Love thou art best of human joys, Z 596/1 (Henry Purcell)

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• (Posted 2008-03-18)  CPDL #16380: 

Editor: William Long (submitted 2008-03-18).   Score information: Letter, 5 pages, 120 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: Love thou art best of Humane Joys
Composer: Henry Purcell
Lyricist: Anne Finch

Number of voices: 2vv   Voicing: Soprano duo
Genre: Secular, Aria

Language: Latin
Instruments: Basso continuo

First published: 1693
Description: From the incidental music to The Female Virtuosos.

Original text and translations

English text

Love thou art best of Humane Joys:
Our chiefest happiness below;
All other Pleasures are but Toys,
Musick without that is but Noise
and Beauty but an empty show.

Heaven who knew best what Men cou'd move,
And raise his thoughts above the Brute;
Said let him Love;
That, that, that alone,
must his Soul improve;
Howe'er Philosophers dispute.