Honest lover whatsoever (Thomas Arne)

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• (Posted 2023-11-07)  CPDL #77053: 

Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2023-11-07).   Score information: A4, 4 pages, 475 kB   Copyright: CC BY SA

Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download. This edition includes the original orchestral accompaniment.

• (Posted 2023-11-07)  CPDL #77052: 

Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2023-11-07).   Score information: A4, 3 pages, 182 kB   Copyright: CC BY SA

Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download. This edition includes a keyboard reduction of the original instrumental accompaniment.

General Information

Title: Honest lover whatsoever
Composer: Thomas Arne
Lyricist: John Suckling (adapted)
Number of voices: 1v   Voicing: solo high
Genre: Secular, Aria

Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo,Violins

First published: 1748
Description: "N.B. The original poem (tho admirable in its kind) being in too unequal measure for musick, Mr Arne was oblig'd to get several of the lines altered". Probably written for performance at Vauxhall.

Original text and translations

English text

Honest lover whatsoever,
If in all thy love there ever
was thought, to make the flame
Not still even, still the same;
Know this, thou lov'st amiss, and to love true,
Thou must begin again, and love anew.

When she first appears I' th' room
If thou art not quite struck dumb,
And repeatest not twice o'er
Words thou utterd'st just before;
Know this, thou lov'st amiss, and to love true,
Thou must begin again, and love anew.

If thy fondness don't mistake,
And defects for graces take,
If thou think'st not jests are made,
When she worse than nothing said;
Know this, thou lov'st amiss, and to love true,
Thou must begin again, and love anew.

If with her you chance to eat,
And cut not fingers 'stead of meat,
Or with gazing on her face,
Rise not hungry from the place;
Know this, thou lov'st amiss, and to love true,
Thou must begin again, and love anew.