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

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

Sonnet 59

Original Text
SHAKE-SPEARES SONNETS (London: G. Eld for T. T. and sold by William Aspley, 1609): e1r.
1If there be nothing new but that which is,
2Hath been before, how are our brains beguil'd,
5Oh that record could with a back-ward look,
7Show me your image in some antique book,
9That I might see what the old world could say
10To this composèd wonder of your frame,
12Or whether revolution be the same!
13    Oh sure I am the wits of former days

Notes

3] lab'ring] laboring Q. bear] bring forth. Back to Line
4] burthen] birthing. Back to Line
6] Ev'n] Euen Q. Back to Line
8] in character] in alphabetic letter. Back to Line
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). Back to Line
14] giv'n] giuen Q. Back to Line
Publication Start Year
1609
RPO poem Editors
Ian Lancashire
RPO Edition
2008
Form