Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright

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Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright

Author: George Herbert
Published in 53 hymnals

Author: George Herbert

Herbert, George, M.A., the fifth son of Richard Herbert and Magdalen, the daughter of Sir Richard Newport, was born at his father's seat, Montgomery Castle, April 3, 1593. He was educated at Westminster School, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1611. On March 15, 1615, he became Major Fellow of the College, M.A. the same year, and in 1619 Orator for the University. Favoured by James I., intimate with Lord Bacon, Bishop Andrewes, and other men of influence, and encouraged in other ways, his hopes of Court preferment were somewhat bright until they were dispelled by the deaths of the Duke of Richmond, the Marquis of Hamilton, and then of King James himself. Retiring into Kent, he formed the resolution of taking Holy Orders… Go to person page >

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Text Information

Text Information

First Line:	Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright
Author:	George Herbert
Language:	English
Copyright:	Public Domain

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Notes

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright. G. Herbert. [Virtue. Spring.] Appeared in his posthumous work, The Temple, 1633, in 4 stanzas of 4 lines, as a poem on "Virtue." (The Chandos Classics, ed. 1887, p. 140.) It is a beautiful poem, but is unsuited as a hymn for congregational use, although found in a few collections for that purpose. I. Walton's reference to it in his Compleat Angler, 1653, is very tender and just: — "'PISCATOR.—And now, scholar! my direction for thy fishing is ended with this shower, for it has done raining. And now look about you, and see how pleasantly that meadow looks; nay, and the earth smells as sweetly too. Come, let me tell you what holy Herbert says of such days and showers as these; and then we will thank God that we enjoy them. "Sweet day, so cool’", &c.

-- John Julian, Dictionary of Hymnology (1907)

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