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187

Poems

Madame Jeanne Marie Guyon

Madame Guyon (Jeanne Marie Bouvier de la Mothe) (1648-1717) was an influential French mystic and author. She was born near Orléans, and was educated in a convent, where she demonstrated ascetic and mystical tendencies. Her desire was to join a monastic order, but in 1664 she was forced into a marriage with a rich man, Jacques Guyon. Independently she continued her ascetic practices – including harsh physical discipline; eventually, under the guidance of a Benedictine prioress, she undertook a vow of mystical marriage with Christ, which lasted long after her husband's death. In 1680 she came under the direction of Père la Combe of the Barnabite order, with whom she preached and spoke of her visions and revelations. Several times she was imprisoned for heresy, before being released in 1703. Her teachings remain inspiring and controversial – rooted in a profound God-centered attitude of self-surrender (often termed "quietist") – very much in the tradition of female mystics of the Church.

Thirty-seven mystical poems, translated by William Cowper.

This is a collection of 37 poems by Madame Guyon, translated by William Cowper (1731-1800). Cowper was an eminent English poet of the 18th century, best known for his volume of poems The Task (1785); he also produced a major translation of Homer, and translated other classical Greek and Latin poetry.

Inspirational & Devotional

Poetry