Henry Vaughan, born 1622 in Breconshire, Wales, , was a metaphysical poet and mystic, whose writing ork expressed deep spiritual insights.

Vaughan was educated at Oxford and studied law in London. He was recalled home in 1642 when the first Civil War broke out, and he remained there the rest of his life.

In 1646 his ‘Poems’, including the ‘Tenth Satyre of Juvenal’ was published, followed by a second volume in 1647. His urge to write religious verse was stimulated by his reading of George Herbert’s poetry, and he gave up ‘idle verse’. His most famous work, ‘Silex Scintillans’ was published in 1650 and an expanded version published in 1655. He also published ‘Mount of Olives: or, Solitary Devotions’ in 1652'.

His writings show the sincerity of his religious convictions as well as his poetic genius; he was a consummate craftsman, inventive and original, with a gift for spiritual vision. The opening of his poem, ‘The World’ is a superb example. He was also gifted in writing about nature.

At some time in the 1650s he began to practice medicine and continued to do so throughout his life.

Vaughan’s poetry was largely disregarded in his lifetime and for a century after his death. He benefitted, however, from the twentieth century revival of interest in the metaphysical poets.

Vaughan died in 1695.