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 |
 | 1. |
Eden. |
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
 | 2. |
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 | The poetical works of Thomas Traherne |  |
Eden.
1
A learned and a Happy IgnoranceDivided me,
From all the Vanitie,
From all the Sloth Care Pain and Sorrow that advance,
The Madness and the Miserie
Of Men. No Error, no Distraction I
Saw soil the Earth, or overcloud the Skie.
2
I knew not that there was a Serpents Sting,Whose Poyson shed
On Men, did overspread
The World: not did I Dream of such a Thing
As Sin; in which Mankind lay Dead.
They all were Brisk and Living Weights to me,
Yea Pure, and full of Immortalitie.
8
3
Joy, Pleasure, Beauty, Kindness, Glory, Lov,Sleep, Day, Life, Light,
Peace, Melody, my Sight,
My Ears and Heart did fill, and freely mov.
All that I saw did me Delight.
The Universe was then a World of Treasure,
To me an Universal World of Pleasure.
4
Unwelcom Penitence was then unknownVain Costly Toys,
Swearing and Roaring Boys,
Shops, Markets, Taverns, Coaches were unshewn;
So all things were that Drownd my Joys.
No Thorns choakt up my Path, nor hid the face
Of Bliss and Beauty, nor Ecclypst the place.
5
Only what Adam in his first Estate,Did I behold;
Hard Silver and Drie Gold
As yet lay under Ground; my Blessed Fate
Was more acquainted with the Old
And Innocent Delights, which he did see
In his Original Simplicitie.
6
Those Things which first his Eden did adorn,My Infancy
Did crown. Simplicitie
Was my Protection when I first was born.
Mine Eys those Treasures first did see,
Which God first made. The first Effects of Lov
My first Enjoyments upon Earth did prov;
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7
And were so Great, and so Divine, so Pure;So fair and Sweet,
So True; when I did meet
Them here at first, they did my Soul allure,
And drew away my Infant feet
Quite from the Works of Men; that I might see
The Glorious Wonders of the DEITIE.
| The poetical works of Thomas Traherne | |