The Cavalier Poets

In the mid-seventeenth century, the poets associated with the court of Charles I of England, known as the Cavaliers, were strongly influenced by the classicism of Ben Jonson. Their verse, often concerned with the vagaries of love, is characteristically charming, witty, graceful, and elegant. This volume contains a rich sampling of more than 120 works by four Cavalier poets: Robert Herrick, Thomas Carew, Sir John Suckling, and Richard Lovelace. Included are such well-known gems as Herrick's "To the Virgins to Make Much of Time," ("Gather ye rosebuds while ye may"), Carew's "A Cruel Mistress," Suckling's "Why so pale and wan, fond lover?" and many more. Gathered in this inexpensive volume, this garland of memorable verse will delight any student of English literature or lover of fine poetry.