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The Odour

from Poems of Felicity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 May 2015

Edited by
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Summary

These Hands are Jewels to the Ey,

Like Wine, or Oil, or Hony, to the Taste:

These Feet which here I wear beneath the Sky

Are us'd, yet never waste.

My Members all do yield a sweet Perfume;

They minister Delight, yet not consume.

Ye living Gems, how Tru! how Near!

How Reall, Useful, Pleasant! O how Good!

How Valuable! yea, how Sweet! how Fair!

B'ing once well understood!

Gem retains its Worth by being intire,

Sweet Scents diffus'd do gratify Desire.

Can melting Sugar sweeten Wine?

Can Light communicated keep its Name?

Can Jewels solid be, tho they do shine?

Embody'd Fire flame?

Ye solid are, and yet do Light dispence;

Abide the same, tho yield an Influence.

Your Uses flow while ye abide:

The Services which I from you receiv

Like sweet Infusions throu me daily glide

Ev'n while they Sense deceiv,

B'ing unobserv'd: for only Spirits see

What Treasures Services and Uses be.

The Services which from you flow

Are such diffusiv Joys as know no measure;

Which shew His boundless Lov who did bestow

These Gifts to be my Treasure.

Your Substance is the Tree on which it grows;

Your Uses are the Oil that from it flows.

Thus Hony flows from Rocks of Stone;

Thus Oil from Wood; thus Cider, Milk, and Wine,

From Trees and Flesh; thus Corn from Earth; to one

That's hev'nly and divine.

But He that cannot like an Angel see,

In Heven its self shall dwell in Misery.

If first I learn not what's Your Price

Which are alive, and are to me so near;

How shall I all the Joys of Paradise,

Which are so Great and Dear,

Esteem? Gifts ev'n at distance are our Joys,

But lack of Sense the Benefit destroys.

Type
Chapter
Information
The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
Poems from the 'Dobell Folio', Poems of Felicity, The Ceremonial Law, Poems from the 'Early Notebook'
, pp. 139 - 141
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Print publication year: 2014

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  • The Odour
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
Available formats
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  • The Odour
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • The Odour
  • Edited by Jan Ross
  • Book: The Works of Thomas Traherne VI
  • Online publication: 05 May 2015
Available formats
×