
Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Plates
- Dedication
- General Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Poems from the Dobell Folio
- The Salutation
- Wonder
- Eden
- Innocence
- The Preparative
- The Instruction
- The Vision
- The Rapture
- The Improvment
- The Approach
- Dumnesse
- Silence
- My Spirit
- The Apprehension (‘Right Apprehension. II’)
- Fullnesse
- Nature
- Ease
- Speed
- The Designe (‘The Choice’)
- The Person
- The Estate
- The Enquirie
- The Circulation
- Amendment
- The Demonstration
- The Anticipation
- The Recovery
- Another
- Love
- Thoughts. I
- Blisse (Stanzas 5 & 6, ‘The Apostacy’)
- Thoughts. II
- ‘Ye hidden Nectars’
- Thoughts. III
- Desire
- ‘In thy Presence’ (Thoughts. IV)
- Goodnesse
- Poems of Felicity
- The Ceremonial Law
- Poems from the Early Notebook
- Textual Emendations and Notes
- Manuscript Foliation of Poems
- Glossary
- Index of Titles and First Lines
‘In thy Presence’ (Thoughts. IV)
from Poems from the Dobell Folio
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 May 2015
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of Plates
- Dedication
- General Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Poems from the Dobell Folio
- The Salutation
- Wonder
- Eden
- Innocence
- The Preparative
- The Instruction
- The Vision
- The Rapture
- The Improvment
- The Approach
- Dumnesse
- Silence
- My Spirit
- The Apprehension (‘Right Apprehension. II’)
- Fullnesse
- Nature
- Ease
- Speed
- The Designe (‘The Choice’)
- The Person
- The Estate
- The Enquirie
- The Circulation
- Amendment
- The Demonstration
- The Anticipation
- The Recovery
- Another
- Love
- Thoughts. I
- Blisse (Stanzas 5 & 6, ‘The Apostacy’)
- Thoughts. II
- ‘Ye hidden Nectars’
- Thoughts. III
- Desire
- ‘In thy Presence’ (Thoughts. IV)
- Goodnesse
- Poems of Felicity
- The Ceremonial Law
- Poems from the Early Notebook
- Textual Emendations and Notes
- Manuscript Foliation of Poems
- Glossary
- Index of Titles and First Lines
Summary
In thy Presence there is fulness
of Joy, and at thy right hand there
are Pleasures for ever more.
Thoughts are the Wings on which the Soul doth flie,
The Messengers which soar abov the Skie,
Elijahs firey Charet, that conveys
The Soul, even here, to those Eternal Joys.
Thoughts are the privileged Posts that Soar
Unto his Throne, and there appear before
Our selvs approach. These may at any time
Abov the Clouds, abov the Stars may clime.
The Soul is present by a Thought; and sees
The New Jerusalem, the Palaces,
The Thrones and feasts, the Regions of the Skie,
The Joys and Treasures of the Deitie.
His Wisdom makes all things so Bright and pure,
That they are Worthy ever to endure.
His Glorious Works his Laws and Counsels are,
When seen, all like himself, beyond compare.
All Ages with his Love and Glory Shine,
As they are his all Kingdoms are Divine.
Whole Hosts of Angels at his Throne attend,
And joyfull Praises from his Saints ascend.
Thousands of thousands Kneel before his face
And all his Benefits with Joy embrace.
His Goodness makes all Creatures for his Pleasure,
And makes itself his Creatures chiefest Treasure.
Almighty Power doth it self employ
In all its Works to make it self the Joy
Of all his Hosts, and to compleat the Bliss
Which Omnipresent and Eternal is.
His Omnipresence is an Endless Sphere,
Wherin all Worlds as his Delights appear:
His Bounty is the Spring of all Delight,
Our Blessedness, like his, is infinit.
His Glory Endless is and doth Surround
And fill all Worlds, without or End or Bound.
What hinders then, but we in heav'n may be
Even here on Earth did we but rightly see?
As Mountains, Charets, Horsemen all on fire,
To guard Elisha did of old conspire,
Which yet his Servant could not see, being blind,
Ourselvs environd with his Joys we find.
Eternity it self is that true Light,
That doth enclose us being infinite.
The very Seas do overflow and Swim
With Precious Nectars as they flow from him.
The Stable Earth which we beneath behold,
Is far more precious then if made of Gold.
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- The Works of Thomas Traherne VIPoems from the 'Dobell Folio', Poems of Felicity, The Ceremonial Law, Poems from the 'Early Notebook', pp. 73 - 75Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2014