' l z v i s h manner o f so d o i n g be%r.;tys a

masked deg ree o f serrsual tnvolvernent. I n "To Ity y ; ; r~ i e upon Theophila , ' l t

i c r example, he urges ~ G T tc

Evade . . . ?eLch-bloom Cheek-Decoies, - Ighere b o t h t l ~ n 3oet.s bicnd f a l s e Joyes. F r e s s e n o t tile ivo- lesv 'd i iubie Gz,tes., Khich f ence -;;heir P e a r l -Par-tcullis C:r-c=tes.

-- -

24 Cf. C;urrles' p h r a s e , " t h e noon o f G r ; co" .

The senle is t r u e of t h e p o r t ~ n i t o f Tl ieophila i i l h i t o 111.

Raving defirled hcr beau ty i n terms o? t h e i l l u n i n c i t i r p 3Teserlce o f

t h e Good, t h e floocigrttes a r e opened f o r t h e subscquen-l; Spense r i an

k t t r z c t i v e Gr:- cc+s dance about h e r Li2-; --- S;,ice from t k o s a s c m l e t F o r t e l s s k i p s ; . . . . . . . . . * . . . . . . . . . . . .

T h e o p h i l z l a s i m i i i t u 4 e t o C h r i s t , "The r~o:clcl's aye, sou rce of

l i g h t , , s o u l o f t h e ~ m i v e x e " i s reinfox-ced by 3cnloxes ' d o s c r i p t i o n

Thy F a i t h ' s t h e Q, t h y Love t h e 3 c I l -- - --T Beaui;ying thy g r z c e f u l Lie11 rr i th Fox?;: L.GLLIC,;S.

(111, xlii, p. 42)

T h i s imzge o f t h e s o u l a t t h e h e i g h t o f t h e i l l u r n i n a t i w e x p e r i e n c e

i s s u ~ g e s t e d by t h e i n s i s t e n c e o f t h c con tcmpl s t ivc t r x t i t i o n on t h e

sou!.'s i i2tenuely concen-trc t e d 2nd f i x e d g m e tosizrds hi. B s i m i l a r

neo- f lc? tonic emiohesi; i s g i v e n t o t h i s s t s ~ e o f ccn temn1;tion by

Thcn ;,zr ny Soul my o n l y id1 t o me, A L i v i n g .u:d3 ess d>, Fzr .i:idcr then t h e ;kie -.

\ .hose i'o::er, ~ l i o s c &t, r hosc Asccnce W ~ S t o see.

l ienloves pro cecds i n t h e l e t e r E ~ e o c e n t r i c CLTII,OS (VI-VIII) t o $P t ~ ; L c c t u z l

o r t r e y t h e n r tu rc? o f m m ' s ? s c e n t bcyona ' v l ~ l o n t o God. I n i t s generz2 / outlines i t i n v o l v e s a p roy iaes s ion from t h e v i s i b l e t o i n v i r i b l e p l a n e s

of c r e ~ t i o n 2 n d f ~ o m the v i c i o n o f f a i t h (th.1.t i s , tlie i n h s b i t e n t s 2116

s p l e n d o u r of It the h c ~ ~ ~ c i ? i : r c o w t " ) t o t h a t o f beati+uile o r "the

r e v c r r n t con t s r ?p iz t ion of i!;,: d i v i n e s t t r i b u t e s mci 'ihe dsacnce o f God. ,:26

111 s c t l i n g o u t t h e p r o c p c r s oi" t h e s o u l on t h i s s u y a r - c c l c s t i c l j o u ~ n e y

Ben1o~:es s g 2 i n a d o p t s t h e t h w l o g i c a l concep te o f -iAe nedj-eve1 m y s t i c s

and R s m i s s z n c c neo-Pls l-ojlisi::.

One such d o c t r i n e is thr-5 2r;soci;tcd i n p c r t i c u l z r r;ith S t .

k~px",ine a:d K i c h o l a s of C a r a , n m e l y t h e t t h a contenr~! . '~- t ive s e e k i n g

df ,v ine ho:.:ledge must proci-:~3. from a r , o s i t i o n o f ' lesrne6 ig-normce. ' Jaccjbs e r i ~ ~ ~ h ~ . s l r , e r ; t h a t th5.s ~ o s i t i o n stems n o t so rriuuh froin l t skep t i c i sm

of t h e i n t e l l e c t " as fron! t.l-:c n o t i o n of " t h e a b s o l u t , ~ ~ m i t y m d i n f i n i t j i

of God.. " "It implies; ' he c e y s ,

2 d o c t r l n r ? o f the rel.ati.on o f t he f i n i t 3 t o t h e i .nf:i .nite which m k e s a se-.re:rc? ciemcl.r?cl upon t h e intel . lecJi , c?slcing f o r an e f f o r t o f ebnoga t ion , i n o r d e ~ th.-t throb:% t h i s a c t the: c rzc~turc ; seeking nay come x i t l l i n t h e vi:;in o r --- g l n s x e o f Go?, anci t h r o u ~ h i n t u i t i o n l:rzrceiT;e ~ : h a t t h e d i s c u r s i v e r ecson cnnnot tell him. 27

I N i c h o l e s o f Cusn assumes th.:,-t ( a d ils i n f i n i t e One is superior t o t h e

I d i s t . i . nc t ions of 1o:;icp.l c o g n i t i o n . Bein? i n e f f a b l e t o t h e r e a s o n i n g

p o m r s o f m a &n6 f1infiniJcc3-y p e c t e r thnn 211 t h z t can be narned,ll - - - I 25 C i t e d i n L o u i s L. L o r t z , ed., The iinchor i -n tholo-y . , . , ~ - 4 3 1 ~

26 C o l l i n s , C h r i s t i m i ; y s t i c i m . . . , p, 64.

27 Jzcob , Cu.;~nus t h e r e l o i , pp. 12-13.

t h e c o n t e x p l a t i v e must q p r o z c h R i m ::it3 an ar:zrenass o f t he incapa-

c i t y o f rec?.son t o comprehmcf I l ic :;: .conl), r z b l e kiitu-re.

rcveals h i s r r i l l i n s e s : ; 'to ~~ckno~:leclije nc3.n' s i n tcllec"lun.1 l i m i t e t i o n s

a n d t o cccecic 'ii?c; n c c e s s i t j - o f r:isdom through a e v e l a t i o n . Thus he

T e l l , - t e l l hov pond'roui; .:<rths h u p y;;.oplesse 3311 -- 1 ' ie;~~s p o i s e d i n t h e f luerl t iiall

8 . --

Of f i c e t i n g sr? . . . (v: m i - i - x i x , p. 69)

A f u r i h e r neo -P la ton ic t h e o r y o f D iv ine ?:isc?orn I2 t h a t l i k e i s

o n l y knotn? by l i k e , Hensc 2 . h ~ n e c e s s i t y o f a s ~ i r i - h . a . i mecliurn t3rough

~ r l ~ i c h t h e a u p z r c e l c s t i e l r e c l n s may bc r e v e a l e d by t h s dsvo- t lona l

poe t . i3enlor;cs! s o l u t i c , ~ i s t h e deus cx machin?: t h e re-appearance

o f " c l o r i f y l d TE.3OFHILrl" es iuutelnr>- spirit end b s a r e r or' t h e illwn-

i n a t e d wisdom r e s u l t i n g from her owm a s c e n t t o €:lory. T h i s ~ ~ a , t t e r n

i~ e ~ r l i e r f o l l o v e d hy Cante m d by Eonne i n the Seconci ~ ' ~ i ~ ; i v c r s m ~ ? .

A llFG!II~ . X G 3 L L I C I C . . . Ci~ : ine iy b r i p h t , " Theo:)hila a p p e a r s b e f o r e the - p o e t i n t h e lldeaci E'obe o f i,l,:ht". I n p a i n t i n g " - th i s Pl.ame" on :'Times

c l o t h f t ( x x i v , p. 71), t h e p o ~ t a g a i n t u r n s t o t h e r i c h Spense r i an

idiom and thanlcfu2ly k e q m his promise t o "Beglec i cwl tc l P h r a s e s

f r i z l e d S k i l l u i n t h e d e s c r i p t i o n rrhich f o l l o ~ s . ' Theophil a , he s a y s ,

w a s v e i l e d a d

?!hose Robe s h o t f o r t h z- T i c s ~ w ~ ~ m v i n g Shine , - 1:hich seern'd l oose - f lo ; in;:, f c r more f i n e

Than any i n t e r v o v e n i l k v i t h silve-r-TI-ine. -- (v, xxxv i i -xxxv i i i , p. ' ( 2 )

'i'hrough h e r "voice-music" cnd eyes t h e p o e t p ; ? s t i c i p c t e s i n t h e

supernatural pc~cept i .o i1 o f f z i t h m d o f b e a t i t t t d c .

I n t h e c o n t e m p l ~ t i o n o f God i n Canto V131 Tkxlos es denonctrc tcs

t h e k ind o f s t r i p ; ~ i n g o;.a;r o f er7rL?Ly s e n s u z l cnd c o n c e ~ ) t u e l modcs

o f cogn i t ion . He conceives of t e r r e s t r i a l exr~riples o f d z z z l i n g

liiht, sepor:-icly and t h e n conjoined---the m c 3 r x i t [;lor;: of t h e mine,

t h e r e f i n e d gem, 2nd the ctel.laar jeh-els.

Couldst '~ 'hou 5 i,lljoVt rlsli every Irxiian ll:ine: And, froli~ e t c h pol6oil C e l l , u n r h r i n e

Thosc F o m s that x t h t h e i r n l a c e o u t - f t c e C a p s em'lous Shine: -- 9

Tlle c o n c e i t s t ~ m b l e i n 03 each o t h e r a s t h e p o s t s e e k s .to c c ~ n c e ~ t u a l i ~ e

t h e sun of r a f i i an t ,?lory i n c r e a t i o n :

Even t h e n , he concludes , r:oulri. t h e s e "Eyes of' Z a r t i ~ , Skic , :md i12iiV11J

conbin ' d , / h d t o one & t i c k p o i n t c ~ n f i n ~ d , ~ ~ s t i l l be i r c m s e q u e ~ t i n l

i n t h e bl-in din^ p resence of' l,he "super-radiant OLVEC?:" ( x x i i i , p. 3 8 ) .

This i s t h e k ind of ~ x t r a v a g a n c e r h i c h 13enlor:es e x p l o i t s ir_ a baroque

f l o u r i s h of imagery. But as t h e subsequent a r i d t h e o l o g i c a l stanzas I

i n d i c a t e , his t h o o 1 0 g i ~ s . i p o i n t i s t h a t n e i t h e r s e n s u a l nor i n t e l l e c t u z , l

c m o e p t s w i l l s t r e t c h f z r enough t o gl impse God unaided by d i v i n e Grace.

Through Theoph i l a ' s s u i t , t h e ~ o e t i s r e ~ i s r d e d t h e S 11 m i n a t i n g

powers which r e v e a l t h e i rm-rrdozt a s p e c t s Itof WUIS h id atm me". T h i s

pure c o n t e m p l ~ t i o n is s ?.iscourse on t h e metaphysica.1 i n t e r - r e l a t i o n s h i p

between t h e One and t h e ?any on t h e i n t e l l i g i b l e and t h e s e n s i b l e p l a n e s

o f Being. It i s h e r e t h a t t h e p o e t comes t o u n d e r s t m d t h e way i n

which con templs t ion , by u n i f y i n g t h e s o u l ' s t h r e e f z c u l t i c s , i m i t a t e s

t h e Y r i n i t y znd b r i n g s mm's s p i r i t u a l a c t i v i t y i n t o c o n f o ~ m i t y v i t h

t l l a t of G d . Also r c v e ~ i l e d is t h e xay i n ~ i l i i c h t h e One, an " a c t i v e

PI;, c l i s c i ~ i l c of Jacob Soelme. The fo1lo::;ni; passecc by L a w i s ci-tccl

It i s t h i s e t e r n a l unbeginzing T:vinity i n Uni-iy o f F i r e , Ligh-b, rncl S p i r i t , th ; - t c ~ n s t i i u . t e s IGternci.1 Piature, t h e Kingdom o f iicz~vcn, t h e !letLveiily Jerusa lem, t h e D5vine L i f e , t h e B e a t i f i c V i s i b i l i t y , t h e m e j e s t i c Glory auld Presence of God. l'hrouyh t h i s Kingdom of' Heaven, o r liLor:ie!. l :ature, i s t h e i n v i s i b l e Cbd, t h e incomyrehensi 31 e T r i n i t y , e t c m ~ . l . l y b reak ing f or-th and m a n i f e s t i n g i " c f : c ; l l ' i n a bound.less he:i.ght and dep th of b l i s s f u l m n d e r s , open ins z n d diopl .aying i t s e l ? t o a l l i t s c r e z t ~ ~ r e s as i n a.n i n f i n i t e v c r i z t i o n cncl. e n d l e s s m u l t i p l i c i t ; ~ o f i ts po:;ers, b e e u t i o s , joys, m d g l o r i e s .

( P * 1x4)

A r e l a t e d theme rrhlch b e a r s an i n t i rna tc r e l s t i o i i t o t h e he ro of

3enlo~res . ' e p i c i s t h a t 0 2 C h r i s t ' s r o l e a s media tor an@. e.gsnt o f m m l s

union wi th God. From S-C,.. i ' i u p s t i n e end L ic5o las o f C u q Hen lows

cler ives t h e a e t a ~ h y s i c a l ~ u t l i n e a xhich u n d c r l i o 11is c o n t e r ; ~ g l e t i v e

experience of Diviile Love,

To l icho1,zs t h e me2ia.ior is t h e m i t e r . Rumn n s t u r e could n o t b e mit;.d t c thr- Z'ather, s z ~ e by t h e Son 's nedia t . ion . 'ilho i s n o t deeply r e v i s h e d vkeu! 1.e m e d i t a t e s c a r e f u l l y on t h i z ? F o r Thou, my Gcd, opcnes t 'Lo me such a c z c ~ e t , t h p t 1 see t h a t man cannot unc?erstznG Tlice, t h e F a t h e r , save i n Tny Son, ~ iho i s i n t r 2 l i i g i b l e 2,116 t h e meLJia.tor; and t h a t t o unders tand Thee is t o bc i ~ r i t s c i t o Thee. ' The Son, medium o f union, is h m a n n a t u r e 'p rofoundly u n i t e d 1 t o Cad.. Jesu-s Eimself i s t o 5e unders tood as t h o m i o : ~ (co-oulat io) o f d i v i n e ~ n c i h v m m n a t u r e . . . I;li,is t h e l l ~ i l ~ , n i t y o f Jesus t h s t d.mri:s men t o t h e Fzther . ic

It i s i n t 5 e s e p r e c i s e terms t h a t Benloaes p r s i s e s Chricf i n Canto VII

as "Z:X;;UI1L! Divinc-huril:t~e! / Zho d i f f ' r i n ~ , n ? t u r e s jo in ' d ; ?:~oF-.c reign

no cges scan!" T h i s i s t h o t h e o l o g i c a l unr.Joveri i n t h e

f o l l o v i n g Canto :

28 Jacob, ibicl., pp. 18-19.

t h e frcr?.er:ork of Dmblern V,14 he portra;rs t h e visjon of Fai th-- the

l u x u r i o u s "Caus::ayesil of t h e C i t y o f Cbd--and pesses Lo s c o n c i s e

?~escr i l ; . t ion of t l ic E l v i n e hypost.ctses, T h e r e h e i i ~ * t s s t h e vcrba o f

%is p o e t i c journey t c a tal:l!.or.ary c l o s e , 2nd IISI~C:TP i n t h e s i l e n t

T h i s contemplat. ion o f t h e d i v i n e a t t r i b u t e s leads,ir, the m y s t i c a l

d o c t r i n e s of con tenp l - a t i cn , t o t h a t u n i t i v e s t e t e a h i c h r e p r e s e n t s t h e

apex o f t h e s p i r i t u a l p i lgr l rnzge cluring mmnls ear th ly e x i s t e n c e . Here

t h e s o u l crpcriencos t h o " r a v i s h i n g e c n i a r y , o r in t , imctn cmrauliionii%th

God through i t s i n t i n z c y ~ i t . 1 1 t h e Kediu tor . Thus B e n l c ~ ~ s s ' d i s c o u r s e on f

d i v i n e l o v e as mani fe s t ed i r ~ t h e rcdem2tive a c t o f C h r i o i l e ~ d s t o t h e --

r a p t u r o u s e x p e r i e n c e o ? lalion i n Canto I X , 2nd t h e kablomcs conclude

~ 5 t h t h e s o u l ' s l y r i c ' o f joy and yearnixif: f o r t h e e n d u r i n g union

which fo1loi:s i t s r e l e a s e from t k e body.

29 C o l l i n s , C h r i s t i a n l q s t i c i s m . . . , p. 45.

The z f f i r m a t i o n of God's l o v e f o r I I i s c r e a t i o n is f o r e i g n t o

P l o t i n i a . n neo-Fln.tonism, bu t i t e n t e r s t h e Chris ti:>rl riiyi;ntical t h e o l o a

o f t h e Reiinissznce by an inc l ivcc t r o u t e wi th s t r o n g mo- -? la ton ic

z s s o c i a t i o n s . S t . John, S t . Lugust ine, t h e pseuc?o-.l)ion~sius and

Kicholas of Cusa a l l tress t h e d o c t r i n e o f l o v e rrhich i s he ra lded

anew by t h e I t a l i m neo-Plc^tonis-ls o f t h e l a t e fil ' tee:itL c e n t ~ w y . 1

cf 3 i v i n e Love r e s t f irmly o n t ~ v o neo-Fla-tonic ccncc?ts , t h e c y c l i c a l

cosmic p rocess of' e n a n ~ t i o n and r e t u r n , cnd t h e prilicil>3.e o f un-ity ~ ! i t h

Go2 throu;:l~ t h e s o u l ' s conformity t o a "heausnly pstt2~me1'.

accord in^ t o I ~ L ~ O Y I ~ C t h o ~ y $ t , ~nan, by v i r t u e ol' h i s exa l t cd

o r i g i n s , i s ~ o s s e s s e d o f a i n n a t e y w r n i n g t o r e t u r n 'to t h e Eource

0.2 h i s bein?. Th,: i'lc i o n i c ~ T O F i s zrl a t t . r , ?c t ion cf %lie s o i f i r a t h e r

then o f tile f l e s h -kc) tho hlizner i n t e l l i c c i b l e plzne. ; m i l e Bellloves

a c c e p t s the C h 2 i ~ t i a n scczle o f l o v e a s an express ion o f a:ma (con to I X ,

t 1 ' 1 2 F ~ P O R ~ ~ ~ ~ U O ~ ~ ) , h i s i n c l i n a t i ons a r e i n t h e rn2j.n :,ol~arilo the m.;.sJ~ical

devo t ion o f t h e c o n t e c i p l ~ ~ l i v e ("Havish'd v i t h e c s t x y , i t s e l f t r m s c e n d s ,

/ S'ar bounds, n o r l i m i t s vo;ild i t o rn ; " but "Lon,rs fo:. t h 1 3 t e a n a l ,

s i g h s for. I I Z , beyond t h a t l ove r ! 'I L i b i d J ) . The o o n c l u d i n ~ s t z n c u -- o f h n t o E l i s a g e i n more ~ t t t u n c d t o t h e i ~ e c - P l a t o n i c p h i l o s o p h i c a l

l o v z :

This r c s t l e s s e b25nde, GODS I n a ~ 2 , can ' t be b l e s t - ' E l l of t h i s Clr ,3? This ALL, nosses i .

THOU o u r Soul$ Center a t , o u r evcr las l in{: El.35?'!

( c , ';. 3 6 ) - - 1

C. E. Bod6 p r e o c n t s a ? e t a i l e d bisczrssion o f 21-. J o h n t s ~ f f r i . n i t i e s v i t h i;::ellcnic and 1:~mrneLic t h o u @ ~ t . See The Inter~~r:. ' ;c?l.5.cn c.: t h e 3'ouyth -.-- -..*--. Cosvel, r p t . ( ~ r c e t kitain, 1970 ) . l o r l i c h o l z s oP Cus2,'s kc; 0 2 ' Love, s e e Underh i l l , I . $ c t i c i ~ , ,n. 113-4. O n tiic l t s l i a r L r c t t n i i d 1 z 1 2 ? ~ , --. s e e John C. I e l s o n , l o i ? e i a c c . n c ~ 5'11~01:;~ o f Love . . . (~:er ; York, 1955). -

It i s t h e mys"iica1 I ' l z i ;on is t l r , c o n v i c t i o n t h z t o n l y thc r , o u l t s

u o s s e s s i c n o f t h e s p i r i t u a l Dcloved b r i n ~ s complete f u l f i l m e n t a d

lory t o men. I n z c c o ~ c i m c e r : i th t h i s premise , :_u:!zles; and Benlor,:es

a r e more s e v e r e t han t h e secular me'iaphysical p o e t s i n t h e i r r e j e c t i o n

of P e t r s m A ~ n n l b v e imc.ger-y i31~n cuch Fni~zery i s c p p l i e d t o t h e s e a r c h

f o r p h y s i c a l p a t i f :i.ct: t i o n . T h i s ~ o t c o f nn-tagonism t c m r d s t h e

F e t r a r c h m sonneteers i s common t o t h e m c d i t ~ . t i v e p o e t s , incl.uc'iing

Sou-Lh~rell, H e r b e r t zn12 ?~u&.n . Spenser i n thf : ll!Iymne o f I Iemenly

Love" t u r n s a g a i n s t t h e I1lec;d 12-yesr1 o f h i s y o u t h f u l poe t ry . There

5s a l s o -. s t r o n g h o s t i l i t y -Lo t h e P e t r a r c h a n s i n Giord.anots 6ed . ica t ion

of SF: l i Z r o i c i Ll'umri .to Y i - r P h i l i p Sidney.

C:uzrles is p c r t i c u i a r l qr znxiou:: t o d c n i g r a t c both t h e !'JcxandriCn

imp and t'le Gvid ian prac is tor o f the s e c u l a r l o v e vo:ue. Re does s o by

e n v e l o p i : ~ ~ them i n p a - 3 o s , I n Zmblen 11.8 CupiG i s a n all-too-human

in fan t , o f t h e q u e r u l o u s ty.je, s e e k i n g s e l f - i n G u l ~ e n c e ar:d ;>le?sin.g

Saub le s Prom h i s s c t l ; on t L c l c p 0 2 Venu.;, ':queen ol" far! sc d c l i . $ ~ t s . ~ ~

The myiho1o:;icsl p?ra,l.cr~ 9f l o v e is h e r e $ s p i c t c d as a d o t i n g nothe:,

uho S O Q ~ ~ B S hc r c h i l d I s tl?ee:risk v ran~ l inc ; ' ' . She

E1ser:herc t h e c l a s s i c a l Zros is: depicted. a s a. sor ror .~fu l m?t;i^m~T~hi)~is-- -- t h e long-eared. 30 t t o ~ n o f A J X 6 ~ . ~ i n n e r 1i:ir;ii. t ' 8 I:rer7c6 Tce p o e t vhimsi- -.-

tally que:r ies

Is t h i s t h a t joiLy God, whose C ~ p r i a n Bow H a s s h o t s o ma:? f l a n i n g d 2 r t s ,

And made so many riounded Bcnu-:j e s r o e Sadly p e r g l e x t T - i t h I-himgrinc i l e ~ r t s ?

(11.9, P* 97)

Theophi la i s w r e f u l l y d i s t i n g u i s h e d from the convent ional lady

of t h e sonnets . Her ey.;c btri!ie no _nassionate f i r e i n t h e h e a r t s

o f t h o s e zbout h e r ; r a t h e r , t h e y

. . . . amzee t h e Viesers, and i n s > i r e To I-Iec?.rtn a r:zrm, get c h e s t Gesire .

(As h e a t s a l l )= fell they i n :'heinselves no Fire.

(111, xxix, p. 44)

The e n p a v i n e sho.rm t h e to:rmented c rea t .u re endecvoilring vc"in1;r t o

h i d e from t h e Sm. It i s , t h e g o e t clairns, n o t the r e s u l t of

"st; nds a g h a s t , * / And s c r m b l e s from h i s me1 t i n g Tlwolie!

Eenlo~res opens h i s f i r s t Canto wi th a parody o f the Pe t rz rchan

sonneteer rrhich i s s t r i k i r ~ ~ l y s i m i l a r t o t h a t of G-iorcleno i7rufi0 s

the r e a d e r ' s a t t e n t i o n t .o t h e 'scene' o f his s u b j e c t :

Loves Gaotive x i e x , r:hols D ~ i e s i n mrm $?os-bs s e n d s ; -- v-

On's 6 o ~ e n , to ;.i?, pretencls; Xrites, b l o t s , L ren6s; n o r hceds where h e begis o r ends.

H i s o f Ie?se i n Chmick B r : r ~ ~ i . ~ l . : ; lie:;: -- Rig-~er thp:: "I'cii' ~:iff~ Tiri le l<c: f l i e s : --

S o l s b u t a sp+z; Thou out~::%y'st a l l 3i~l.nonc'is oi' t h e Skies.

%ie poet hastens t o d i s t inp l i s i -1 the t r u e from %he a r t i l i l ~ i r ~ l beauty?

t:le i n n e r p e r c e p t i o n f'ron :he extcrilnl gaucl-y f i isplay.

Both sile and the h i 1 2 2 of the Zn'ulc!ncn c r e r;omZed by the d a r t of

love, xhich en te r s '03' the eye nnG comcs to lodge i n the heart . But

it i s t b c mysticzl ~ o u n d conveyed by Chr-ist and 5-~-:;ng cura t ive

poxera rctl ler than cler,tructivc nppctites. 30th nnidens endure -the

combined plsa,sures and torments lwsul t ing from t h e i r devotion t o the

"gent le tyre,ntw of -Lho Csn-ticl-m, md seek tiis atten-tbon, hoxcver

ephemerczl. But they d o so i n the service of' t ha t s o l e f 'u- l f i l l ing

Divine LOVC i?n'.;h culminates not i n passion but i n s p i r i t u a l b l i s s ,

an6 ~ h i c h cncls not i n d.ezth but i n e t e rna l l i f e .

The soul i s the s i t e of a never-ending r i v a l r y betrqeen heaven

alxl ear th f o r i t s af:f'ect;or~ and the imagery of love i.n these d c v o t i o ~ a l

rwrks revolves about t h e tug-of-mr portrcyed by Quay1 es i n Lmblen V.C,

i n which the soul. i s exhorted to

Remember, 0 rercenber thou art borne Of royal1 b loc3 ; 1~membar, thou a r t svorne A Eaid or^ R o n ~ u r in the Court of Kea7.r'~; Remember ~ h t z cos t ly p r i ce vss e iv 'n To ;i.zqsoize i-.bee i'ro~n s l av ' ry t.lrou ve r t i n ; Arld u i l t t l~ou R O T T ~ my soule, t u m e slave rgii?? The Son axxi EIe5rc to liesv'ns t r i u m JZHOVE Eould fai.ne becoi~s a Sui tor f o r thy Love, And. offerk i 'cr thjr d o r r ' r h i s Fsthex Throne, To s i t f o r Ser;i:.hi~na t o gaze upon; . . .

It is ir, t he efi'ecti-re h e m t of men t h ~ t the pu l l o f ear th ly

and heavenly des i res is moot keenly f e l t , Quarlss n escr ibes the

d-ivisive e f f e c t o f the c o n f l ~ . c t i n g a t t r a c t i o n s t o sensual and s p i r i t u a l

s t imul i i n 21nbler.1 IV .1 :

Sometime:: a sldden E!ash of sacred. heat Ksrmes my c h i l l S ( J U ~ ~ , and s e t s my thougl~ts i n frorue:

But soone t h s t f i r e is shouldred f ~ o m her s e ~ t By l u s t f u l l :L'Z~i22 much i n i e r i o u r flzme;

I f e e l e 4 x 0 ilzlnes, and yel, no fl?iil.c, eit t ire: Thus a r e the Liln@ll thoughts of mixt desire

Consum'd between :kt hezv'nly ?net this e z r t h l j r f i r e .

(P* 186)

The imagery o f f i r e i s p z r t i c u l a r l y im:~ortant i n t h e C h r i s t i a n

P1a.tonis-t ' s u n i v e r s e o f corresponding p l a n e s o f be ing , f o r i t Gssurnes

t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h e d i v i n e 1- ' r inc ip le a t t h c h i ~ h e s t level , and amongst

t h e f o u r c l e n e n t s o f t h e s e n s i b l c ~ ~ o r l c l i s regarded zs t h e moat

p e r f c c t . I t 2 4 l o n y he16 a p a r t i c u l r i r f ~ s c i n a t i o n f o r m y s t i c a l

t h e o l o ~ i ~ n ~ ; .;end p o e t s es a f i t t i n g symbol b o t h o f trenscenclent L c i t y

?ad of' t h c i n d i v i d u a l ' s s p i r i t u o l experiences i n s e e k i n g union rrith

t h e Divine. T h i s t m f o l d a p p l i c a t i o n o f f i r e t o t l l ~ s p i r i t u a l l i P e

i n i t s nccrocosmic cncl rnicrocnsmic a s p e c t s i s d e s c r i i x d by &.Arcen

E l i a d e a s a

complex symbolism vhich a . s s o c i a t e s t h e t e r r i e i i l g f i r e - t h e o p h m i e s .r!iih t h e s m a t e s t flames o r myst ic l o v e and. v i t h t h e 'iuminous nnn i fes t z t ; ions o f t h e d.iviile a s >;ell tis i.;i th t h e innumerable ' combus-t io~s ' and ' p a s s i o n s ' o f the soul . many l e v e i . ~ , f i r e , f lame, dazci . ing l i t l . i ~ t , i n n e r l ient , e q r e s s s :* . ) i r i tua l experl t?ncca, -Ibe i . ) c a r n a t i o n o f t h e sscreil, t h e Proxin iLy o f God. 2

A s p o e t i c c h r o n i c l s ~ s o f t h e s o u l ' s i n n e r t r a m f o r ~ i m t - i o n s l o n g

t i o n , ~ r h e ~ e it i s employe6 ' c c ~ c o m e y t h e g e n e r a l t 3 m o o f Bivine Love

and i n p a r t i c u l - a r t h e u n i t i v e s t ~ s e o f t h e s p i r i t u a l joumey. Sur-

p r i s i n g l y , t h e i r n z g ~ ~ y o f f i r e i s n o t a f e a t u r e o f t h e Hew Testament

m y s t i c a l vr i t l .ngn on love, I n d e e d , i t i s ~ o n s i i i ~ f i o u ~ l ~ a.bscnt i n f

t h e P a u l i n e 2nd. Johwmix~e -Lextse Its occur rence i n t h e s e minor

sevsnteent i l c e n t u r y p o e t s dprivcs r a t h e r Eron~ t h e 1rl.atonic Sun-God

a.naloll;y d.escribed above. ?'hrou:;h t h e x r i t i n g s o f St . hugus t ine and

t h o pseudo-Dionysivs i t had been incorpora ted i n t o t h e U i i r i s t i a ~

con.templeti.ve t r ad i t i . cm, ~ d ~ ~ - r t ' i t f l o u r i s h e d i n t h e Zivine l o v e

t r e - t i s o s o f t h e Rcnaisscnce P l z t o n i s t s . The S t o i c c o ~ c e p t o f nous

a s e n e r g i z i n g f i r e a l s o f . i l . t e rs thr.oi:ch t h i s r o u t e t o t h e rneta?hysiczl

s c h o o l , 2nd i ts influc:n(;e may bc pe rcc ivcd i n Ike ; m i ~ 1 c : n e s w d i n

T h t o l - l - i l ~ - ? ] h e r e t h e i m ; l ~ c r y of f i r e ble~icis s o r e a d i l y ~ 5 t h tha-L o f I__L_-

t h e pseudo-scj ence alchclny i n cvo1:irl~ t h e s o u l ' s no-vs~len'i to!-ards

un ion r r i th Goo.

The f i r - e of Goci's l o v e m m i f e s t s i t s e l f t o t h e c o u l i n zccordance

~ ; i L h t h e l z t t e r i s p r o g r e s s on t h e s:;iri-LuaL path. To t h e s i n n e r i t

a p p e a r s as t h e tlconsuming f i r e " ( ~ l e u t e r o n o m ~ 4: 24) vhich f u n c t i o n s

as a c o r r o s i v e i n o ~ d e r t o p u r i f y t h e sube lnnce and lx s t en i'; towards

p e r f e c t i o n . It i s t h i n l t a f f l i c t i v e " r a t h e r th~+.ri t 'gcnt ie: : f i r e -crliich

t h e soul. e x p e ~ i e n c e s 6 u r i n g i t s y r g a t i v e s?z,ye. Ac~o i "d in2 t o St .

John of t h e Cross t h e d i v i n e f i r e removes t h e i r ? p u i ' k . i o n o r d r o s s

of t h e s o u l by rnzking Itc.n a s s a u l t u2on i t , rrounding i t v i t h i t s

f lame, d r y i n ~ it o u t , 2nd s t r i g p i n e i t o f i t s ~ m s i @ : l ? t l y u u a l i t i e s

u n t i l . i t i s so d i s y o s e d t k a t it c a be p e n e t r ~ t x l 2nd t ~ m s f o r m e d

i n t o t h e f i r e . l t 3 I n Lnhlon I V . 1 4 the s t r z y s o u l is r o l c n t l e s s l y

pursued. by the Sun o f J u s l i m ( T h e eye o f vcngea.nce bi.iTnes; h e r

f l a e e s i nvade / 3i.y s;iel-brin;. Soule: . . . tp. 2371 ) . The ' t e n ~ f i c e n t ci'i'eots o f the Uivivlc F i r e a r e nc1tc.d by St;.

John o f t h e Cross. "fie 6oi.s n o t b lacken [ the so i l l ] 2nd ccnvor t i t

t o oshas a s i n a t e r i e l f i r e does t o ~ 0 2 . 1 , b u t He b r i g h t e n s and s n r i o h e s l it." Hence a Y i s e s t h c c o v l ' s p a r c d o x i c a l r e snonse t o t he "si:eet

w , i~ t e ry" of d iv ine lnve . ' The s o f t e n i n g o f t h e h e a r t f m m b r i t t l e

c l a y t o d u c t i l e m a t t e r is an e s s e n t i a l a s p e c t o f t h e s o u l ' s upr,ard

a s c e n t t o union. Guar l e s a.1.ludes t o t11i.s inner transfor.ma.ti.on i n

, and d i s t i n g u i s h e s i t f r o m the i n f e r i o r f l a m e s o f humn

0 csn my f rozen g u t t e r s choose b u t run, T h a t f e e l t h e riarmth o f such a g l o r i o u s Sru?? Keth inks hi:; l~ngucgc, l i k e a El;min( arror:, Dotk p i e r c e ny 5ones , 2nd m e l t s t h o j r womded marrorr.

T I 'st. John o f t h e Cross , .the Liv in r : F l m a of Love, i n The C o l ? . ~ a t e d l..!or!:s of S t . Jolin ol" t h e Cross , t r a m l . Kierzn Ikvaieugh m d O t i l i o Rod.siguez ondo don, 1964) , p. 586.

I c e i s a l2nj.n~ c i . i s t iuc t from t h ' Oce?,n :rid.s; - --- But , melted by t h e z, does c;l ide

I n t o ' t , becom:?~ one i , i i ;h1 t , cnd s o s h a l l e ' re ab ide .

The Sun-Pad analogy by i t s v e r y union of t h e pi-.i.clclple of l i g h t

and t h e element of f i r c g ives r i s e t o f r e q u e n t ir,:lz,gzry ix irhich bo th

t h e e y e end t h c h e n r t of t h e contei i iplzt ive Ere s!:?fect;od by t h e

Frsr;ence o r ebseilce o f t h e s p l r l t u z l s&. The o s c i l l a i i o n s o f t h e

Chr.isJi.ian p i lg i5m ~ : h o finds -cilz.t t h e co r rup t ib l - c body reriders him

inz 'o le t o face t h e t r a r s c e n b c n t rays o r age i r :~ t h z t t h e s a n e i n t e r -

posed s h e l l o f s i r mny rel~lovo him e n t i s c l y frm t h e fruc2i.l-'ying rzys

i s t h e s u b j e c t of' t h ~ eLli&>r2n t o Lmblen 111.7:

If he?tvlns a l l - q ~ i e k ~ i n g Zyes vouchsafe t o s h i n e Upon oui. so~ i l r r - . , we s l i ~ h t ; 15 no$ .;:him: Our L a u i n o c t l ~ . l l h e z r t s cnn n e v e r l i e Secu re , benea-th t h e 'I 'ropicks o f t h ~ ~ ey5.

(P. 151)

Through C h r i s t , t h e v i s i b l e I ' r i i i c iy l e o f Lif;) l t , +he shade t o

l.-hich t h e m i s c r e a n t soul flees (1~.14), man cornas t o krml: ~ y l d t o l o v e

God and t h u s s t r e n g t h e n e d , the former "conswni.ng f 'ire' ' o f Cod now

I t i f idles i n t.hs s o u l t h e xi11 t o Be u n i t e d w i t h 3 e i t y . I n t h i s s t a t e

t h e s o u l r ~ c l c ~ m e s t h e moo-t pos.:erful r q r s o f t h e 5x1 i n t o i t s i n n e r o s t

being, vherc t h e y mqy din:,el. e r r o r 2nd dcricn-ness:

Grezt s l j r ini ; of l i g h t , i n vhon t h e s c i s no shzde But r:hct my i n t e r p o s e d s i n n e s have m d e , Rho se n c ~ r o r w n e l t i n g 7 i r e s ocimi t no s c r e c n e But r h ~ t my o ~ m e r e b e l l i o r s y u t be tveene

body, so God 2rovi.c'es t o our s11 i r i - i~ the 1i:h.t o f t r u t h t ! ;d t h e e r d o s

o f l ove . 6 " 1h-i.s cor;i.bi.ilai;ion a? li;%t end f i r e :is ei j~~nt;! .&l.s i n t h e

m y s t i c ' s e x p c i e n c e of 6ivii:e l o v e ~ i v e r , t o Bei13.01;t:c' e:?l.c i i s d i s t i n c t

neo-?lztonic f l avour . I n 7i-1eod1ila t h e J o h a n n i r ~ e God o f Love and o f

L i g h t Cusanus' 2cd of Lave rnergc i n an esh.il-:u*;,-t.ecl v i s i m of

pi-ogress torrards fu%f' i lnen. t : P

s m p a s s c s t h e i l - l ~ n ~ ~ i q ~ , t i o n o f i . n t e l l ec - t i n t h e .same m y ti??.-t t h e

Sera;>hs su rpnss t he conternplet ive Cherubs i n t h e i r p r s x i r L t y t o God. t

"If you v:ould truly ia!o~; ho:.: t h e s e t l l i nes come +;c pms , ! ' sexs St.

Bon:vcnture," aclr it of C r L c e , n o t of d o c t r i n e ; o f dec-i-re, not; o f

i n t e l l c c - t ; of t h e ?rdoui-s sf p r a y e r , n o t o f the tcc?cfiincs o f t h e

s c h o o l s ; . . . n o t o f i l l u m i n z t l o n , b>xt o f t h a t F i r s rrhi ch enilprnes

all m d v r q s us i n God x i t h ;c;reat sr:ei.tness and ~;~os . ' i ardent love. 117

-1-1 -- c;

Ci-bed i n L i l e s , J-olrn Cole t . . . , p. 100. 6

I b i d 0 , 104. U n d e r h i l l , c p. 124.

B m 1 o : ~ e s y e i ~ l l e r s t h i s c o n c e p t of the pre-mlncnce o; l o v e o v e r

The z y y ~ o p r i a . t e n e s s of t h e n y s t i c z l fire imager;: t o the

unitive e x l ; c r i e n c c i s def'ined by Giordano :8runo. I n r r i p l y t o Ci.czda1s

query, "J.lhy i s l o v e s y m b o l i z e d by f i r e ? " t h e a u t h o r r e p l i s s v i a h i s

' c n t h u s i r 7 . s t i c 1 spolces~!lqn, ' i ' m s i l l o :

I?or many reasons, b u t a-t p r e s e n t , l e t t h i s o n e s u f T i c e t o t h t s : t h z t as l o v e c c i i v e r k ~ thc Lbing l o v e d i n t o thi? l o v r r , s o a n o n g x t ' G ~ C e l m c : r ? t s fire is ~ c t i v o in(] p o t e n t i o c o n v e r t e l 6 the o t b c . ~ : ~ , s i n p l e aild composit .s , i n t o i t se l f .

I t i s i n t h i s s e n s e t h a t F e ; i l o ~ : e s d e s c r i b e s t h e a ~ i f y i l ~ : : e f fect o f

The szme c o n n o t a t i o n o f t h e n e o - r ' l ~ ~ t o i ~ i c znd. my=;-tical f ;.re i rf iagcqr

d m i n a tes t h e p o e t ' n d e s c r i p t i o n o f h i s ' e n b r n c e ' r r i t h t j .2 &5tle:.room

in C s n t o IX. A?proacli ing t h e n o n e n t o f t h e a o my:;t;w, the p o e t

c r i e s L e t us bc: Oris! I n (,nc, & m e l t e d f lo :~! L e t o n e k i i r , Es o n e Lovc, i n f o r m us a!

(IX, 89, 2. 145)

T h a t a r e ~ i p r o c ~ l r e l c ? i i o n s n i p has been chiwe wed i n ~ r h i c h t h e m o r t a l

~ c n t e m p l ~ t i v c b u m s s i j t i l a ? l a n e as i n t e n s e 2s l l i s s ~ i ~ i t u a l c o u n t e r -

p a r t - - t h u s e s t a b l i s h i n g - t h e p r o ' o - b i l i t y o f ~ m i o ~ ? - - i s f ~ ~ r t h e r emphas i sed

i n t h e c ? e s c r i n t i o n of' the consuriimation

8 The I I e r o i c : 1 ; ~ t h v . s i a s - t ~ ( C l l i i i r o i c i h r o r i ) : An Xt5icz1 Poem P .- ,

by Giordano Ihmno, t r a n s l . L. x , i l l i a ! n a , 2 v o l s . (liontion, lt3G7-9), I, 44.

k ind t h e f iery l o v e -c;hich eniant~tes throuzI-1 t h e Lord:

G s f i n a l cmblem egn in s u g z e s t s t h e mutunl exchcnge o f love i n te rms

of f i r e i n a g e r y , n l ~ o u ~ ~ i r ? t h i s i n s t , nce t h e poe t a n t i c i p e t e s i t s

occuri-cnce when t h e l u s t f u l T i r e s o f youth begin i o wane:

Iv;y youth i s i n h c r Spr ing; i iutunnal VOTicS E i l i mst!ce m e ripe,- ?or s o sweet s Spouse, T . t;heil a.lC"Le~r-tiil.-'en 1:av.c burnish ' d my desii*.:? I l e s h o o t t h e e f l ~ m c s f o r f lames , c?nd f i r e l o r f i r e .

0 lez-ve me n o t , n o r t u r n e thy beauty Zrom me; Lookc-, l ookc upon me, "cilou& t h y C I m e s o-~ ' rccmt: me.

l a t t e r h;,d enjcyed a, l o i - ~ ~ ~ ~ c i i d i n g a s s o c i a t i o n rritii both xys-tical.

chcmicnl thought i n t h e l a t e s i x t e e n t h cent -ury , t h e a l c h o ~ i ~ i s t s hzd

u t i l i s e d t h e A r i s t o t e l i a n schmia o f e l e n e n t s and were p a r t i c u l a r l y

i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e n o t i o n o f z common m e t r i x o r nrirna mc>t2ria under ly ing v -II c

m ~ t e r i a t h e v a r i o u s s p e c i e s and foans o f mat ter . The pmii--= f o r them t h e /

dynamic l i n k between t h e r;ou.lds of m a t t e r snd o f Form. I f i t could

be d i scovered and c leansed o f i t s accumulated d r o s s an(-' t h e a c t i v e

Form o f t,lre s p i r i - t u z l i e e d Stone p ro jec ted t:-lereupon, a p e r f e c t e d

m e t a l l i c s u 5 s t m c e could , t h e y thought , be produced--possibly s i l v e r

o r gold. The o p e r a t i o n s o f t h e a lchera is t s , l i k e t h o s e o f t h e m y s t i c s

which tool; p l a c e on t h e h i g h e r s c a l e o f human e v o l u t i o n t o r x s d s S p i r i t ,

presugposed t h e procedures o f p u r i f i ~ ~ z t i o n snd r e b i r t h as p r e l i m i n a r i e s

t o s p i r i t u z l p e r f e c t i o n .

tiere o r ig ina l l -y deat incd. d key role in t h i - iv3'iurn o n r > z t t e v t o

at t h e core o s <;lie metal and -the nourish in^ fire bcsto;:cd 'by t h e

t r j o d i : 5 s i m i l , . - r . i l l i t s nerfec-Lion for union ;;;.th co:~-ru:!-l::tl r;?:-tt2r.p i'.!.c C . the-. q n c:?

H ~ ! i v i ~ ~ I;;:-burt- 01 1\~io0 . . . pool<] qjon ii-col-: . . . i r :oil im lcindrcd

s o u l -17; t h i n tklc ] :emet ic vtlse, and t h e l a . t t ; o r t c c?,::-:ceni t o pu re spirit

a.nd repeated descent t o give nouris!-irnent t o thi: bod:r c , > n c t i t u t e s the

Lord , i:k-t an !dchyn:ist z r t thcu , i 'hosc s k i 3 1 ,-l iransmutes t o l ~ e ~ f e c t zoo<, Erom pesftct ill!

(p. 197)

I n C x t o I 3enlos:es i d e n t i f i e s C h r i s % r i i t h t h e fi i ial -trensrir,utative

ac t o; the S t o n e , t h a t o f p r o j e c t i o n , i n ~ :h ich vast q d m - t i i i c s o f

l e sse r s u l ~ s t a i ? c e s are tr; nui'ormcd i x t o golc?. Thc Johal?nii lo conte2:t

with i t s implications o!' s ~ ~ j r i t u a l rebirth i s cotivsysd by c7. ; ,receding -- ..- --

I L I b i d . , pp. 93 -100.

l3 I b i d . , p. 100.

- - Turn Sense t o S- f i i ~5 . i ; ; j..atv?e1s c h m 2 : ' d cllone

By Git:Lc,G; ~ ' : ~ L ' ~ ~ ' is f,iic Ch:;mj.cir...r"(oii.::

( I ? xc , p. 1 2 )

i n concluci i~p: his seccnd ::oak o f emblems:

s e n s i b l e xor l l ?.nd b r i n g s t h e c o i ~ v e s t c d s o u l t o a 'tner+bornelt quest

f o r Q d by no ncc,m h~iralct:: the end of' t h e c o n t e r ~ ~ p l a t i v z journey.

Tho soul_ nor: c n t e r a i i i to i t s i n t i m a t e r e i a t . i o n s b i p 16 th C i l r i s ' i , t h e

h e c r e r oi ' t h e SiSvlnc _nxzu"a vkiich r e f i n e s m d sof!;eiw t h e sermon

g c ~ l d o f t h e a s g i r ~ n t ' s s o u l u n t i l i t i s r e c e p t i v e t o t h e k p r i n t o f

tLc-: Div ine :

I<?y :mule, 'llh,:i gold . i s t r u c , b u t f u l l o f d r o s s e ; Thy SlxYlCUI?5 b:Cf>i'th ref iner; t h e e vi -31 some l o s s e ; R i s genJile Fomcce mkl:ca tilee pure a s t r u e ; Thou must be riel-ted: erc t h ' a r t c a s t sner.

( ~ ~ i ~ r 2 . n V.5, p. 263)

S i r i l m l y , T h e o p h i l a ' s spi:.5lual b e t r o t h e l i s preceded ' ky t h e r e f i n i n g

a c t i o n o f t he d i v i n e f i r e a id t h u s brought c l o s e r t o t!int p e r f e c t i o n

t;hich a l o n e ca.n u n i t e rri th guTe S p i r i t . JLddressin? slirist, s h e says ,

it c:.n ?,:it;: i r ~ u b c lp . - i r : : :,o b:: C O ~ : . C ~ O U S 110t of' :;elf' but 021,;. 01' the 1 . - -. . . . . .L~l:,:rc].lin;,. -l,:i:c;cl:ce : , I -!!::,i-~ t , the: Z O I J ~ :-c!.co;:en t h o r c f i ~ e s ~ ; l i i c h

j , - 3 : 0 i t ]:I; ir: EL% t h i c :;tqe ol:' t h e contem-

Thc con t r ? s t tctr:cen thr: t ~ : o e~i~'ulcri~s o f Tiery love .i E 12ide by Grui?o in

m: .t L , ~ ~ ~ ; 0 l';~i;ixxs~ lmx'il, 16 rnc;ylst I . T h t h e Ek12.x burn, TIL;;,t J c . ~ , . f-J ,~~,X~Ii21L t.?tc)c r i s e ,

ITo"; ;.csjil(,. ~ 2 . : ~ : ~ but ~J.;~-_ZX :;ell the SElG18: . . . -.-

i n zorue respcc%s the role A i c h Chr i s t bore i n her o v n escen t to

salva-Lion, n m e l y t . h~# t , of 'ocstovin,r &-race through a ~isionc~y descent .

rl l h r o u ~ h h e r eyes and " 7 ~ ~ lcc-music" the poet scck and hezrs the

16 'Id ~iioth tllat ;cts singe6 i n t h e fire f l y , uccording t o t he 1:. 13.3. , c d . Sir J' r x s A. li. I ~ r r t t y , 10 ~01s . (~xford , l385-1926), XI, p. 1667.

~iol lc iers of t h e I n t e l l i g i b l e r o r l d . A s t h e n:eciiurfi by ::hich "cc p o o t

Thc e f f e c t oE rl ' ,?eup;i i la1s communicated v i s i o n rl$ain p a r a l l e l s -.

t h e ~ o c t ' s ids : l t , i f i c ; . t ion o f z lc l~ern ica , l p r o j e c t i o n w i t h t h e , .ord

i l l Czn-Lo I. I n thi:; r:ay T h e o p h i l a a s s u u o s t h e role o f t h c Godhead

h i s sub::covent un io l l ::ith - the ? > c i t y . Th? p o e t rci'ors t o h c s as t h e

Tiir~u,,k h e r lt;.old-t:;is+, l i n e s t t hf: i s enpbletl t o s5nii h i s ,;my t h r o u g h

t h e l s l b y r i i l t h oi' t h e s e n s s - r - o r l d and f i ~ : a t l j , 1ih tlje bearer of

t h e golci.cn bouyh, t c a:-c?.in the long-sou&t Xlya l iun . Cciito IX

w i t x e s s c s t ,he f r i l i t i o n o f t h e " 3 u r n i n g s t t o f d i v i n e l o v e i n t h e

p o e t , t.i c o n c l u s i o n o f t h e n y s t i c a l r o u t 2 n o l v a t e c l by j3enlor.:es1

d e s i r e -Lo imitate t n e s u ~ ~ r c e l e s t i a 1 p i 1 p i i i l n g c o f 'Theonhi la .

"Dwell or, --- T h i s a, my T1._ou:?lts," t h e p o e t e x c l a i ~ n s upon h e r

disa?pearr?mce tor:ards t h e end of h i s c o n t e m p l t ~ t i v e c a n t o s ,

. . . . :--ct her P a r t ; Such d:.~f,ti~r?:; on thy shudder in , - R e a r t --

Keke 'I'hec al l-Lmlt,?sie by S p i r i t - s e i z i ~ g &!

('~111, xcix, p. 1 2 1 )

The l l A s p m e n t t t i n t r o d u c i n g C a t o VSII reves ls th:.+, t h i s r , ~ i c r o c o s m i c

p r o j e c t i o n o f s p i r i t u a l potcnc.l; from T h e o p h i l a t o t h e p o e t is s e e n

p e r s o n i f i e s tl ic exper i ence of i h e s a i n t l y soul. i n achi :?ving .y lo r i f i -

c a t i o n and a p l a c e nrnoncst t h c heovenly h ie rx rchy . Then t h e ~ o c t ' s

o m exye-lience of he m i 0 ~;~ys-Licz i l l u s t r a t e s f o r h i s r e a c e r s t h e

nnnizer i n r h i c h t h e i n d i v i ? u e l l s contenpl:t-Live devo t ion may l c z d t o

p i - io r t o Cento X .r~liich cie:)ict:: t h e aut2lo.r r e a c h i n g LQI t o r e c e i v e t h e

r i n g o f g r r c e dacccnrli;lg from the I;eEvens. >'inall-j., t h e p o e t ' s

b y i n i i n g tthcm . r ~ i t h i l ~ the axrz o f i l l u m i n a t i v e g race m e sueges ted

by t h c t,l)ove q u o t e by the p o e t ' s l1kdc'treos t o .ihc Ladiest1 ~ i h i c h

r e p e a t s t l le alchemi.c;l irnsqery o f t ransforniz t ion:

.- l So, ; , t , i l l i . . i .or ic=; . bz oZ IJove; Tl1tLAi, ii]l.;t 1;~s ' \ I P . ~ , c ; u ~ , may, by i.il,I';'=, - i.;s?:errcc --. prove.

F o r 3 e n l o m s tl:e ~oet:.;r o f devot ion i s itsel. jf an a r t i s t i c

coincidci?t& o r3go : ; i to ;~ rrh-ish channels s n c r c d t r u t h t o ths r:ider

rea lms 0 5 ' h u m n i t y . Thie n o t i o n is i m p l i c i t i n h i s d?.vlnus fu:?or

concept of c r e a t i v i t y as a mmi:r"estat ion of t .he s y q n t h e t i c opers- i

t i o n s o f 'ihe I-na.crocosm. "Diviile Poesy, " t o r e p e a t Be:llcves ' di::cussion

i n h i s Frefc.ce, i s a. "Bi~_i. i?e :?:1.::ture trhich chzir-,s t h e i.tinde -- --- with liazmonious Preceyjts from a d i v i n e I n f l u e n c e , ~:hose G p e r ~ t i o n s

a r e c:: s u b t l e and r e o i c t l c s s c 3.s t h e Influerice o f iPlencis; . . . I 1

Theonillla i s the e l i x i r o f Bsnl.o::csl "chenic artw. I n crez t ing- h i s

h e r o i c e ? i c i n i m i t a t i o n o f t h e d i v i n e and t h e s a i n t l y p a t t e r n , h e

both e f f e c t s h i s o m e c s t ; . t i c union r:iih k i - L y i n t h i s l i f e 2nd

p r o v i d e s , i t i s m t l c i p a t e d , the stimulu: f o r t h e r e a d e r t o fo l lo r r

s u i t .

L i k e t h e a1chernis;l d r - a m o f t h e Renaisscnce tihick nlrri.ured

t h e outmofi,e:j. proceGurcs 3 r d 2ssumptions i n t h e face oI" L.. ne.c s o c i e t y

and a ne;: 7-:hilosopi"q-, Benloires' theme o f u u i v e r s a l w ~ e n e r z t i o n

througlz i;'ivii?.e LOV-6 is tif;{:d 1 5 t h nostalgria . I n ;~n, age of f i ' c t ious

i l l s h i s conterd:~la i; ivs p o e t r y i s produced i n t h e VZJi hope t h a t t h e

Golden luge micht t h a ~ e b y be yecrented:

Li f ' e s hec-kie!: '.'its f i i lde G o r d i z l s in Fr?,lrTrs Iiive, 'i'raiiscendor~1l;r : k s t o r z t i v e ,

See, l i s t n i n g -- 5 i x e r ~ i s Sack t o f e t ch t h e iige O f Cold, ~;hen Pr;..ytr iioes I ~ c ~ L v ' I ~ on,-sge;

Devotion i s r i e l i c i o m Lifc-blood; 'tis God's Page, . . . ( ~ 1 2 : ~ ~ xciv-xcv, p* 243)

The ripp.t , :w of t hc e x i l e d soul. r;.endin@ i t s tray bzck -Lo God

i s a sub j ec t :~hich holds r; greaJi a t t r a . c t i on f o r t h e r a e t a p l i y s i ~ ~ l

rel3.cious pocts gencrz.Jl,v, ?n.d f o r those m i t e r s with a pzr t icu . lar

esteem f o r neo-Platonis i concepts and. t h e cont i l icnta l xe3.i-Lative

genre. It encorspzsses both t h e nel.anclloly s ta-te of' earzh-ridden

man so beloved by t h e 2c?roSczn poets 2nd t h e grcilt I?ei;ais~ance

v i s i o n o f t h e @.01-57 r.ihich cell be a t t a i n e d by t h e philcsoy!zical

l o v e r ~ 7 1 1 0 seeks a "delf ' ic excel lence" t2:rou.$i im i t a t i on , h o d e d g e

and love of Cbd. The g:reztcst o f t h e metaphysicalc e m ~ l c y t h e i r

pens i n t h e de l i nea t i on o-f t h i s al l- important r e l e t i oa sh i l , , and

i t is i n compc?rison w i t h t h e i r con-l;emooraries, Zonne, H e ~ b e r t ,

'deughen and Crashr;~~, thnt -i;iii. performance of C:~~.arles 2nd Berl].oves.

call b e s t be eve.3.1rnt;ed.

Uhst i s no i ioeeb lc at once i n t h e Ernbl.enes am?- ir T3conhila

i s the5.1. f a i l us.e i n terms of t h & t b lend of i n t e l l c o t z:id p . s s i o n

which cha,re.ctc.ri.ses ~ e 2 - b ne'ca2hysice.l poetry. They a r e inadequate,

ho~rever, i n d i f f e r i n g respects . For whereas t h e Znblr_?i;les di.aplay

n e i t ho r except ional inJ;eliec tua l o r e m t i o n a l depth, T I ~ e ~ ~ ~ i ~ i l a

i nd i cc t e s an excessive pre-sccupat,ion s r i t h a b s t r a c t tlleologica.1

d e t a i l and hyperbol ic i i ? tcns i ty st t h e expense o f p o e t i c expressioii. f

The W o l n m e s b e a r a s u p e r f i c i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p t o Serbert's

pcietryl They a r e simple ii? i ; ic t ion, vsryinf; i n s t y l e and. metre, and

cha rac t e r i s ed by a persoxol 'tone e s t sh l i shed between %he au-limrial

end t h e 'iTl.~ou'' p e r t u i n i n ~ ; e i t h w to t h e ~ o r l i i . l y reeder oi. t o God.

Yet they evoke n e i t h e r t h e in-lima.cy nor profundi ty of Herber t ' s

sp i r i - t ua l monolo,-ues. In s p i t e of' i;u: r l e s ' use of t h e sub j ec t i ve

ihbll.sr.cs conspire t o xxi:nin cinematic alld objci:t:ivc. The ernb1e:n -.--- 1 vogue, cs i;k.ee~;ln.n note:;, i t s e l f hems some of t he r e s p o n s i b i l i t y

sub j ec t , ille i n d i v i d ~ v t l poi:rq:;; c r e f requez~t l y dicl?.c-l;ic ar,d r e p e t i t i o u s .

The I-.hreo e v i l s of p leasure , i :scl th a n d fsme a r e all t c c i ' a ~ ~ i l . i o r -to

t h e mr~t3cr by t h e coiiclusion of t j e work.

6evot ionel 11oc-l riho c'l.istils h i s personal experience i n e r icl? and

unique manncr. ' t i itkin tilt! l-ncl-i::.h crnblerr~ t s a d i t i o n , :it should be

noted, he i s extraorcl ina . r i l ;~ ~v.cc:essful in ?rovidinz t h e s t a t i c 2nd

t a b l e , I n t h i s ..v7s:)act Freemzr, m i t e s t h a t "Qua-les' poctry , f u l l r

o f v z r i e i y as i t i s from t i l e pure ly m e t r i c d point o f r i ex , has very

l i t t l e ~ h y t h m i c o l ~ c o p c , m d t h e cn r , i f no t offended, i s cer t : l in ly

wearied by the monotony oi' t l ~ : obvious a d i n e v i t a b l e . . !I 2

Freeman, p. 99.

Ibid . , p. 115.

the creative int..g5net,ion o r the p o e t evinces an ivi$-viciir;2 experiel:ce

o r v iev of ' l i f e . !Butler's m o t t o , t h a t i m i t a t i o n (iei'ini?~ 3enlov,iest -.

mode of heroic p o e t r y , Is all t o o t r u e . 21:: box.ror:?ni; oi ' v i v i d

1 7 7 lo,!;ical gsincS.plec, hc,:-cver., ;~c-?;J~ik cay: yie ld frv.j.l;ful resu l t? .

deny t h e t r u t h o f -the ei~:li+;c~en-111-ce-r~tury di ctum tI!c-i; tile f grC::-.d ciefectl

suf f i c i e n t poc- t ic skill to srreep t h e r e a d e r , cs V ~ u g h ~ ~ n s o movingly

Beachc ro f t , "Crizh~i~--2nd t h o 3nroque S t y l e , The C r l t e r i c n , X I I , L I T ( ~ ~ r i l , l934), 12. 424.

6 Bush's d e s c r i p t i o n o f Tr,-herrlals v e r s e , Gncl i sh J l i " L r q . t u r e . . . , P* 149.

The t v o yoerns a rc oC m a s t v z l u c to t h c c o n t e r n p o r ~ r y r eader a s

rtiltl the details oi7 ascenJc i'rzrn ?.:o?ldl,y v i s i o n t o s hiplrs : s : ~ i r i t u . n l .

yercsption l;h-r.nugh i i l ~ i ~ i ~ r.!c?n C o i l T C Z S ~ Z C his !:otentit:.l f o r divin5.t.g.

(juuzles aitd 3mlo i i e s a x l 'lniarestin[:, r o t h c r than . . r;uhl.imett7 ~ o e t e .

B s a c h c r o f t , "pu8rles 2nd t h o Emblem Habit ," p. 80.

I b i d . , p. 94.

------ . rl7 J.!~c+ Complt:t~ ;.oi.l;:; in J ' r n z e 2nd Vcr(-~,c. Ed. ii. 3. Gmsart . -. ---- - .-- -

Ciici.,isey I;orC:lj.c,u I,i.br;.,r:j. 3 v o l s . F r i n t e d f o r F 5 . v z t c C i r c u l a t i o n , 1%0.

S s i n t s ' o u r y , G, ed. ;:inor Poet:: o f t h c Cc?:r&?ne FerS od. 3 vo l s . .-*. --

Oxfo rd , 1905-1971.

<. Aquina s, St. Tlioin~:;. i h i : "The Doct r j .? la cf' Grace. :' Ed. 2.nd t r a n s l . C , S.;rnst, O r f o r d , 1372.

.k?l.l~trO~l{~;., 3. !I. ..--.-.- St? <.??t h u c u ~ t i i i ? and. Chri.::t.i.~n S'.] a.i;(lni::a, Villcnova, --..-..-- Pa. , 19G7.

C.~. lv '~r t ie i l , i!ct!lanael. An'a.r.;12t a?. L,e;'m D i s c o ~ ~ ~ e Of the L p - ; of ITa%rrrr: - . . . I,O?I$(>~I, LG52.

: j l i ~ $ e , E'ircc:-!. Ii1h,? Fo.p+ c ::F? ?.;I:? C T Y ? C ~ . ~ ~ . C ? . ? L X . I ~ ~ . , S . C G T T ~ ~ . l:~;t cd., -J--- --

1956 ; i i c rycr rpt. , 19'71.

F u l l ~ r , ' i h o n < ~ s . ---- The T2i:.+or~- of t i - - : :o r th , i r r oin ' 71 -1~n i l . Lordon, 1662. Zc?. P.A. Eut.tel1, 3 vols. London, lk40.

b i c , . $ynFolic~I&-::c-s : S.tu.d - i . ~ ? iy! tF.r: ll& of he R a ! ~ ; - i z - ~ : l ~ ~ ~ , - --- London, 1-972.

H a r r i s o n , John Sroith. P I C tnnism i n 1Pni'"lieh Poehrg of t l l n Si.ytcenth 2nd Sevontec?ntl i Cent11yic.r. Yay::, 1-915.

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