Poems by John Donne; with Elegies on the Author’s Death

Overview

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"Poems by John Donne; with Elegies on the Author’s Death" is a comprehensive 1669 edition encompassing the entire catalog of John Donne's poetry, categorized into thematic sections such as "Songs and Sonets", "Elegies," "Divine Poems," and several others. Printed in the growing literary hub of “The Early Line”, London, by the printer T.N. and distributed by the prominent bookseller Henry Herringman, this edition compiles all of Donne's work, including additional features. Notably, the book includes ownership by significant historical figures such as The Right Honourable William Lord Craven, who first acquired the book, followed by Catherine Poulett, as indicated by an ownership mark in the first leaflet. In 1865, R.H. Thornton acquired the book, filling it with extensive marginalia and additional pages that provide insight into the growth in global engagement with Donne’s texts. Thornton's contributions include handwritten notes, carefully glued repairs, and inserted newspaper clippings that highlight his obsession with this poetry. This annotated edition serves as a bridge across centuries, connecting the voices of past readers and owners with contemporary scholars and enthusiasts of Donne's work.

Historical Context

John Donne

John Donne, a prominent figure of ‘metaphysical’ poetry, lived during the transition from the Elizabethan era into the Jacobean era. He was born in 1572 to Roman Catholic parents. At the time, practicing religion was not allowed in England, however, Donne was able to continue his work into later years and write many religious poems. According to the Poetry Foundation, Donne’s work “is distinguished by its emotional and sonic intensity and its capacity to plumb the paradoxes of faith, human and divine love, and the possibility of salvation”. By the time of this 1669 publication, England was under the rule of Charles II, marking a period of restoration not only for the monarchy but also for the arts and literature following the strict Commonwealth regime.

Henry Herringman

Henry Herringman was a prominent bookseller and publisher during the second half of the 17th century. He published the works of not only John Donne but also other important authors of the time. Herringman’s publications catered to an elite yet growing audience of readers who valued best-selling books, particularly plays such as those by Shakespeare. No other catalog of published literary pieces matched Herringman’s at the time.

19th Century

The annotations and modifications by R.H. Thornton in the late 19th century further highlighted the enduring relevance of Donne’s poetry. For years after his death, Donne was only appreciated as a preacher by small admirers, and going into the 18th and 19th centuries, Donne was even more unknown. However, by the second half of the 1800s, Donne’s poetry was eagerly and obsessively studied by “avant-garde” readers and writers. Thornton’s detailed notes and the preservation efforts within the book illustrate a personal commitment to maintaining the legacy and accessibility of Donne’s works for future generations. His annotations not only serve as a testament to his own engagement with the text but also enrich the historical narrative by providing insights into the interpretative practices of the period.

This edition of John Donne’s poems, therefore, not only encapsulates the poetic genius of one of English literature's most profound voices but also embodies the dynamic interplay of historical, cultural, and personal influences that have perpetuated its study and appreciation through the ages.

Physical Description

Formatting

This particular copy of John Donne’s poems is a codex, in octavo format, made primarily from paper and bound in simple leather. The book's spine is partially covered with paper that features part of a design, suggesting that this volume may have been part of a series displayed on a bookshelf. This particular edition measures approximately 4 inches in width and 6 inches in height. The octavo structure is evident from the signature markings on the pages, which typically indicate 8 leaves or 16 pages per bundle. This is shown in the sequence of page labels. On the recto page labeled ‘1’ in the book, the label at the bottom is ‘B’. The following recto pages show B2, then B3, then B4. On the verso of the leaf labeled ‘B4’, there is the label that says ‘C anonization’. The next 4 pages have no labels. After the 8th page, the recto says ‘C’, and continues the pattern, which is consistent with an octavo codex. Additionally, the octavo format is observable by the visual breaks in the book– the book naturally opens to pages with a plain letter (A, B, C).

The leather binding and the design on the spine are both original and conform to the standards of 17th-century book production. Additionally, both covers are detached, showing significant wear but also careful preservation, indicating the book was highly valued by its owners. The book does not appear to have been rebound, which is notable for its age; however, it includes several additional pages at the beginning of the volume. These were inserted by the later owner R.H. Thornton and serve as further testament to the book's continued use and significance.

Inconsistent chapter titles are the only way to navigate through John Donne's poems in this book, such as "Songs and Sonets," "Elegies," "Epithalamiums or Marriage Songs," and several others up to "Divine Poems" and "Elegies upon the Author." These titles are useful aids in a book that lacks other content guides like tables of contents or indexes, suggesting it was intended for readers already familiar with Donne’s work or adept at navigating less-structured texts. The titles also appear to be slightly disorganized and scattered among the pages.

Chapter Titles

1. Songs and Sonets (pages 1-63)
2. Elegies (pages 64-100)
3. Epithalamiums or Marriage Songs (pages 101-117)
4. Satyres (pages 118 - 143)
5. Letters (pages 144 - 200)
6. Funeral Elegies
   1. Anatomie of the World (pages 201 - 220)
   2. Of the Progress of the Soul (pages 290 - 238) note: pages skip from 220-290
   3. Epicedes and Obsequies (pages 239 - 263)
7. Letters (pages 264-287)
8. The Progress of the Soul (pages 288-310)
9. Divine Poems (pages 311 - 363)
10. Elegies upon the author (pages 365-394)

Dedication

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The original dedication in the book is to William Lord Craven, signed by John Donne as ‘your most humble servant.’ Additionally, the book includes various passages such as a mini-essay addressed to Ben Jonson, which is titled "Into the Fox" in its Latin translation, and a ‘Catalog of Books,’ also in Latin. There include dedicatory poems and essays as well, written in Latin. These are ‘bonus’ items not found among Donne’s usual works.

R.H. Thornton's Ownership

This 1669 edition is extensively annotated, bearing evidence of tons of engagement from its historical owners, particularly R.H. Thornton. The book is covered with handwritten notes, news clippings, and various other inserts that show its historical significance and demonstrate the personal connections the owners had with Donne's works.

R.H. Thornton, who acquired the book in 1865, is primarily responsible for the extensive marginalia all throughout this book of Donne’s poems. Thornton not only annotated the book extensively but also took meticulous care in repairing it. For example, on pages 97-98, Thornton reconstructed a large rip in the paper with glued-in paper patches, and then he re-wrote the missing portions of Donne's poems.

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His annotations include historical dates and detailed notes on particular poems, suggesting a scholarly and experimental investment in the text.

Thornton created a detailed table of contents towards the book's end, listing most poems alphabetically along with its corresponding page number. This organization further underscores Thornton's dedication to enhancing the usability and academic utility of the volume.

Historical Inquiries

Thornton added several extra pages at the beginning and ends of the book, filled with clippings from a news publication named "Notes and Queries". Based on an investigation into the dates of Thornton’s work in the codex as well as possible periodicals by this name, the most probable periodical named Notes and Queries is a publication first issued in 1849, which focuses on historical and literary inquiries. These inserts, dating from the late 19th century, include references to Donne's lifetime and works, indicating Thornton's intent to contextualize Donne’s poetry within its historical and literary framework.

Many of these clippings do not appear to directly reference John Donne or his poems. However, they list different publication that could be compared with them. There are a few reasons why Thornton chose to paste these clippings in this book. First, they may provide contextual background or supplementary material that enhances Thornton’s understanding of Donne’s poetry. Second, they could be used to perform a comparative study between Donne’s work of metaphysical poetry and other literal and historical explorations around the same time period. Finally, Thornton could be described as a collector, and was likely creating an intertextual catalog that to engage with in multiple ways.

Other Annotations

Apart from Thornton's contributions, the book contains various other marks likely made by earlier owners such as Catherine Poulett. These include simple marks such as underlines and manicules, which were common reading aids during the early modern period. These navigational marks indicate significant passages inside the text, reflecting interactive and thoughtful reading practices of the time.

Significance

This annotated 1669 edition of John Donne's poems not only encapsulates the poetic genius of one of English literature's most profound voices but also embodies the dynamic interplay of historical, cultural, and personal influences that this work had throughout the centuries after it was published. Thornton's deep involvement with this edition in the post-Civil War era underscores a significant Victorian fascination with Renaissance literature, particularly evident during a period marked by a revival of interest in early English texts, especially metaphysical ones.

This revival was partly influenced by the Romantic and Victorian poets who admired the metaphysical complexity and emotional depth of Renaissance poetry. The 19th century also witnessed the establishment of literary societies and the beginning of systematic historical and literary scholarship, contexts that likely influenced R.H. Thornton's detailed and scholarly approach to Donne's works. His extensive annotations, repairs, and additions to the text show a broader Victorian commitment to preserving, understanding, and creating a literary historical database future generations.

Thornton’s engagement goes beyond just preservation; his annotations and historical references in the book suggest an attempt to situate Donne’s metaphysical themes within a wider literary and cultural dialogue. Moreover, Thornton’s annotations serve as a testament to the personalized interaction with texts that was typical of Victorian literary culture. These marginalia not only show how Thornton understood the poems and what people thought about literature at the time, but they also turn the book into a personal collection that gives us insight about who Thornton was as a person.

This annotated book shows us that literary works aren't just fixed pieces of writing; they grow and change over time as people add their own thoughts and fixes. Each note, repair, and addition by Thornton helps us see more about the poem and how different people have understood it through the years. This edition of Donne's poems is a great example of how the past and present can connect through the notes in the margins, giving us a special look into how readers, texts, and history interact with each other.