Francis Quarles

Francis Quarles

Francis Quarles (* 8. Mai 1592 in Romford, England; † 8. September 1644 in London) war ein englischer Dichter und Emblematiker.

Leben

Quarles wurde am 8. Mai 1592 als eines von acht Kindern seiner Eltern James Quarles und Joan, geborene Dalton, in Romford (heute London Borough of Havering) in der Grafschaft Essex geboren. Robert, sein ältester Bruder, wurde von Jakob I. zum Ritter geschlagen.

Seit 1608 studierte Francis Quarles am Christ’s College an der Universität in Cambridge.

1618 heiratete er Ursula Woodgate. Mit ihr zusammen hatte er achtzehn Kinder. Ihr Sohn John Quarles (1624–1665) war ebenfalls Schriftsteller.

Delight In God Only (Freude nur an Gott) I love the earth – she is my Maker’s creature, She is my mother for she gave me birth. She is my tender nurse – she gives me food. But what is a creature, Lord, compared with Thee? Or what is my mother or my nurse to me? I love the air – her dainty sweets refresh My drooping soul and to new sweets invite me. But what is the air or all the sweets that she Can bless my soul withal, compared to Thee? I love the sea – she is my fellow-creature, My careful purveyor – she provides me store. She walls me round, she makes my diet greater, She wafts my treasure from a foreign shore. But, Lord of oceans, when compared with Thee, What is the ocean or her wealth to me? To heaven’s high city I direct my journey, Whose spangled suburbs entertain mine eye. Mine eye, by contemplation’s great attorney, Transcends the crystal pavement of the sky. But what is heaven, great God, compared to Thee? Without Thy presence – heaven is no heaven to me.

Without Thy presence – the earth gives no reflection. Without Thy presence – the sea affords no treasure. Without Thy presence – the air is a rank infection. Without Thy presence – the heaven is itself no pleasure. If not possessed, if not enjoyed in Thee, What is earth or sea or air or heaven to me? Without Thy presence – wealth is bags of cares, Wisdom – but folly, joy – disquiet, sadness. Friendship is treason and delights are snares, Pleasures – but pain and mirth – pleasing madness. Without Thee, Lord, things be not what they be, Nor have their being when compared with Thee. In having all things and not Thee – what have I? Not having Thee – what have my labours got? Let me enjoy but Thee – what further crave I? And having Thee alone – what have I not? I wish nor sea, nor land, nor would I be Possessed of heaven, [if] heaven [is] unpossessed of Thee!

(Aus dem Gedicht Delight In God Only („Freude nur an Gott“) von Francis Quarles)

Werke

Originalausgaben (Auswahl)

• A Feast for Wormes. Set forth in a Poeme of the History of Jonah (1620)
• Job Militant, with Meditations Divine and Moral (1624)
• Sions Elegies, wept by Jeremie the Prophet
• Sions Sonets sung by Solomon the King
• The Historic of Samson (1631)
• Alphabet of Elegies upon … Dr Aylmer (1625)
• Argalus and Parthenia (1629)
• Divine Fancies digested into Epigrams, Meditations and Observations (1632)
• Alphabet of Elegies as Divine Poems (1633)
• Hieroglyphikes of the Life of Man (1638)
• Memorials Upon the Death of Sir Robert Quarles, Knight (1639); zu Ehren seines Bruders
• Enchyridion, containing Institutions Divine and Moral (1640–41)
• Observations concerning Princes and States upon Peace and Warre (1642)
• The Loyal Convert, The Whipper Whipt, und The New Distemper (1644)