Even honest Men delight will take
To spare your failings for his sake,
Will flatter you,--.
To spare your failings for his sake,
Will flatter you,--.
William Wordsworth
]
[Variant 2:
1840.
Strong bodied if ye be to bear
Intemperance with less harm, beware!
But if your Father's wit ye share,
Then, then indeed,
Ye Sons of Burns! for watchful care 1807.
. . . for tenfold care 1827.
The text of 1827 is otherwise identical with that of 1840. ]
[Variant 3:
1840.
For honest men delight will take
To shew you favor for his sake,
Will flatter you; and Fool and Rake 1807.
For their beloved Poet's sake,
Even honest men delight will take
To flatter you; . . . 1820.
Even honest Men delight will take
To spare your failings for his sake,
Will flatter you,--. . . 1827. ]
* * * * *
FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT
[Footnote A: In the edition of 1807, this poem has the title 'Address to
the Sons of Burns after visiting their Father's Grave (August 14th,
1803)'. Slight changes were made in the title afterwards. --Ed. ]
[Footnote B: Dorothy Wordsworth wrote, in her 'Recollections' of this
tour, under date August 18th, 1803,
"William wrote long afterwards the following Address to the sons of
the ill-fated poet. "
Ed. ]
[Footnote C: This explanatory note appears in every edition of the Poems
from 1827 to 1850. It is taken (but not literally) from the
'Recollections of a Tour made in Scotland' as published in 1875. --Ed. ]
[Footnote D: From Burns's 'Epistle to James Smith', l. 53. --Ed. ]
[Footnote E: From Burns's poem, 'The Vision', Duan Second.
[Variant 2:
1840.
Strong bodied if ye be to bear
Intemperance with less harm, beware!
But if your Father's wit ye share,
Then, then indeed,
Ye Sons of Burns! for watchful care 1807.
. . . for tenfold care 1827.
The text of 1827 is otherwise identical with that of 1840. ]
[Variant 3:
1840.
For honest men delight will take
To shew you favor for his sake,
Will flatter you; and Fool and Rake 1807.
For their beloved Poet's sake,
Even honest men delight will take
To flatter you; . . . 1820.
Even honest Men delight will take
To spare your failings for his sake,
Will flatter you,--. . . 1827. ]
* * * * *
FOOTNOTES ON THE TEXT
[Footnote A: In the edition of 1807, this poem has the title 'Address to
the Sons of Burns after visiting their Father's Grave (August 14th,
1803)'. Slight changes were made in the title afterwards. --Ed. ]
[Footnote B: Dorothy Wordsworth wrote, in her 'Recollections' of this
tour, under date August 18th, 1803,
"William wrote long afterwards the following Address to the sons of
the ill-fated poet. "
Ed. ]
[Footnote C: This explanatory note appears in every edition of the Poems
from 1827 to 1850. It is taken (but not literally) from the
'Recollections of a Tour made in Scotland' as published in 1875. --Ed. ]
[Footnote D: From Burns's 'Epistle to James Smith', l. 53. --Ed. ]
[Footnote E: From Burns's poem, 'The Vision', Duan Second.
