Crashaw

Crashaw, Richard (1613-1650), English poet, born in London and educated at Charterhouse and Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1634. The year 1633 saw the publication of Herbert's Temple, and the next year Crashaw published his first work Epigrammatum Sacrorum Liber. In 1634 he became fellow of Peterhouse, and was ejected from his fellowship in 1644. Going to France, he became a Catholic and stayed in exile, his friend Cowley obtaining the influence of Queen Henrietta on his behalf. He went to Rome, and became secretary to Cardinal Palotta, in whose service he remained till 1649. While he was in exile, a collection of his secular and religious poems was published with the titles The Delights of the Muses and Steps to the Temple. In 1648 at Paris two Latin hymns were published. In 1652, after his death at Loretto, a collection called Carmen Deo Nostro, dedicated to the Countess of Denbigh, was brought out. Crashaw's poetry is not of a kind to commend itself to modern taste on account of its extravagant and fantastic images and expressions, but it contains fragments of great beauty. His mystic views and delicacy of character are visible in his works. Cowley's opinion of him is set forth in one of the prettiest elegies in our language.