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Chapter 64HerbTemple.2.64

The Pearl. Matth. 13

The Pearl of Great Price

The speaker acknowledges his mastery of worldly knowledge, honor, and pleasure, yet declares his love for God, and describes how divine grace guides him to renounce all for the pearl of great price.

I know the ways of learning—both the head and the pipes that feed the press and keep it running; what Reason has borrowed from Nature, or spun from itself, like a good housewife, into laws and policy; what the stars conspire; what willing Nature speaks, and what is forced out by fire; both the old discoveries and the newly found seas; the stock and the surplus, the cause and the history. All of this stands open, or I hold the keys. Yet I love you.12 I know the ways of honor—what keeps the quick returns of courtesy and wit in play; in contests of favors, which side comes out ahead when glory swells the heart and molds it to every expression of hand and eye, the kind that can tie a true love-knot on the world and carry that bundle wherever it goes; how many drams of spirit it takes to sell my life to my friends or foes. Yet I love you.3 I know the ways of Pleasure—the sweet strains, the lullings and the relishes of it; the promptings of hot blood and brains; what mirth and music mean; what love and wit have done these two thousand years and more. I know the projects of unbridled abundance. My substance is flesh, not brass; my senses live, and often grumble that they have more claim on me than the one who curbs them—being only one against five. Yet I love you.45 I know all these things, and I hold them in my hand. So not with eyes closed, but with eyes wide open, I fly to you, and I fully understand both the main transaction and the benefits it brings—and at what cost and price I have your love, with every circumstance that could move me. Yet through the labyrinths, it wasn't my lowly wit but your silk thread let down from heaven to me that both guided and taught me how to climb to you by it.67

Read the original English

I Know the wayes of learning; both the head And pipes that feed the presse, and make it runne; What Reason hath from Nature borrowed, Or of it self, like a good huswife, spunne In laws and policie; what the starres conspire, What willing Nature speaks, what forc'd by fire; Both th' old discoveries, and the new-found seas, The stock and surplus, cause and historie: All these stand open, or I have the keyes: Yet I love thee.

I know the wayes of Honour, what maintains The quick returns of courtesie and wit: In vies of favours whether partie gains, When glorie swells the heart, and moldeth it To all expressions both of hand and eye, Which on the world a true-love-knot may tie, And bear the bundle, wheresoe're it goes: How many drammes of spirit there must be To sell my life unto my friends or foes: Yet I love thee.

I know the wayes of Pleasure, the sweet strains, The lullings and the relishes of it; The propositions of hot bloud and brains; What mirth and musick mean; what love and wit Have done these twentie hundred yeares, and more: I know the projects of unbridled store: My stuffe is flesh, not brasse; my senses live, And grumble oft, that they have more in me Then he that curbs them, being but one to five: Yet I love thee.

I know all these, and have them in my hand: Therefore not sealed, but with open eyes I flie to thee, and fully understand Both the main sale, and the commodities; And at what rate and price I have thy love; With all the circumstances that may move: Yet through the labyrinths, not my groveling wit, But thy silk twist let down from heav'n to me, Did both conduct and teach me, how by it To climbe to thee.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩Herbert’s image is usually read as either a printing press (sources and channels that supply published learning) or a wine-press (vat and conduits). The modern rendering keeps ‘press’ to preserve the concrete machinery of the figure without choosing one reading over the other.
  2. 2 ↩The turn is the poem’s pearl: full command of learning is acknowledged, then set aside for love of God (cf. the chapter’s Matthew 13 title).
  3. 3 ↩Herbert measures courage/vital force in apothecary 'drams'; modern rendering keeps the dosage metaphor as 'drams of spirit' rather than flattening to plain 'courage.'
  4. 4 ↩Early modern 'store' here means abundance/plenty (unrestrained means for pleasure), not a shop or warehouse.
  5. 5 ↩The restraining self (reason/will) is one; the five senses outnumber it. Herbert leaves 'he that curbs them' unnamed.
  6. 6 ↩Commercial diction (sale, commodities, rate, price) continues the chapter's Pearl of Great Price frame (Matt. 13): the speaker claims clear-eyed knowledge of the bargain by which God's love is obtained, not blind assent.
  7. 7 ↩"Silk twist" is rendered "silk thread": a slender cord of grace (echoing Ariadne's clue) by which the soul is led out of the world's labyrinths and up to God—not by native wit.

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