author
Henry Vaughan
1621–1695
A Welsh metaphysical poet and physician, he is remembered for intense devotional verse that turns private spiritual struggle into vivid, memorable poetry. His best-known work, Silex Scintillans, helped secure his place among the major religious poets of the seventeenth century.
1 Audiobook
Poems of Henry Vaughan, Silurist, Volume II
by Henry Vaughan
About the author
Born in 1621 in Brecknockshire, Wales, Henry Vaughan spent most of his life in the Welsh countryside, a setting that deeply shaped both his imagination and his feeling for the natural world. He studied at Oxford and later pursued law in London, but the turmoil of the English Civil War drew him back home, where he also practiced medicine.
Vaughan's early writing showed secular and literary influences, but his poetry changed direction after a personal and spiritual crisis. He became known for religious lyrics marked by longing, wonder, and a strong sense that everyday life is touched by eternity. His most famous collection, Silex Scintillans, first appeared in 1650 and was expanded in 1655.
Today he is usually grouped with the metaphysical poets, alongside writers admired for their intensity, surprising imagery, and reflective depth. Vaughan's work stands out for its inward sincerity, its love of the natural world, and poems such as "The World," "The Retreat," and "Peace," which continue to draw readers for their quiet radiance.