by William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585 - 1649)
This world a hunting is
Language: English
This world a hunting is, The prey poor man, The Nimrod fierce is death. His speedy greyhounds are Lust, sickness, envy, care, Strife that ne'er falls amiss, With all those ills which haunt us While we breathe. Now if by chance we fly Of these the eager chase, Old age with stealing pace Casts up his nets, and there we panting die.
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Text Authorship:
- by William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585 - 1649) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Gerald Finzi (1901 - 1956), "This world a hunting is", op. 5 no. 2, published 1926, first performed 1936 [ unaccompanied chorus ], from Three Short Elegies, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Daan Manneke (b. 1939), "The world a hunting is", 1974 [ low voice and harpsichord or organ or piano ], from Five songs on English poems, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-07
Line count: 13
Word count: 62