Opening the text

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 2 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous ManuscriptsDonne, John

General

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 2 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts

Name: The Poems of John Donne, Volume 2 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts
Author: Donne, John

Donne, John

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700

We start then with a strong presumption, coming as close to
demonstration as the circumstances of the case will permit, in favour
of the absolute genuineness of all the poems in _1633_ (a glance down
the list headed 'Source' in the 'Contents' will show what these are)
except the two mentioned, and of all the poems added in _1635_, or
later editions, which are also in _D_, _H49_, _Lec_ and _A18_, _N_,
_TC_.[4] These last (to which I prefix the date of first publication)
are--

    _1635._ A Lecture upon the Shadow.
    _1635._ Elegie XI. The Bracelet.
    _1635._ Elegie XVI. On his Mistris.
    _1669._ Elegie XVIII. Love's Progresse.
    _1669._ Elegie XIX. Going to Bed.
    _1802._[5] Elegie XX. Love's Warr.

(These are the five _Elegies_ suppressed in _1633_--at such long
intervals did they find their way into print.)

    _1635._ On himselfe.

We may add to these, without lengthy investigation, the four _Holy
Sonnets_ added in _1635_:--

    I.    'Thou hast made me.'
    III.  'O might those sighs and tears.'
    V.    'I am a little world.'
    VIII. 'If faithfull soules.'

For these (though in none of the three collections) we have, besides
internal probability, the evidence of _W_, clearly an unexceptionable
manuscript witness. Walton, too, vouches for the authenticity of the
_Hymne to God my God, in my sicknesse_, which indeed no one but Donne
could have written.

This leaves for investigation, of poems inserted in _1635_, _1649_,
_1650_, or _1669_, the following:--

    1. Song. 'Soules joy, now I am gone.'

    2. _Farewell to love._

    3. Song. 'Deare Love, continue nice and chaste.'

    4. Sonnet. _The Token._

    5. 'He that cannot chuse but love.'

    6. Elegie (XIII in _1635_). 'Come, Fates; I feare you not.'

    7. Elegie XII (XIIII in _1635_). _His parting from her._

           'Since she must goe, and I must mourne.'

    8. Elegie XIII (XV in _1635_). _Julia._

           'Harke newes, ô envy.'

    9. Elegie XIV (XVI in _1635_). _A Tale of a Citizen and his
    Wife._ 'I sing no harme.'

    10. Elegie XVII. _Variety._ 'The heavens rejoice.'

    11. Satyre (VI in _1635_, VII in _1669_).

          'Men write that love and reason disagree.'

    12. Satyre (VI in _1669_).

          'Sleep, next society and true friendship.'

    13. To the Countesse of Huntington.

          'That unripe side of earth, that heavy clime.'

    14. A Dialogue between Sr Henry Wotton and Mr. Donne.

          'If her disdayne least change in you can move.'

    15. To Ben Iohnson, 6. Jan. 1603.

          'The state and mens affaires.'

    16. To Ben Iohnson, 9. Novembris, 1603.

          'If great men wrong me.'

    17. To Sir Tho. Roe. 1603.

          Deare Thom: 'Tell her, if she to hired servants shew.'

    18. Elegie on Mistresse Boulstred.

          'Death be not proud.'

    19. On the blessed Virgin Mary.

          'In that, ô Queene of Queenes.'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 2 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous ManuscriptsDonne, John

General

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 2 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts

Donne, John

English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700

We start then with a strong presumption, coming as close to
demonstration as the circumstances of the case will permit, in favour
of the absolute genuineness of all the poems in _1633_ (a glance down
the list headed 'Source' in the 'Contents' will show what these are)
except the two mentioned, and of all the poems added in _1635_, or
later editions, which are also in _D_, _H49_, _Lec_ and _A18_, _N_,
_TC_.[4] These last (to which I prefix the date of first publication)
are--

    _1635._ A Lecture upon the Shadow.
    _1635._ Elegie XI. The Bracelet.
    _1635._ Elegie XVI. On his Mistris.
    _1669._ Elegie XVIII. Love's Progresse.
    _1669._ Elegie XIX. Going to Bed.
    _1802._[5] Elegie XX. Love's Warr.

(These are the five _Elegies_ suppressed in _1633_--at such long
intervals did they find their way into print.)

    _1635._ On himselfe.

We may add to these, without lengthy investigation, the four _Holy
Sonnets_ added in _1635_:--

    I.    'Thou hast made me.'
    III.  'O might those sighs and tears.'
    V.    'I am a little world.'
    VIII. 'If faithfull soules.'

For these (though in none of the three collections) we have, besides
internal probability, the evidence of _W_, clearly an unexceptionable
manuscript witness. Walton, too, vouches for the authenticity of the
_Hymne to God my God, in my sicknesse_, which indeed no one but Donne
could have written.

This leaves for investigation, of poems inserted in _1635_, _1649_,
_1650_, or _1669_, the following:--

    1. Song. 'Soules joy, now I am gone.'

    2. _Farewell to love._

    3. Song. 'Deare Love, continue nice and chaste.'

    4. Sonnet. _The Token._

    5. 'He that cannot chuse but love.'

    6. Elegie (XIII in _1635_). 'Come, Fates; I feare you not.'

    7. Elegie XII (XIIII in _1635_). _His parting from her._

           'Since she must goe, and I must mourne.'

    8. Elegie XIII (XV in _1635_). _Julia._

           'Harke newes, ô envy.'

    9. Elegie XIV (XVI in _1635_). _A Tale of a Citizen and his
    Wife._ 'I sing no harme.'

    10. Elegie XVII. _Variety._ 'The heavens rejoice.'

    11. Satyre (VI in _1635_, VII in _1669_).

          'Men write that love and reason disagree.'

    12. Satyre (VI in _1669_).

          'Sleep, next society and true friendship.'

    13. To the Countesse of Huntington.

          'That unripe side of earth, that heavy clime.'

    14. A Dialogue between Sr Henry Wotton and Mr. Donne.

          'If her disdayne least change in you can move.'

    15. To Ben Iohnson, 6. Jan. 1603.

          'The state and mens affaires.'

    16. To Ben Iohnson, 9. Novembris, 1603.

          'If great men wrong me.'

    17. To Sir Tho. Roe. 1603.

          Deare Thom: 'Tell her, if she to hired servants shew.'

    18. Elegie on Mistresse Boulstred.

          'Death be not proud.'

    19. On the blessed Virgin Mary.

          'In that, ô Queene of Queenes.'

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 2 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts

The Poems of John Donne, Volume 2 (of 2): Edited from the Old Editions and Numerous Manuscripts

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