The poem collection
A Sweet Nosegay, or Pleasant Posy, published in 1573, is Isabella Whitney's second (and last known) volume of poetry. Its subtitle – …
Containing a Hundred and Ten Philosophical Flowers– points to the main body of the work, a verse rendition of Hugh Plat's
Flowers of Philosophy(1572). The “Flowers” are framed by a collection of addresses and letters (also in verse) and partly with replies - to her readers, family members, friends and acquaintances. The collection ends with her “Will and Testament” on leaving the city of London.
The “Flowers” as such consist of 110 four-line stanzas, each containing proverb-style advice on topics as diverse as friendship, wealth, youth, old age and so on. While most of her statements paraphrase common knowledge,
621 words
Citation: Tancke, Ulrike. "A Sweet Nosegay, or Pleasant Posy: Containing a Hundred and Ten Philosophical Flowers". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 September 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=23216, accessed 26 November 2024.]
