by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
In vain we dissemble
Language: English
In vain we dissemble, in vain do we try To stifle our flame and check our desire; In vain do our words our wishes deny, There is no concealing of fire; Tho' we're haughty and scornful, the quick sighted lover The artifice soon may discover; When frowning the courtship we seem to despise, Straight with a smile Our threats we beguile, Invite with our looks, and speak love with our eyes. Tho' custom we suffer our fancies to awe, And fashion and mode o'er nature preside; Tho' to our actions dull honour gives law, Our thoughts their vain sway do deride; Tho' we bid 'em be gone, still we fear lest we lose 'em, Why have we charms unless we use 'em? Believe not our no's, they are all a deceit, Faint's our denial When put to the trial, For beauty and life without love are a cheat.
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 Henry Purcell (1658/9 - 1695), "In vain we dissemble", Z. 385, published 1685. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 148