A New Kind of Literary Pulse

Born in Wales, George Herbert was an English religious poet recognised as one of the main British devotional lyricist. Nowadays, he is remembered for using common language in the rhythms of speech and for chosing efficient pure words. He is considered as a major Metaphysical poet.

John Donne, who was both a poet and a priest, is nowadays regarded as the leading English figure of the Metaphysical movement. His works are remarkable for their strong and sensual style. He is often looked upon as the greatest love poet in the English language.
That contemporary of Shakespeare is also known for his religious verse and for his sermons, which are ranked among the best of the ... [+]

The renowned English poet, pamphleter and historian called John Milton is nowadays considered the most prominent English author after William Shakespeare. His best known work of art, written in blank verse, Paradise Lost, is wiely regarded as the greatest epic poem in English.
As a civil servant of the Commonwealth under Olivier Cromwell, he opposed tyranny and state-sanctionned religion. His ... [+]

Richard Crashaw was an English poet considered as one of the major figures of the Metaphysical movement. Nevertheless, his style rather recalls the flamboyant imagery of the continental Baroque poets. Even if his body of work is of uneven quality, it mainly focuses on a parallel between the physical beauties of nature and the spiritual significance of existence.

English poet, soldier and Royalist, Richard Lovelace fought on behalf of the king during the English Civil War. He wrote his best known poem entitled "To Althea, from Prison" while imprisoned in Gatehouse Prison. His elegant lyrics, beautiful poetry and bright career made him the archetype of the Cavalier poet.

Robert Herrick was an English cleric and poet whose work was based on the revival of the spirit of the ancient classic lyric. The appeal of his poetry lies in its truth to human feelings and in its perfection of form and style. However, his poems were not really popular at the time when they were published. Although he was detached from the court, his short, fluent, graceful lyrics on love and his ... [+]