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,
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.

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
Rhyme
ababcdcdefefgg
Form
sonnet