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by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Dear, if you change
Language: English 
Dear, if you change, I'll never choose again.
Sweet, if you shrink, I'll never think of love.
Fair, if you fail, I'll judge all beauty vain.
Wise, if too weak, more wits I'll never prove.
Dear, Sweet, Fair, Wise, change, shrink, nor be not weak:
And on my faith, my faith shall never break.

Earth with her flowers shall sooner heav'n adorn.
Heaven her bright stars through earth's dim globe shall move.
Fire heat shall lose, and frosts of flame be born.
Air, made to shine, as black as hell shall prove.
Earth, Heav'n, Fire, Air, the world transform'd shall view,
Ere I prove false to faith, or strange to you.

Text 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 John Dowland (1562 - 1626), "Dear, if you change", published 1597, from First Book of Songs or Airs [sung text checked 1 time]
  • by Mary Augusta Salmond , "Dear, if you change", published 1893? [ voice and piano ], London : Weekes & Co. [sung text not yet checked]

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 111

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–Emily Ezust, Founder

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