by John Donne (1572 - 1631)
Wee Cannot Bid the Fruits See original
Language: English
... We cannot bid the fruits come in May, nor the leaves to sticke on in December. ... There are of them that will give, that will do justice, that will pardon, but they have their owne seasons for al these, and he that knowes not them, shall starve before that gift come. ... Reward is the season of one man, and importunitie of another; feare the season of one man, and favour of another; friendship the season of one man, and naturall affection of another; and hee that knowes not their seasons, nor cannot stay them, must lose the fruits. ...
Note: this is a prose text. Line-breaks have been added arbitrarily. The meditation is preceded by two epigraphs as follows:
Oceano tandem emenso, ascipienda resurgit Terra; vident, justis, medici, jam cocta mederi se posse, indiciis.and
At last, the Physitians, after a long and stormie voyage, see land; They have so good signes of the concoction of the disease, as that they may safely proceed to purge.
Composition:
- Set to music by (Ivy) Priaulx Rainier (1903 - 1986), "Wee Cannot Bid the Fruits", 1954 [ tenor, unaccompanied ], from Cycle for Declamation, no. 1
Text Authorship:
- by John Donne (1572 - 1631), "Meditation XIX", appears in Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions, and severall steps in my Sicknes
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This text was added to the website: 2023-06-16
Line count: 77
Word count: 785