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Dumnesse

from Poems from the Dobell Folio

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

Edited by
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Summary

1

Sure Man was born to Meditat on Things,

And to Contemplat the Eternal Springs

Of God and Nature, Glory, Bliss and Pleasure;

That Life and Love might be his Heavnly Treasure:

And therfore Speechless made at first, that he

Might in himself profoundly Busied be:

And not vent out, before he hath ta'ne in

Those Antidots that guard his Soul from Sin.

Wise Nature made him Deaf too, that he might

Not be disturbd, while he doth take Delight

In inward Things, nor be depravd with Tongues,

Nor Injurd by the Errors and the Wrongs

That Mortal Words convey. For Sin and Death

Are most infused by accursed Breath,

That flowing from Corrupted Intrails, bear

Those hidden Plagues that Souls alone may fear.

This, my Dear friends, this was my Blessed Case;

For nothing spoke to me but the fair Face

Of Heav'n and Earth, before my self could speak,

I then my Bliss did, when my Silence, break.

MY NON-Intelligence of Human Words

Ten thousand Pleasures unto me affords;

For while I knew not what they to me said,

Before their Souls were into mine conveyd,

Before that Living Vehicle of Wind

Could breath into me their infected Mind

Before my Thoughts were levend with theirs, before

There any Mixture was; the Holy Door,

Or Gate of Souls was closd, and mine being One

With in it self to me alone was Known.

Then did I dwell within a World of Light,

Distinct and Seperat from all Mens Sight,

Where I did feel strange Thoughts, and such Things see

That were, or seemd, only reveald to Me,

There I saw all the World Enjoyd by one;

There I was in the World my Self alone;

No Business Serious seemd but one; NO WORK

But one was found; and that did in me lurk.

Type
Chapter
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The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
Poems from the 'Dobell Folio', Poems of Felicity, The Ceremonial Law, Poems from the 'Early Notebook'
, pp. 22 - 24
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Print publication year: 2014

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  • Dumnesse
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
Available formats
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  • Dumnesse
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
Available formats
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To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Dumnesse
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
Available formats
×