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On Miss Fontenelle

 

Burns Original

Standard English Translation

 

Sweet naivete of feature,
Simple, wild, enchanting elf,
Not to thee, but thanks to Nature
Thou art acting but thyself.

Wert thou awkward, stiff, affected,
Spurning Nature, torturing art,
Loves and Graces all rejected,
Then indeed thou'dst act a part.

 

 

Sweet naivete of feature,
Simple, wild, enchanting elf,
Not to you, but thanks to Nature
You are acting but yourself.

Were you awkward, stiff, affected,
Spurning Nature, torturing art,
Loves and Graces all rejected,
Then indeed you would act a part.

 

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