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: [I think I beat congress at last, I am not to say w@res and @ssumes!!! As if congress never @ssumes anything!] : I'm singing Dowland's musical conversion of Fine knacks for ladies with a quartet, and since English isn't our native language, we seem to disagree on what this poem is all about. I would be very much obliged if someone could enlighten me. : Now, here are the lyrics, and what I don't understand about them =): : " Fine knacks for ladies, cheap, choice, brave and new," : 1. So there is this variety of cheap thingies for ladies, I presume the narrator has them for sale, right? : " Good pennyworths but money cannot move," : 2. the goods give value for their money, but for some reason money won't change hands? what happens here, why can't the money move? : " I keep a fair but for the fair to view," : 3. So, it's definitely some kind of peddler, who only shows his w@res to honest people, right? : " A beggar may be liberal of love." : 4. A poor man is not restricted in whom he can love, I @ssume this means. Is that true, and what does it mean at this place, is our peddler a beggar? : " Though all my w@res be trash, the heart is true." : 5. Ok, so he may not deal in interesting stuff, he's true of heart and finds that important. Right? : " Great gifts are guiles and look for gifts again," : 6. Does gifts mean presents here? So yes, they can be treacherous, but why look for more presents? : " My trifles come as treasures from my mind," : 7. I guess this means that he regards his insignificant thoughts as treasures? : " It is a precious jewel to be plain," : 8. Only a real gem can afford to be unadorned? : " Sometimes in shell the Orient's pearls we find." : 9. Why not shells? Does he mean that ugly things can bring forth great beauty, and does he mean himself? : " Of others take a sheaf, of me a grain." : 10. Does he indicate here that rich people owe more taxes and he doesn't need to pay a lot because he has little? : " Within this pack pins, points, laces and gloves," : 11. I @ssume the laces mean those lace collars and cuffs they had in those days, is that true? What sort of points does he mean? And he is indicating that he has those things in his pack (wrapping of blankets or so), isn't he? : " And divers toys fitting a country fair," : 12. and he has other stuff that would fit well on a country fair (a big happening in those days), right? : " But in my heart, where duty serves and loves," : 13. Here it becomes tricky, with "but" does he refer to the previous or the next sentence, or what is he saying? That he can follow his heart in doing what he must do and who he can love? : " Turtles and twins, Court's brood, a heav'nly pair." : 14. I have no clue whatsoever what this means. : " Happy the man that thinks of no removes." : 15 I @ssume he indicates that the man who doesn't have to worry about losing his possessions is a happy man, and he refers to himself, not being rich, but is that true? : So, in general, I get the impression that this is about some sort of trader who may make a humble impression but is happy because he is not weighed down with the burdens of possessions and can do what he pleases, and love who he will, so in fact he is rich. Apart from that he warns us that you shouldn't judge by appearances, because behind his humble appearance he could have a noble heart. : One of the others in my quartet thought this is just a poem about a peddler selling his w@res. He might be right. : I'd be very happy with an educated view on this!

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