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by Matthew Prior (1667 - 1721)

Since my words, though ne'er so tender
Language: English 
Since my words, though ne'er so tender,
With sincerest truth express'd,
Cannot make your heart surrender,
Nor so much as warm your breast;

What will move the springs of Nature
What will make you think me true?
Tell me, thou mysterious creature,
Tell poor Strephon what will do.

Do not, Charmion, rack your lover
Thus, by seeming not to know
What so plainly all discover,
What his eyes so plainly show.

Fair one, 'tis yourself deceiving,
'Tis against your reason's laws;
Atheist-like (th' effect perceiving)
Still to disbelieve the cause.

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

  • by Matthew Prior (1667 - 1721), no title [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 Fritz Bennicke Hart (1874 - 1949), "Since my words, though ne'er so tender", op. 122 (Ten Songs in Two Sets of Five Each, Set I) no. 4 (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: 16
Word count: 90

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