The Reformation · 1633
The Temple
George Herbert · 1593–1633
What it is
A hundred and sixty short poems arranged as a walk through a church, recording a long argument with God that ends with the guest sitting down and eating.
Why it lasted
The most loved devotional poetry in English, sent to a friend on his deathbed with instructions to burn it if he thought it useless.
Where to read it
This work is in the public domain and can be read in full, free, at the archives below. The Library catalogues it; it does not host the text.
These open a search on each archive rather than a direct link, which is the honest way to point at an edition nobody here has checked line by line.
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