Shakespeare’s Sonnet #91 “Some glory in their birth, some in their skill”
But these particulars are not my measure;
All these I better in one general best.
Reading of Sonnet 91
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The images in the YouTube video are from an original 1609 edition of Shake-speares Sonnets held by the British Library. It is one of only thirteen copies in existence. Images courtesy of the Octavo Corporation.
Modernized Spelling and Punctuation
Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,
Some in their wealth, some in their bodies’ force,
Some in their garments, though new-fangled ill,
Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse;
And every humor hath his adjunct pleasure,
Wherein it finds a joy above the rest.
But these particulars are not my measure;
All these I better in one general best.
Thy love is better than high birth to me,
Richer than wealth, prouder than garments’ cost,
Of more delight than hawks or horses be;
And having thee, of all men’s pride I boast.
Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take
All this away, and me most wretched make.
Simplified Modern English Translation
Some people glory in their high birth, some in their abilities,
some in their wealth, some in their body’s strength,
some in their clothing (though often badly fashioned),
some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horses;
and every temperament has its accompanying pleasure
in which it finds a joy above the rest;
but these things I have listed are not the standard I use.
All these I surpass in one thing infinitely better.
Your love is better than high birth to me,
richer than wealth, more splendid than fashionable garments,
providing more delight than hawks or horses;
and, having you, I have everything that a person could want.
I am unhappy in one thing alone: that you may take
all this away, and me most wretched make.
Text from Original 1609 Quarto
Transcription courtesy of University of Virginia Library:
Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,
Some in their wealth, some in their bodies force,
Some in their garments though new-fangled ill:
Some in their Hawkes and Hounds, some in their Horse.
And euery humor hath his adiunct pleasure,
Wherein it findes a ioy aboue the rest,
But these perticulers are not my measure,
All these I better in one generall best.
Thy loue is bitter¹ then high birth to me,
Richer then wealth, prouder then garments cost,
Of more delight then Hawkes or Horses bee:
And hauing thee, of all mens pride I boast.
Wretched in this alone, that thou maist take,
All this away, and me most wretched make.
Wording differences between the text and the reading are noted with a superscript:
¹ better