Herbert and Milton

Abstract

It is a critical commonplace to position George Herbert and John Milton in opposite camps. Herbert is great Anglican poet; Milton, great Puritan. Herbert supported throne; Milton defended regicide. Herbert is one of metaphysicals; Milton has been charged with destroying group.' As M. M. Mahood has observed, the history of religious poetry in seventeenth century tends to shape itself as Milton versus Royalists.2 Such judgments are valid, but only as one considers entire lives of both men and recognizes developments of mid-1630s which affected younger but not elder. Indeed, so strongly characterized has Milton been as a Puritan that one forgets his early Anglicanism.3 And so strongly characterized has Herbert been as an Anglican that one forgets his public attack on a royalist position which may have cost him his career.4 For Herbert died in spring of 1633, a month before his fortieth birthday and six months before William Laud became primate of England. Milton had turned twenty-four previous December. He had been educated at home, at St. Paul's School, and at Christ's College, Cambridge, where he had proceeded B.A. in 1629 and M.A. in 1632. There is not a shred of evidence that