![[The Court of the Temple, Jerusalem, Model]](Temcrt.jpg)
from The Temple (1633), by George Herbert:
from The Temple (1633), by George Herbert:
¶ Employment. (II)
HE that is weary, let him sit.
My soul would stirre
And trade in courtesies and wit,
Quitting the furre
To cold complexions needing it.
Man is no starre, but a quick coal
Of mortall fire;
Who blows it not, nor doth controll
A faint desire,
Lets his own ashes choke his soul.
When th’ elements did for place contest
With him, whose will
Ordain’d the highest to be best;
The earth sat still,
And by the others is opprest.
Life is a business, not good cheer;
Ever in warres.
The sunne still shineth there or here,
Whereas the starres
Watch an advantage to appeare.
Oh that I were an Orenge-tree,1
That busie plant!
Then should I ever laden be,
And never want
Some fruit for him that dressed me.
But we are still too young or old;
The man is gone,
Before we do our wares unfold:
So we freeze on,
Untill the grave increase our cold.
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1 Orenge-tree. "These trees [lemon, lime, orange and Assyrian apple] be alwaies greene, and do, as Pliny saith, beare fruit at all times of the yere, some falling off, others waxing ripe, and others newly comming forth." - The quotation and illustration at right are from John Gerarde (or Gerard), The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes, (Norton and Whittaker: London, 1633), p. 1464. [Return]
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