SOURCE: Anselment, Raymond A. “‘Men Most of All Enjoy, When Least They Do’: The Love Poetry of John Suckling.” Texas Studies in Literature and Language 14, no. 1 (spring 1972): 17-32.

In the essay that follows, Anselment considers both the idealism and cynicism evident in Suckling's love poetry, and argues that Suckling is not a typical Cavalier Poet.

Among the group of poets conveniently labeled “Cavalier,” John Suckling has in particular been stereotyped. Largely because of the set anthology pieces and the limited critical studies, “Natural, easy Suckling” is commonly seen as an unabashed rakehell and a dilettante writer whose amateur love poetry is synonymous with libertine cynicism.¹ This characterization, like the more inclusive designation “Cavalier,” neatly places Suckling's poetry in a literary and a philosophical tradition; but the depiction is misleading. While some of his more famous poems apparently endorse a cynical vision of love, the entire canon reveals this...