George Herbert

George Herbert (1593–1633) was a Welsh-born English poet and Anglican priest, widely regarded as a major figure among the metaphysical poets. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, he became Public Orator of the University and later served as a Member of Parliament. In 1630 he was ordained and appointed rector of the rural parish of Bemerton near Salisbury, where he devoted himself to pastoral work and religious writing. Herbert’s poetry is marked by intellectual wit, formal ingenuity, and intense spiritual reflection. His best-known work, *The Temple*, a collection of devotional poems, was published posthumously in 1633 and has remained influential in English religious literature.