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If there be nothing new, but that which is
Hath beene before, how are our braines beguild,
Which laboring for invention beare amisse
The second burthen of a former child.
Oh that record could with a back-ward looke,
Even of five hundreth courses of the Sunne,
Show me your image in some antique booke,
Since minde at first in carrecter was done.
That I might see what the old world could say,
To this composed wonder of your frame,
Whether we are mended, or where better they,
Or whether revolution be the same.
Oh sure I am the wits of former daies,
To subjects worse have given admiring praise.
Commentary
Commentary
Address to his beloved
Address to his beloved
Changes to the original text: line 1, 'their' changed to 'there'; end of line, comma deleted; end of line 4, question mark changed to full stop.
In the first quatrain, the poet observes that since there is nothing new (that which is hath been before), the poet's brain therefore labours to give birth to something that has already been published (the second burthen of a former child).
In the second quatrain, the poet posits that, since everything has been seen before, he should be able to find his beloved's face in an old book, dating from the time that thoughts were first put down in writing (minde at first in character was done).
In the third quatrain, the poet observes that he would then be able to see what prior times thought of him (the beloved), and whether they had better ideas or worse (whether we are mended, or where better they) or whether no change has occurred (revolution be the same).
In the final couplet, the poet asserts that he is sure that the wits of ancient times gave more praise to worse subjects.
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