The bait (John Liptrot Hatton)

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• (Posted 2023-10-25)  CPDL #76625:     

Editor: David Anderson (submitted 2023-10-25).   Score information: Letter, 8 pages, 400 kB   Copyright: Personal

Edition notes:

• (Posted 2019-09-02)  CPDL #55242:         

Editor: James Gibb (submitted 2019-09-02).   Score information: A4, 8 pages, 109 kB   Copyright: CPDL

Edition notes:

General Information

Title: The bait
Composer: John Liptrot Hatton
Lyricist: John Donne

Number of voices: 4vv   Voicing: SATB
Genre: Secular, Partsong

Language: English
Instruments: Keyboard

Instruments: A cappella

First published: 1873 in Novello's Part-Song Book (2nd series), Vol. 6, no. 193
Description: Uses only part of Donne's poem.

Original text and translations

English text

Come live with me, and be my love,
And we will some new pleasures prove
Of golden sands, and crystal brooks,
With silken lines, and silver hooks.

There will the river whispering run
Warm'd by thy eyes, more than the sun;
And there the 'enamour'd fish will stay,
Begging themselves they may betray.

Let others freeze with angling reeds,
And cut their legs with shells and weeds,
Or curious traitors, sleeve-silk flies,
Bewitch poor fishes' wand'ring eyes.

For thee, thou need'st no such deceit,
For thou thyself art thine own bait:
That fish, that is not catch'd thereby,
Alas, is wiser far than I.