Little known as a poet in his own time, Andrew Marvell (1621 - 78) was a patriotic politician and champion of religious toleration during the Restoration. Although long celebrated for the great love lyric, To His Coy Mistress, the last century has seen his wider reputation as a poet grow significantly, as readers have acclaimed not only his technical excellence, but the appeal of his verse to such themes as poetry and politics, alternative sexualities and the criticism of violent persecution.