Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
John Donne
John Donne (1573-1631), shown here wrapped in a burial shroud, was not only a great
poet, but also a passionate preacher. He spent the last decade of his life working in old St.
Paul's. Donne personally chose to be portrayed here in a shroud to capture the melancholy
he felt after his wife's death. The statue is one of the few treasures to survive the Great Fire
of 1666. You can still see the dark scorch marks on the urn beneath Donne's feet.
Imagine hearing Donne deliver a funeral sermon here, with the huge church bell
tolling in the background: “No man is an island....Any man's death diminishes me, be-
cause I am involved in Mankind. Therefore, never wonder for whom the bell tolls—it tolls
for thee.”
• And also for dozens of people who lie buried beneath your feet, in the crypt where you'll
end your tour. But first, in the south transept, find the...
