Balance a straw - Oswald, James

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"A song arranged by James Oswald, and used by him in the theatre, possibly employing a pre-existing tune. It was quickly absorbed into popular culture (as a country dance tune and with sets of variations, etc.)."

⌛ Period → Baroque ◈ Genre → Arias ♬ Voicing → Solo high ¶ Language → English

Parts 1

Instruments Basso continuo

Pages 2

CPDL # 69251

Editor Christopher Shaw

Posted 2022-05-15

License Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike

¶Lyrics / Text

rom the man whom I love, though my heart I disguise, I will freely describe the wretch I despise; And if he has sense but to balance a straw He will sure take the hint from the picture I draw. A wit without sense, without fancy a beau, Like a parrot he chatters, and struts like a crow; A peacock in pride, in grimace a baboon, In courage a hind, in conceit a gascoon. As a vulture rapacious, in falsehood a fox, Inconstant as waves, and unfeeling as rocks: As a tiger ferocious, perverse as a hog, In mischief an ape, and in fawning a dog. In a word, to sum up all his talents together, His heart is of lead, and his brain is of feather: Yet, if he has sense but to balance a straw, He will sure take a hint from the picture I draw.