To Mrs. Magdalen Herbert by John Donne

Name: To Mrs. Magdalen Herbert
Author: John Donne

"To Mrs. Magdalen Herbert" is a verse epistle by John Donne addressed to a paper he is sending to her, personifying it and instructing it on how to behave in her presence. The speaker calls his "mad paper" to stay and be burned with the other "sons" his brain has created, saying it would be better to remain hidden with him until it returns to being mere rags, its native state. He acknowledges the paper has enough unworthiness to succeed in a great place as others do, since boldness alone can push one forward, but insists that is not sufficient — the paper would also need to be wicked, a lesson it cannot learn from him. Since the paper insists on going anyway, the speaker allows it, noting it goes to her who lacks only faults to be accounted a prince, for she dares to prefer Truth, a quality others dare not pardon. He warns that when the paper reaches her "perplexing eye," which claims both love and reverence at once, it will not dispute long but will die, and having little sense now, will then have none. Yet when her "warm redeeming hand" — itself a miracle made to work further miracles — touches the sapless leaf, the paper will grow by this contact into her creature, made more glorious than before. The speaker compares her to a mother who delights to hear her young child half-utter its words, or to majesty, which never fears bold or ill speech and so grants audience to it. The paper will then die again, coldly and speechlessly, and wisely so, since no discourse is left to it: it must abstain from speaking ill and from speaking of her, and there is no good that is not her. Still, the speaker permits the paper to praise her servants, though not her directly, and to commend wit, virtue, and honour that attend her, since these are but her clothes; in praising her shape, beauty, and grace, the paper cannot err. He speculates on the paper's destiny: once it has served its purpose, it may find a home in her cabinet, a place toward which all noble, ambitious minds run, a nest almost as full of good as she herself. There, among others "we know" who were saved before and partook of that heaven, the paper should observe how she treats their papers — whether she favors some over others in choosing which to read, whether she reads certain ones twice or kisses the name upon them, whether she acts on what they protest, and whether she notices if her waiting-woman has come. The paper should also mark whether slight faults raised against a favored suitor are dismissed or overblown, whether her oaths against him are held back, whether she grieves at not being her own mistress, and whether she chides the doctrine denying free will. The speaker clarifies he asks the paper to observe all this not to spy for him nor to make himself familiar to her, but because he loves her choice so much that he would gladly love whomever she comes to love.

By John Donne · First published 1633 · Genre: Metaphysical Poetry, Dedicatory Poetry, Verse Epistle · 636 words

First lines

Mad paper, stay, and grudge not here to burn / With all those sons whom my brain did create; / At least lie hid with me, till thou return / To rags again, which is thy native state.

What though thou have enough unworthiness / To come unto great place as others do; / That's much-emboldens, pulls, thrusts, I confess; / But 'tis not all; thou shouldst be wicked too.

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To Mrs. Magdalen Herbert is listed on Textopian as a poem by John Donne, dated 1633 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: John Donne
Date: 1633 CE
Language: English
Genres: Metaphysical Poetry, Dedicatory Poetry, Verse Epistle, Love Poetry, Encomium
Length: 636 words
Structure: 1 section, 13 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Genres

Metaphysical Poetry — Exemplifies Donne's signature style with elaborate conceits, intellectual wit, paradoxes, and complex exploration of emotion through philosophical argument; central to metaphysical poetic method.
Dedicatory Poetry — Functions as a dedicatory verse accompanying and introducing a manuscript or work to Mrs. Magdalen Herbert, offering commendation and setting expectations for the recipient.
Verse Epistle — Structured as an epistolary address in verse, employing the form of a letter or direct address to communicate ideas and advice to its recipient (the paper destined for Herbert).
Love Poetry — Expresses profound admiration and devotion to Mrs. Magdalen Herbert, exploring themes of idealization, transformation through grace, and the speaker's reverent attachment to her virtue and presence.