96

JOHN DONNE.

his harshness and affectation but too often disturb the reader.Dryden said of his Satires that they would be admired ‘iftranslated into numbers and English.’ Our extracts will showthat this blame is too severe. Dr. Johnson classes Donneamong the ‘metaphysical poets’, of whom he says. If theirconceits were far-fetched, they were often worth the carriage.To write on their plan, it was at least necessary to read andto think, and Mr. Southey says, ‘ if he was not the greatestpoet, he was at least the greatest wit, of James the First’sreign.’

THE STORM.

The south and west winds joyn’d, and, as they blew,Waves like a rowling trench before them threw.

Sooner than you read this line did the gale,

Like shot, not fear’d till felt, our sailes assaile ;

And what at first was call’d a gust, the sameHath now a storm’s, anon a tempest’s name.

Jonas ! I pity thee and curse those men

Who, when the storm rag’d most, did wake thee then.

Sleep is pain’s easiest salve, and doth fulfill

All offices of death, except to kill.

But when I wak’d, I saw that I saw not;

I and the sunne, which should teach me, had forgotEast, west, day, night; and I could only say,

If the world had lasted, now it had been day.Thousands our noyses were, yet we ’mongst allCould none by his right name but thunder call;Lightning was all our light, and it rain’d moreThan if the sunne had drunke the sea before.

Some coffin’d in their cabins lye, equallyGriev’d that they are not dead, and yet must dye;

And as sin-burd’ned soules from grave will creepeAt the last day, some forth their cabins peepe,

And, tremblingly, aske what newes ? and doe hear soAs jealous husbands, what they would not know.