Pursuing beauty, men descry the distant shore (Thomas Arne)
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- (Posted 2025-10-09) CPDL #87094:
- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2025-10-09). Score information: A4, 4 pages, 154 kB Copyright: CC BY SA
- Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download. This edition includes the original instrumental accompaniment.
- (Posted 2025-10-09) CPDL #87093:
- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2025-10-09). Score information: A4, 3 pages, 84 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: Pursuing beauty, men descry the distant shore
Composer: Thomas Arne
Lyricist: Thomas Southernecreate page
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: solo high
Genre: Secular, Aria
Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo, violin
First published: 1760
Description: Probably written for performance at Vauxhall. The text is from a play, Sir Anthony Love, or, The Rambling Lady, for which Henry Purcell composed the best known setting.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Pursuing beauty, men descry
The distant shore, and long to prove
(Still richer in variety)
The treasures of the land of love.
We women, like weak Indians, stand,
Inviting, from our golden coast,
The wandering rovers to our land:
But she who trades with 'em is lost.
With humble vows they first begin,
Stealing unseen into the heart;
But, by possession settled in,
They quickly act another part.
For beads and baubles we resign,
In ignorance, our shining store;
Discover nature's richest mine,
And yet the tyrants will have more.
Sisters, be wise; forbear to try
How he can court, or you be won:
For love is but discovery;
When that is made, the pleasure's done.