Tis strange, this heart within my breast,

Title:

A Song.

Primary Texts:

MS's: F-H 283, 87-8*; Folger, 33
'Tis strange, this heart within my breast,
Reason opposing, and her pow'rs,
Cannot one gentle moment rest,
Unlesse it knows what's done in yours.

In vain I ask it, of your Eyes,
Which subt'ly would my fears controul,
For art has taught them, to disguise,
Which Nature made, t'explain the soul.

In vain, that sound your voice affoards,
Flatters sometimes, my easy mind,
But of too vast extent, are words,
In them, the Jewel truth to find.

Then, lett thy fond enquiry's cease,
And so my soul, thy troubles end,
For sure that heart, shall ne'r know peace,
That on another does depend

Secondary Eds:

1713 Misc, 272-3; rpt of 1713: 1903 Reynolds, 132; rpts of 1903 Reynolds: 1930 Fausset, 62; 1979 Rogers AF, 91.

17C:

1691 Vinculum Societatis, 15 (set to music by R. Courteville). .

18C:

1724 The Hive I, 255.

20C:

Rpt of 1713/1903: 1905 Wordsworth (compiled), 26-7; 1973 Goulianos, 81-2; 1979 Rogers, Six Women, 17; Reynolds, 132; rpts of 1903 Reynolds: 1930 Fausset, 62; 1979 Rogers AF, 91.

Comment:

On love as a state of intense vulnerability: "that Heart shall ne'er know Peace/Which on Anothers do's depend"; another text whose versions suggest F-H 283 is earliest; F-H 283 is written as if speaking to someone who has asked about love; line 13 is "lett thy fond enquiry's cease"; line 14: "thy troubles end"; Folger shows crossing out of "thy" and substitution of "my"; then 1713 Misc prints Folger version: Then let my fond Enquiries cease,/And so let all my Trouble end." 1724 Hive reprints 1713 Misc, with slight modernizing; as does everyone but Reynolds and Rogers (who stick to 1713 Misc religiously).
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