Discovering poetry – Thomas Traherne, a real discovery

Until the start of the twentieth century, Thomas Traherne was completely unknown. Very little of his writing had ever been published, and even less had been widely read. Over the last one hundred years, however, several manuscripts of his works have been discovered, often in dramatic circumstances (one was pulled from off a fire and still bears scorch marks). These have transformed our understanding of him.

As soon as his first poems were discovered Traherne was grouped with the set of 17th century poets known as the metaphysicals. It’s easy to see why. These lines from ‘The Person’ include paradoxes and strikingly unexpected image very much like the poems of metaphysical poets such as John Donne. However, as more of Traherene’s work continues to come to light (including theological works), critics are becoming increasingly interested in other aspects of his writing. These include his interest in the work of early scientists and contemporary philosophers such as Hobbes.  Perhaps he is thinking of the claims these writers made about knowledge and truth when he writes here in ‘The Person’ that “the naked things are most sublime, and brightest shew when they alone are seen”.  It was through his own writing that Traherne hoped to help his readers see things properly.
 
Ye Sacred Lims,
      A richer Blazon I will lay
         On you, then first I found:
         That like Celestial Kings,
      Ye might with Ornaments of Joy
            Be always Crownd.
      A Deep Vermilion on a Red,
      On that a Scarlet I will lay,
         With Gold Ile Crown your Head,
         Which like the Sun shall Ray.
      With Robes of Glory and Delight
            Ile make you Bright.
   Mistake me not, I do not mean to bring
      New Robes, but to Display the Thing:
   Nor Paint, nor Cloath, nor Crown, nor add a Ray,
   But Glorify by taking all away.

            The Naked Things
      Are most Sublime, and Brightest shew,
         When they alone are seen:
         Mens Hands then Angels Wings
      Are truer Wealth even here below:
            For those but seem.
      Their Worth they then do best reveal,
      When we all Metaphores remove,
         For Metaphores conceal,
         And only Vapours prove.
      They best are Blazond when we see
            The Anatomie,
   Survey the Skin, cut up the Flesh, the Veins
      Unfold: The Glory there remains.
   The Muscles, Fibres, Arteries and Bones
   Are better far then  Crowns and precious Stones.