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Nature

from Poems from the Dobell Folio

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

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Summary

That Custom is a Second Nature, we

Most Plainly find by Natures Purity.

For Nature teacheth Nothing but the Truth.

I'me Sure mine did in my Virgin Youth:

The very Day my Spirit did inspire,

The Worlds fair Beauty set my Soul on fire.

My Senses were Informers to my Heart,

The Conduits of his Glory Power and Art.

His Greatness Wisdom Goodness I did see,

His Glorious Lov, and his Eternitie,

Almost as soon as Born: and evry Sence

Was in me like to som Intelligence.

I was by Nature prone and apt to love

All Light and Beauty, both in Heaven above,

And Earth beneath, prone even to Admire,

Adore and Prais as well as to Desire.

My Inclinations raisd me up on high,

And guided me to all Infinitie.

A Secret self I had enclosd within,

That was not bounded with my Clothes or Skin,

Or terminated with my Sight, the Sphere

Of which was bounded with the Heavens here:

But that did rather, like the Subtile Light,

Securd from rough and raging Storms by Night,

Break through the Lanthorns sides, and freely ray

Dispersing and Dilating evry Way:

Whose Steddy Beams too Subtile for the Wind,

Are such, that we their Bounds can scarcely find.

It did encompass, and possess rare Things,

But yet felt more, and on its Angels Wings

Pierc'd through the Skies immediatly, and Sought

For all that could beyond all Worlds be thought.

It did not move, nor one way go, but stood,

And by Dilating of it self, all Good

It strove to see, as if twere present there,

Even while it present stood conversing here:

And more suggested then I could discern,

Or ever since by any Means could learn.

Vast unaffected Wonderfull Desires,

Like Inward, Nativ, uncausd, hidden fires,

Sprang up with Expectations very strange,

Which into New Desires did quickly change.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
Poems from the 'Dobell Folio', Poems of Felicity, The Ceremonial Law, Poems from the 'Early Notebook'
, pp. 31 - 33
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Print publication year: 2014

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  • Nature
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
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  • Nature
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

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.

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