Viruses

Virtue (The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations) is a didactic poem. It teaches us that virtue is supreme and super lasting. In this world of impermanence, beautiful thing and beauty itself are subject to decay but a truly virtuous soul remains unchanged through all eternally. Read More about Elizabethan Literature  The poem   is finest specimens of metaphysical that are present in the poem are – a blending of thought and feeling metaphysical concentration, unification of sensibility learnedness. Read More about Poetry  
  In Virtue Herbert speaks of the permanence of a virtuous soul. All the beautiful things of the world including a sweet day a sweet rose and the sweet spring are subject to decay but a virtuous soul remains unchanged. To assert his points Herbert uses three images in this poem. First he speaks of a sweet day which must comes to an end and be swallowed up by dark night. Secondly he refers to a sweet rose which in spite of its sweet color and fragrance is destined to wither. Read More about Poetry   Thirdly he speaks of a spring which, with its music and color is damaged to sink into oblivion.
Herbert visualizes a sweet day which is cool, calm and bright. He fancies that the day represents the wedding of the earth and the skies as if they have worked together in order to bring about the day:
“Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright,
The bridal of the earth and sky,”
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George Herbert:Image Courtesy
Wikipedia:Portrait by Robert White in 1674

(National Portrait Gallery)     |
However, a cool, calm and bright day must come to an end with the passing of time and at the fall of night. The dew shall weep because the sweet day will die in night. The evening dew is regarded. Here is the tear of mourning over the death of the sweet day.   Herbert presents a serene yet invigorating day and locates the reader in the celestial and terrestrial realms simultaneously, for the day in its loveliness brings them together.Read More about...