On February 20th 1617 John Donne, the poet and later Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, gave a sermon in Whitehall that included the following:
“We have sometimes mention in Moses his Book of Exodus, according to the Romane Translation, Operis Plumarii, of a kind of subtle and various workmanship, imployed upon the Tabernacle, for which it is hard to finde a proper word now; we translate it sometimes Embroidery, sometimes Needle-work, sometimes otherwise. It is evident enough, that it was Opus Variegatum, a work compact of divers pieces, curiously inlaid, and varied for the making up of some figure, some representation: and likelyest to be that which in sumptuous buildings, we use to call now Mosaick work: for that very word originally signifies, to vary, to mingle, to diversifie.”
This month, close to the day of Donne’s own February sermon, our early Lent Literary Hour is titled:
“No Man Is An Island – Reflections with John Donne.”
The Hampstead Players will present readings to ‘vary, mingle and diversify’ through Donne’s extraordinarily wide-ranging poems, sermons and correspondence.
Wednesday February 17th at 1pm in the church.
Admission Free
with a retiring collection toward the maintenance of this Grade 1 listed building.
All are welcome and are invited to join us afterwards for a free hot drink – and biscuits, unless you’ve given them up for Lent!