Thomas Traherne, an English poet, Anglican cleric, theologian, and religious writer, is known for his profound and scholarly spirituality, as well as his contributions to Christian literature. According to antiquarian Anthony à Wood Thomas Traherne is a “shoemaker’s son of Hereford” and he was born in either 1636 or 1637.
Traherne’s writings are imbued with a sense of love for God that is passionate and fervent. He conveys a deep, personal connection with the divine, often expressed in terms of a childlike and unreserved love. His love for the natural world is a recurring theme in his works. The way he treats nature in his writing evokes elements of Romanticism, a movement that would emerge two centuries later. His themes and style are often compared to those of later poets like William Blake, Walt Whitman, and Gerard Manley Hopkins.
Thomas Traherne is remembered and commemorated within the Church of England. His commemoration takes place on either 27 September, which is the date of his death, or 10 October, which is the date of his burial. This commemoration is a way to honor and acknowledge his contributions to Christian literature, theology, and spirituality.
Thomas Traherne received his baccalaureate degree (Bachelor of Divinity) from Oxford in 1656. A Bachelor of Divinity (BD) is an academic degree typically awarded for postgraduate studies in the field of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology. It is a common degree in Western universities, particularly in the context of theological and religious studies.
On 30 December 1657, he was appointed as the rector of Credenhill. His appointment included an interesting note regarding the patronage of Ambella, the widow of the Earl of Kent. After the restoration of the monarchy and the return of Charles II, Traherne was ordained as a priest on 20 October 1660 by the Bishop of Oxford, Robert Skinner, at Launton near Bicester. This ordination formalized his role in the clergy. In 1667, Traherne became the private chaplain to Sir Orlando Bridgeman, 1st Baronet, who held the position of Lord Keeper of the Great Seal to King Charles II.
Thomas Traherne passed away on 27 September 1674 while residing at Teddington. On that day, he dictated a brief nuncupative will to his friend and neighbor John Berdoe. He made bequests to the servants who had cared for him and left his few belongings to his brother Philip and sister-in-law Susan. He was buried on 10 October 1674 in St Mary’s Church at Teddington, under the church’s reading desk.
Thomas Traherne’s works had limited publication during his lifetime, with only one work, “Roman Forgeries,” published in 1673.
Following his death in 1674, “Christian Ethicks” was published in 1675. However, the bulk of his manuscripts remained unpublished and largely unknown to the public. The manuscripts were left by Thomas Traherne to his brother Philip. After Philip’s passing, the manuscripts came into the possession of the Skipp family of Ledbury in Herefordshire, where they remained for nearly two centuries. It wasn’t until 1888 that the Skipp family’s assets were dissolved, but the Traherne manuscripts did not re-emerge until a decade later.
In the winter of 1896–97, William T. Brooke of London stumbled upon these manuscripts were discovered either in a “barrow of books about to be trashed” or at a “street bookstall.” At the time, the true identity of the author was unknown. Brooke initially suspected that these manuscripts might be lost works by the poet Henry Vaughan. He shared his discovery with Alexander Grosart, a Scottish clergyman and expert on Elizabethan and Jacobean literature. Grosart planned to include these works in an edition of Vaughan’s writings.
After Alexander Grosart’s death in 1899, his collection, including the unidentified manuscripts, was purchased by Charles Higham, a London bookseller. Higham enlisted his friend Bertram Dobell to examine the manuscripts. Dobell soon deduced that the works were not by Vaughan but, rather, by Thomas Traherne. The recognition of Traherne’s authorship led to the publication of his works. “The Poetical Works of Thomas Traherne” was published in 1903, followed by “Centuries of Meditations” in 1908.
Traherne’s “Centuries of Meditations” eventually earned praise as “one of the finest prose poems in our language.” Passages from his writings were frequently set to music, reflecting the enduring appeal and significance of his contemplative and spiritual prose. This collection consists of short paragraphs in which he reflects on various aspects of Christian life and ministry, as well as broader themes such as philosophy, happiness, desire, and childhood.
Several manuscripts of Thomas Traherne’s works are held in various libraries, providing valuable insights into his writings and contributions to literature, philosophy, and spirituality. Here are some of the known manuscripts:
- Dobell Folio (Commonplace Book): Held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, this manuscript contains Traherne’s “Centuries,” a collection of contemplative paragraphs reflecting on religion and morals.
- Burney Manuscript (Poems of Felicity): Located at the British Library, London, this manuscript contains some of Traherne’s poems.
- Early Notebook (Philip Traherne’s Notebook): Also held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford, this manuscript is known by different names. It likely contains writings attributed to Philip Traherne, Thomas Traherne’s brother.
- Select Meditations: Held in the Osborn Collection at the Beinecke Library, New Haven, Connecticut. These manuscripts include Traherne’s meditations and writings.
- The Ceremonial Law: Discovered in the Folger Library in Washington, DC, this manuscript, identified in 1996, contains an unfinished 1,800-line epic poem by Traherne entitled “The Ceremonial Law.”
- Lambeth Manuscripts: Discovered in the Library of Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. These manuscripts include both prose and complete works by Traherne, such as “Inducements to Retiredness,” “A Sober View of Dr Twisse,” “Seeds of Eternity,” “The Kingdom of God,” and a fragmentary work titled “Love.”
The existence and discovery of these manuscripts have contributed to a deeper understanding of Traherne’s writings, allowing scholars and readers to appreciate his philosophical and spiritual insights more fully. They provide a window into the mind and work of this remarkable 17th-century poet and theologian.
Traherne’s work is influenced by the Cambridge Platonists, who were known for their efforts to promote moderation and dialogue within the Anglican Church. They sought to bridge the divide between Puritans and High Churchmen, emphasizing reason, tolerance, and the pursuit of knowledge in theological and philosophical matters. The Cambridge Platonists were a group of theologians and philosophers associated with the University of Cambridge in the 17th century. Their intellectual movement, sometimes referred to as “Cambridge Platonism,” was characterized by a combination of Christian theology and Neoplatonic philosophy.
Neoplatonism is a philosophical system that has its roots in the ideas of Plato but incorporates elements of mysticism and metaphysics. It emphasizes the existence of a transcendent reality and the unity of all existence. Traherne’s writings reflect Neoplatonic themes, such as the idea of a divine and transcendent reality that unifies all things, as well as the pursuit of spiritual knowledge and illumination.
According to Anthony a Wood, Traherne always led a simple and devout life. His will, in particular, indicated that he possessed little beyond his books, underscoring his focus on intellectual pursuits and spiritual matters. Thomas Traherne was widely regarded as a pious and charitable individual. His contemporaries and those who knew him described him as a man of remarkable character.
Gladys Wade, in her 1946 biography of Traherne, explores this aspect of his work in more detail, providing insights into how Traherne’s writings reflect a profound connection between the sensory and the spiritual dimensions of human experience, making his work notable in the context of Christian mysticism and spirituality. Critic K. W. Salter said that Thomas Traherne “writes of the senses as if they were spiritual and of the spirit as if it were sensuous”.