No More Learning

_ _1613_, _in the_
Lachrymae Lachrymarum _&c. of Joshua Sylvester_. _See note:_
Elegie on Prince Henry. _1633-54_, _O'F:_ _similarly_, _Cy_,
_N_, _TCD:_ An Elegie on the untimely _&c. _ _1669_]

[8 man _1633-69:_ men _1613_]

[17 neare] nere _1633_]

[18 that _1633-69:_ the _1613_]

[19 might credit _1633-69:_ could credit _1613_]

[21 moving _1633-69:_ movings _1613_]

[22 shake, _1650-69:_ shake. _1633-39_]

[26 extasie _Ed:_ exstasie, _1633-69_]

[31 bent; _Ed:_ bent, _1613_, _1633-69_]

[34 through _1613-33:_ to _1635-69_

Christianity? _1669:_ Christianity: _1633-54_]

[42 did _1633:_ should _1613_, _1635-69_]

[44 great-grand-mother, _1613:_ great grand mother, _1633:_
great grand-mother, _1635-69_]

[46 us;] us, _1633_]

[48 to dy? _Ed:_ to dy. _1633:_ to die! _1635-54:_ _no stop_,
_1669_]

[57 animate? ] animate; _1633_]

[66 Of _1633-69:_ With _1613_]

[67 as, _1613:_ as _1633-69_]

[69 So is't to] So is' to _1669_]

[71 Fate _1633-69:_ Faith _1613_]

[72 thinks; _Ed:_ thinks, _1613_, _1633-69_]

[73 come, _1633-69:_ joine; _1613_

so steale in _1633-69:_ to steal-in _1613_]

[77 proofe _1633-69:_ proofes _1613_]

[78 some. _1633:_ some, _1635-69_]

[80 hee. _1633:_ hee, _1635-69_]

[82 and we are. _1633-54:_ we are. _1613_, _1669_]

[83 I would not _1633-54:_ would not I _1669_]

[91 Who _Ed:_ who _1633-69_]

[92 shee, _1633-69:_ she.
_Chambers_]

[97 So much, as you, _1633-69:_ So, much as you _Chambers_]




_To the Countesse of_ Bedford.


MADAME,

_I have learn'd by those lawes wherein I am a[1] little conversant,
that hee which bestowes any cost upon the dead, obliges him which is
dead, but not the[2] heire; I do not therefore send this paper to your
Ladyship, that you should thanke mee for it, or thinke that I thanke
you in it; your favours and benefits to mee are so much above my
merits, that they are even above my gratitude, if that were to be
judged by words which must expresse it: But, Madame, since your noble
brothers fortune being yours, the evidences also concerning it are
yours,[3] so his vertue[4] being yours, the evidences concerning
it,[5] belong also to you, of which by your acceptance this may be one
peece, in which quality I humbly present it, and as a testimony how
intirely your familie possesseth_

Your Ladiships most humble
and thankfull servant

JOHN DONNE.


[To the Countesse _&c. _ _1633-69_, _and in most of the MSS. as
next page_]


[Footnote 1: a _1633-54:_ _om. 1669_]

[Footnote 2: the] his _1669_]

[Footnote 3: yours, _1633:_ yours: _1635-69_]

[Footnote 4: vertue _1633:_ vertues _1635-69_]

[Footnote 5: it, _1633:_ that _1635-69_]




_Obsequies to the Lord Harrington, brother to the Lady Lucy,
Countesse of Bedford. _


Faire soule, which wast, not onely, as all soules bee,
Then when thou wast infused, harmony,
But did'st continue so; and now dost beare
A part in Gods great organ, this whole Spheare:
If looking up to God; or downe to us, 5
Thou finde that any way is pervious,
Twixt heav'n and earth, and that mans actions doe
Come to your knowledge, and affections too,
See, and with joy, mee to that good degree
Of goodnesse growne, that I can studie thee, 10
And, by these meditations refin'd,
Can unapparell and enlarge my minde,
And so can make by this soft extasie,
This place a map of heav'n, my selfe of thee.
Thou seest mee here at midnight, now all rest; 15
Times dead-low water; when all mindes devest
To morrows businesse, when the labourers have
Such rest in bed, that their last Church-yard grave,
Subject to change, will scarce be'a type of this,
Now when the clyent, whose last hearing is 20
To morrow, sleeps, when the condemned man,
(Who when hee opes his eyes, must shut them than
Againe by death,) although sad watch hee keepe,
Doth practice dying by a little sleepe,
Thou at this midnight seest mee, and as soone 25
As that Sunne rises to mee, midnight's noone,
All the world growes transparent, and I see
Through all, both Church and State, in seeing thee;
And I discerne by favour of this light,
My selfe, the hardest object of the sight. 30
God is the glasse; as thou when thou dost see
Him who sees all, seest all concerning thee,
So, yet unglorified, I comprehend
All, in these mirrors of thy wayes, and end.
Though God be our true glasse, through which we see 35
All, since the beeing of all things is hee,
Yet are the trunkes which doe to us derive
Things, in proportion fit, by perspective,
Deeds of good men; for by their living here,
Vertues, indeed remote, seeme to be neare. 40
But where can I affirme, or where arrest
My thoughts on his deeds? which shall I call best?
For fluid vertue cannot be look'd on,
Nor can endure a contemplation.
As bodies change, and as I do not weare 45
Those Spirits, humors, blood I did last yeare,
And, as if on a streame I fixe mine eye,
That drop, which I looked on, is presently
Pusht with more waters from my sight, and gone,
So in this sea of vertues, can no one 50
Bee'insisted on; vertues, as rivers, passe,
Yet still remaines that vertuous man there was.
And as if man feed on mans flesh, and so
Part of his body to another owe,
Yet at the last two perfect bodies rise, 55
Because God knowes where every Atome lyes;
So, if one knowledge were made of all those,
Who knew his minutes well, hee might dispose
His vertues into names, and ranks; but I
Should injure Nature, Vertue, and Destinie, 60
Should I divide and discontinue so,
Vertue, which did in one intirenesse grow.
For as, hee that would say, spirits are fram'd
Of all the purest parts that can be nam'd,
Honours not spirits halfe so much, as hee 65
Which sayes, they have no parts, but simple bee;
So is't of vertue; for a point and one
Are much entirer then a million.