Let perjured fair [Amynta]1 know
What for her sake I undergo;
Tell her, for her how I sustain
A lingering fever's wasting pain;
Tell her the torments I endure,
Which only, only she can cure.

But, oh! she scorns to hear or see
The wretch that lies so low as me;
Her sudden greatness turns her brain,
And Strephon hopes, alas! in vain;
For ne'er 'twas found (though often tried)
That Pity ever dwelt with Pride.

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¹ Hart: "Augusta"; further changes may exist not shown above.

Text Authorship:

• by Matthew Prior (1667 - 1721) [author's text checked 1 time 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 Willem de Fesch (1687 - 1761), "Let perjured fair Amynta know" [sung text not yet checked]
• by Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "Let perjur'd fair Augusta know", op. 122 (Ten Songs in Two Sets of Five Each, Set I) no. 2 (1938) [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2022-01-21
Line count: 12
Word count: 77