by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
If fathers knew but how to leave
Language: English
If fathers knew but how to leave Their children wit as they do wealth, And could constrain them to receive That physicke which brings perfect health, The world would not admiring stand, A woman's face and woman's hand. Women confess they must obey, We men will needs be servants still: We kiss their hands and what they say, We must commend be't never so ill. Thus we like fools admiring stand, Her pretty foot and pretty hand. We blame their pride which we increase, By making mountains of a mouse: We praise because we know we please, Poor women are too credulous. To think that we admiring stand, Or foot, or face, or foolish hand.
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [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 Robert Jones (fl. 1597-1615), "If fathers knew but how to leave", published 1601, from the collection First Book of Airs, no. 14. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2014-02-23
Line count: 18
Word count: 115