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The poetical works of Thomas Traherne

faithfully reprinted from the author's original manuscript together with Poems of Felicity reprinted from the Burney manuscript and Poems from Various Sources: Edited with preface and notes by Gladys I. Wade

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III On News.
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III On News.

1

News from a forrein Country came,
As if my Treasure and my Wealth lay there:
So much it did my Heart Enflame!
Twas wont to call my Soul into mine Ear.

213

Which thither went to Meet
The Approaching Sweet:
And on the Thresh hold stood,
To entertain the Unknown Good.
It Hoverd there
As if twould leav mine Ear.
And was so Eager to Embrace
The Joyfull Tidings as they came,
Twould almost leav its Dwelling Place,
To Entertain the Same.

2

As if the Tidings were the Things,
My very Joys them selvs, my forrein Treasure,
Or els did bear them on their Wings;
With so much Joy they came, with so much Pleasure.
My Soul stood at the Gate
To recreat
It self with Bliss: And to
Be pleasd with Speed. A fuller View
It fain would take,
Yet Journeys back would make
Unto my Heart: as if twould fain
Go out to meet, yet Stay within
To fit a place, to Entertain,
And bring the Tidings in.

3

What Sacred Instinct did inspire
My Soul in Childhood with a Hope so Strong?
What Secret Force movd my Desire,
To Expect my Joys beyond the Seas, so Yong?
Felicity I knew
Was out of view:

214

And being here alone,
I saw that Happiness was gone
From Me! for this,
I Thirsted Absent Bliss,
And thought that sure beyond the Seas,
Or els in som thing near at hand
I knew not yet, (since nought did pleas
I knew:) my Bliss did stand.

4

But little did the Infant Dream
That all the Treasures of the World were by:
And that Himself was so the Cream
And Crown of all, which round about did lie.
Yet thus it was. The Gem,
The Diadem,
The Ring Enclosing all
That Stood upon this Earthy Ball;
The Heavenly Ey,
Much Wider then the Skie,
Wher in they all included were
The Glorious Soul that was the King
Made to possess them, did appear
A Small and little thing!