John Donne
John Donne (1572-1631), English metaphysical poet. He was barred from certain employments because he was brought up a Catholic. After a reckless youth he served with the Earl of Essex, becoming secretary to Sir Thomas Egerton in 1598. Donne’s secret marriage in .1601 to Egerton’s niece, Ann More, led to his imprisonment for a short time. In 1614 he was ordained an Anglican priest and in 1621 he became dean of St Paul’s, where he won great renown as a preacher. Neither his love lyrics, written when he was a young man, nor his later religious poetry were published in his lifetime.
