The English philosopher, poet, diplomat, and historian Edward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury (1583-1648), is considered the father of English deism. His major work, "On Truth," is one of the few metaphysical treatises in English philosophy.

Edward Herbert was born on March 3, 1583, the first son of Richard and Magdalen Herbert, at Eyton, Shropshire. Edward was precocious in his early studies, and the poet John Donne was employed as a tutor for the Herbert children. On the death of Richard Herbert in 1596 the family moved to Oxford, where the young philosopher studied at University College. When he was barely 15, Edward married. The poetry of his younger brother, George Herbert, has been widely recognized, but Edward's Latin and English verse has also earned him recognition as an important disciple of Donne.

For the next 20 years Herbert divided his time between attendance at the courts of Elizabeth and James I...