The songs and poems of Robert Tannahill With biography, illustrations, and music |
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SONNET TO SINCERITY. |
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 | The songs and poems of Robert Tannahill |  |
SONNET TO SINCERITY.
Pure emanation of the honest soul,
Dear to my heart, manly Sincerity!
Dissimulation shrinks—a coward foul—
Before thy noble art-detesting eye.
Dear to my heart, manly Sincerity!
Dissimulation shrinks—a coward foul—
Before thy noble art-detesting eye.
Thou scorn'st the wretch who acts a double part,
Obsequious, servile, flatt'ring to betray,
With smiling face that veils a ranc'rous heart,
Like sunny morning of tempestuous day.
Obsequious, servile, flatt'ring to betray,
With smiling face that veils a ranc'rous heart,
Like sunny morning of tempestuous day.
Thou spurn'st the sophist, with his guilty lore,
Whom int'rest prompts to weave the specious snare;
In independence rich, thou own'st a store
Of conscious worth, which changelings never share.
Whom int'rest prompts to weave the specious snare;
In independence rich, thou own'st a store
Of conscious worth, which changelings never share.
Then come, bright virtue, with thy dauntless brow,
And crush deceit, vile monster, reptile low.
And crush deceit, vile monster, reptile low.
| The songs and poems of Robert Tannahill | |