
audiobook
by Nicholas Breton, William Browne, George Wither
This compact volume gathers three early‑modern voices who turn the countryside into a stage for contemplation and feeling. The verses blend vivid sketches of fields, birds and seasonal change with the inner stirrings of love, loss, and the search for peace. Listeners will hear the gentle rhythm of shepherds’ chants alongside moments of stark, reflective melancholy.
Each poet brings a distinct hue to the pastoral palette. One invites the reader to linger in sweet, blooming meadows before the inevitable frost settles, while another extols the very power of poetry to enrich both life and legacy. A third offers lively, almost theatrical scenes of flocks and woodland creatures, underscored by a yearning for artistic triumph. Together they weave a tapestry where natural beauty and human yearning echo one another.
The result is an intimate listening experience that transports you to a world where every rustling leaf and distant song carries a deeper, timeless resonance. The collection’s modest length makes it perfect for a quiet afternoon, allowing the pastoral spirit to linger long after the final line fades.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (70K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2007-07-06
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

b. 1544
A lively Elizabethan writer, he moved easily between poetry, prose, and pamphlets, leaving behind a huge body of work that captures the wit, moral concerns, and everyday tensions of late 16th-century England. Though many details of his life remain hazy, his writing still offers a vivid glimpse of the age of Shakespeare.
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b. 1590
Best known for the pastoral poem Britannia's Pastorals, this early 17th-century English writer blended courtly polish with a strong feel for the countryside. His verse helped carry the pastoral tradition forward in the years just before England's great political upheavals.
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1588–1667
A spirited English poet and satirist, he wrote across love poetry, hymns, and sharp political verse during one of the most turbulent periods in British history. His work moved from pastoral charm to outspoken religious and public writing, giving it an unusual range and energy.
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