George Herbert Pulling for Prime

Abstract

Like Wisdom before the Father (Proverbs 8:27-31) and David before the Ark (2 Samuel 6:21-22), George Herbert plays in God's presence. In the temple of his heart he finds playmate, the in-dwelling spirit, and they play games together in Temple of his poems. By projecting from himself an other whom he meets in poetic play, he gains sense of inner unity-an integral self separate from his intimidating heritage, but bound to an inner friend. Their mode of play matches Herbert's choleric nature; they join in games, contests, combats, and puzzles-agons can turn agony into joy. Although gamester himself, Herbert shared the more sober-minded reformers' distrust of play. In The Church Porch of Temple he warns against wasting time on dressing, mistressing, and complement, calls gambling a civil gunpowder, and counsels men to Fool not.' But he also shared the opinion of Erasmus, less dour reformer who knew the value of folly and play. All things are bigge with jest (239), he rejoices, and describes life as game (at archery or cards) where risks are inevitable, but prudent play will win.2 Herbert's attitude toward play is complex; play (like life) is at times risky folly requires prudence. His attitude toward work is no less complex. Since Life is businesse, not good cheer (Employment II), he emulates the bees who bring hony and Sting [his] delay (Employment I, Praise I). Yet the most productive work he describes in Temple is indistinguishable from play: the floral and musical offerings he would make his Edenic work in Employment I and the worship of the bee-like stars in The Starre. He asks the star to flie home like laden carrying his heart to that hive of beams/And garland-streams which crowns God's face. There he hopes to Glitter, and curle, and winde among the other beams. Flower, bee, star, and the speaker merge in the winding [that] is their fashion/Of adoration-a worship in which the Glitter resembles play and the gaining, work. For Herbert, true work, like worship, is play. To see how he reconciles the prudence and structure of work with the risk and feedom of play will require an inquiry into the games he plays with the friend who is at once within and far beyond him. Herbert describes Temple as a picture of the many spiritual conflicts

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