The Climate of Herbert’s Mind

“The climate of the mind is positively English in its variableness and instability. Frost, sunshine, hopeless drought and refreshing rains succeed one another with bewildering rapidity. Herbert is the poet of this inner weather. Accurately, in a score of lyrics unexcelled for flawless purity of diction and appositeness of imagery, he has described its changes and interpreted, in terms of a mystical philosophy, their significance. Within limits he achieves a real perfection.”- Huxley

In this evalutation of George Herbert’s poetry, Huxley has clearly taken notice of Herbert’s broad range of poetic styles, techniques, subjects, and points of view. His poetry captures such a variety of emotions and moods that there is little consistency to be found among all of it as a whole. This is what Huxley means by Herbert expressing his “inner weather.” His poems are dictated by whatever he is feeling at the moment, whether it be joy, anger, melancholy, sadness, etc. All people are affected by changing moods and internal feelings, but Herbert is especially gifted in articulating these feelings as they come to him. Some may call him agile, able to make quick turnarounds from one raw emotion to the next. This, I think, is part of Huxley’s aim in his descriptions of Herbert’s poetry.

Also, within each poem, there lie imagery and articulation of these ever-changing feelings. Harshly opposing symbols create jolting distinctions between Herbert’s points, and his diction, syntax, and structure should not be disregarded.

Afterall, Huxley even ventures to say that Herbert has acheived perfection in the art of poetry, within limits. His ability to incorporate elements of language and emotion to express his ever-changing thoughts and moods reflects the likeness of his talent to the weather in England. It is even oftentimes hard for us, as readers, to understand or follow the rapidity with which Herbert changes direction with his writing. As Huxley notes, we may end up bewildered by the variability in his poetry. Huxley’s criticism is insightful and helpful in the analysis and closer reading of Herbert’s poetry.