William Shakespeare, Sonnet cxxxviii
When my love swears that she is made of truth,
I do believe her, though I know she lies;
That she might think me some untutor'd youth,
4
Unlearned in the world's false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue;
8
On both sides thus is simple truth supprest .
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love's best habit is in seeming trust,
12
And age in love loves not to have years told:
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
Notes
line 14: There are many variations in the copy of this Sonnet as originally published in The Passionate Pilgrim. The differences are of that character which would lead us to believe that the author, after the lapse of a few years, wrote it out a second time from memory. The variations are certainly not those of a transcriber:--
When my love swears that she is made of truth,[ Back to text ]
I do believe her, though I know she lies,
That she might think me someuntutor'd youth,
Unskilful in the world's false forgeries.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although I know my years be past the best,
I smiling credit her false-speaking tongue,
Outfacing faults in love with love's ill rest.
But wherefore says my love that she is young?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love's best habit is a soothing tongue,
And age in love loves not to have years told.
Therefore I'll lie with love, and love with me,
Since that our faults in love thussmother'd be.
Most notes to Shakespeare's sonnets are from Charles Knight's edition, but those in square brackets are mine.