Season, 1827 Songs, Duets and Glees, Sung in the open Orchestra, at the Royal Gardens, Vauxhall [by W. T. Thomas] |
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THE RIDDLE. |
 | Season, 1827 |  |
THE RIDDLE.
Fair maids and gay youths, your attention I claim,
Come, read me my riddle, and name me my name;
I'm born in a twinkling of beauty's bright eye,
And some people say, quite as quickly I die;
I as old am as Adam, yet still I'm a child,
And have kill'd many scores, though in nature most mild;
I blind am, and yet none more quickly can see;
And have wings, as you must know, if e'er you've known me.
My riddle then read, name my name, ere you go;
You know it, have known, or will very soon know;
As some time to your cost you, believe me, will prove,
For 'tis—do not give it up; guess it;—'tis Love!
Come, read me my riddle, and name me my name;
I'm born in a twinkling of beauty's bright eye,
And some people say, quite as quickly I die;
I as old am as Adam, yet still I'm a child,
And have kill'd many scores, though in nature most mild;
7
And have wings, as you must know, if e'er you've known me.
My riddle then read, name my name, ere you go;
You know it, have known, or will very soon know;
As some time to your cost you, believe me, will prove,
For 'tis—do not give it up; guess it;—'tis Love!
Though I conquer the world, I've no clothes to my back,
Yet e'en misers their money yield when I attack;
I my joy show in tears, in a sigh 'tis I speak,
I make fools of the wisest, the strongest make weak;
Make you freeze, make you glow, give you pleasure and pain;
I drive the young mad, make the old young again;
And this, too, I can boast, howe'er arch you may be,
You'll find that you still have an archer in me!
My riddle then read, name my name, ere you go;
You know it, have known, or will very soon know;
As some time to your cost, you, believe me, will prove,
For 'tis—do not give it up; guess it;—'tis Love!
Yet e'en misers their money yield when I attack;
I my joy show in tears, in a sigh 'tis I speak,
I make fools of the wisest, the strongest make weak;
Make you freeze, make you glow, give you pleasure and pain;
I drive the young mad, make the old young again;
And this, too, I can boast, howe'er arch you may be,
You'll find that you still have an archer in me!
My riddle then read, name my name, ere you go;
You know it, have known, or will very soon know;
As some time to your cost, you, believe me, will prove,
For 'tis—do not give it up; guess it;—'tis Love!
| Season, 1827 | |