英美文学简明教程(华中科技大学出版社)
Bacon’s chief concern is to express his thought with clearness and in as few words as possible.
Bacon’s sentences are short, pointed, incisive and often of balanced structure. Many of them have become wise old sayings.
7. John Donne (1572-1631)
The founder of the ―metaphysical school‖
（1）Life:
John Donne was born in London, England, into a Roman Catholic family at a time when open practice of that religion was illegal in England.
Donne’s father died in 1576, leaving his wife, Elizabeth Heywood, the responsibility of raising their children.
In 1577, his mother died, followed by two more of his sisters, Mary and Katherine, in 1581.
Donne was a student at Hart Hall, now Hertford College, Oxford, from the age of 11.
In 1591 he was accepted as a student at the Thavies Inn legal school, one of the Inns of Chancery in London. In 1592 he was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn, one of the Inns of Court.
By the age of 25 he was well prepared for the diplomatic career he appeared to be seeking.
During the next four years he fell in love with Egerton’s niece Anne More, and they were married just in 1601 against the wishes of both Egerton and Anne’s father, which ruined his career.
Anne bore him 12 children in 16 years of marriage. His wife died on 15 August 1617, five days after giving birth to their twelfth child. Donne mourned her deeply, including writing the 17th Holy Sonnet.
Donne became a Royal Chaplain in late 1615, Reader of Divinity at Lincoln’s Inn in 1616, and received a Doctor of Divinity degree from Cambridge University in 1618.
It is thought that his final illness was stomach cancer, although this has not been proved. He died on 31 March 1631 having written many poems, most only in manuscript.
（2）Major Works:
The Songs and Sonnets 《歌与十四行诗》
Satires 《讽刺诗》
Elegies 《挽歌》
Essayes in Divinity
8. George Herbert (1593-1633)
The saint of the metaphysical school
（1）Life:
Herbert was born in Montgomery in Wales. His family was wealthy, eminent, intellectual and fond of the arts.