RPO -- William Shakespeare : Shakespeare's Sonnets: If there be nothing new, but that which is

William Shakespeare (ca. 1564-1616)

Shakespeare's Sonnets: If there be nothing new, but that which is
Sonnet 59

1If there be nothing new but that which is,

2Hath been before, how are our brains beguil'd,

3Which lab'ring for invention bear amiss

4The second burthen of a former child?

5Oh that record could with a back-ward look,

6Ev'n of five hundreth courses of the sun,

7Show me your image in some antique book,

8Since mind at first in character was done,

9That I might see what the old world could say

10To this composèd wonder of your frame,

11Whether we're mended, or whe'er better they,

12Or whether revolution be the same!

13 Oh sure I am the wits of former days

14 To subjects worse have giv'n admiring praise.

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Shakespeare's Sonnets: Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore

Notes

3] lab'ring] laboring Q. bear] bring forth.

4] burthen] birthing.

6] Ev'n] Euen Q.

8] in character] in alphabetic letter.

11] we're] we are Q. Note the play with "whe'er" in the same line. whe'er] whether (of which Q "where" is an alternate spelling in OED).

14] giv'n] giuen Q.

Online text copyright © 2012, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.

Original text: SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): e1r.
First publication date: 1609
RPO poem editor: Ian Lancashire
RP edition: 2008
Recent editing: 1:2008/8/24

Form: sonnet
Rhyme: ababcdcdefefgg

Other poems by William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (ca. 1564-1616)

Shakespeare's Sonnets: If there be nothing new, but that which isSonnet 59

Shakespeare's Sonnets: If there be nothing new, but that which is
Sonnet 59