Songs, Ballads, and Other Poems :: :: University of Virginia Library

When first we met, I gaz'd on thee,
As on some spirit from above;
Whose beauty seem'd too pure to be
Profan'd by thoughts of earthly love,
When noble friends around thee mov'd,
And life's most precious gifts were thine
How could I dare confess I lov'd?
How could I hope to call thee mine?

II

But when I saw thy bright eyes seek
For me amid the glitt'ring throng—
When I was told that lovely cheek
Grew paler if I linger'd long;
And when I knew thou didst not shun
The path where I was sure to be,
Was I to blame for loving one
Who deign'd to own her love for me?

III

Though many tell me thou hast smil'd
On others kindly as on me;
And that my heart has been beguil'd
By a mere trifler's vanity,

182

I cannot—will not think it true,
Nor link thy name with woman's guile;
If it be so,—Ah! then adieu
To woman's love and woman's smile.

YES! WE WILL MEET!

[_]

(Air from Nina.)

I

Yes, we will meet as the coldest have met—
Yes, we will part with no sigh of regret;
Oh! if those eyes dare to look upon me,
Why should I shrink from a meeting with thee!

II

Come with the smile of a saint on thy brow,
Come with the friends who are dear to thee now:
If in my soul lurks no thought of deceit,
Say is it I that should blush when we meet?

ISLE OF BEAUTY.

[_]

(Original Air.)

I

Shades of evening close not o'er us,
Leave our lonely bark awhile!
Morn alas! will not restore us
Yonder dim and distant Isle.
Still my fancy can discover
Sunny spots where friends may dwell,
Darker shadows round us hover,—
Isle of beauty, Fare-thee-well!

183

II

'Tis the hour when happy faces
Smile around the taper's light,
Who will fill our vacant places?
Who will sing our songs to-night?
Through the mist that floats above us
Faintly sounds the Vesper bell,
Like a voice from those who love us.
Breathing fondly “Fare-thee-well!”

O COME TO ME.

[_]

(Original Air, by T. H. B.)

I

Oh come to me, and bring with thee
The sunny smiles of former years;
If smiles so bright will lend their light
To cheer a brow long used to tears.
I will not let one sad regret,
One gloomy thought, our meeting chill,
But for thy sake, I'll strive to make
This altered cheek look cheerful still.

II

But if the gloom of life is come,
If smiles have now forsaken thee;
Then let not pride attempt to hide
The dreary change, but come to me:
If thou art gay I will not say
One gloomy word to cause a tear;
If thou art sad, I'll wish I had
A brighter home for one so dear.

184

III

Then come to me, our theme shall be
The friends we love, not those we mourn.
We'll not destroy a present joy,
Lamenting joys that ne'er return;
The ardent rays of early days,
And boyhood's bloom, we ne'er may see;
But days of bright and pure delight
May be in store, then come to me.

WHEN THE BEE.

[_]

(Spanish Air.)

I

When the bee from the roses has taken her flight,
When the butterfly closes her wing for the night;
When the dew makes the flower more fragrant and fair:
Then haste to your bower and I will be there.

II

Oh! sages may ponder on wandering stars,
While true lovers wander with tell tale guitars!
I'll sing at that hour your favourite air;
Then haste to the bower and I will be there.

OH! WHAT A PITY!

[_]

(French Air.)

I

Beauty and Love once met in sunny weather,
“Sweet Boy,” she cried, in her persuasive tone;
“Come we will rove through Pleasure's path together,
Oh! what a pity Love should be alone.”

185

II

How could young Love suspect when Beauty sought him,
Sorrow was near! Alas! he's very blind!
Day after day her brightest gifts she brought him,
Oh! what a pity Beauty was so kind!

III

Prudence now call'd, and whisper'd “You must only
Trifle with Love, beware your heart's unhurt.”
Cupid was left to thoughts most sad and lonely;
Oh! what a pity Beauty was a flirt!

IV

Ladies beware before you give a lover
Too many smiles, keep prudence within call;
If sorrow come when your flirtation's over,
Oh! what a pity Love must bear it all!

LILLA'S A LADY.

[_]

(German Air.)

I

The church bells are ringing, the village is gay,
And Lilla is deck'd in her bridal array.
She's woo'd and she's won
By a proud baron's son—
And Lilla's a lady.

II

And see o'er the valley who rides at full speed,
A gallant young knight on a spirited steed,
And why starts the youth
When they tell him the truth—
That Lilla's a lady.

186

III

He's smiling in scorn or he's smiling in jest,
While three snow white lilies he takes from his breast;
“A poor maid,” says he,
“Gave this token to me,—
“But Lilla's a lady.”

IV

“These sweet little lilies that grew in the shade,
Transplanted to sunshine, unnoticed may fade;
Though mere words of course,
You may yet feel their force—
Since Lilla's a lady.”

V

“I came here misled by a false woman's vow.
I will stay to drink health to the baroness now.
And oh! it will be
Quite as pleasant to me—
Since Lilla's a lady.”

VI

“Believe not I'll pine,—no, I travelled so far
For the girl that you seem'd, not the girl that you are;
You are woo'd, you are won
By a proud baron's son—
And Lilla's a lady.”

OH! DO NOT CHIDE ME.

[_]

(Indian Air.)

I

Oh! do not chide me for the tears I shed;
Oh! do not tell me, Rosa is not dead;
Where are the bright eyes that I used to see?
Where are the sweet smiles? They are dead to me!

187

II

Say not that Rosa smiles upon the gay;
Say not her beauty fadeth not away;
Still must I wander where she us'd to be;
Still must I mourn her—she is dead to me!

THE EVERGREEN LEAF.

[_]

(Original Air.)

I

“Farewell!” exclaimed Rosa, “dear Roland away!
My father decrees it, and we must obey;
Yet though I complain not, and bow to his will;
In secret, in silence, I'll think of you still.”

II

“In dreams those dear features before me shall rise;
Your bright sunny hair, and your happy blue eyes:
My love defies all that the future can bring,
Like the evergreen leaf on the emerald ring.”

III

The maiden is borne to a far distant isle,
New friends court her favour, new lovers her smile.
Her tears are forgotten, a stranger is near
Who breathes the fond language of love in her ear!

IV

Jet black are his ringlets and dark is his brow;
Oh! where is her sunny hair'd favourite now?
Alas! is affection so fleeting a thing?
Unlike the green leaf on the emerald ring.

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V

Can Rosa be faithless? No—dull are the eyes
Of the girl who detects not her lover's disguise:
He darkens the tint of his features in vain,
The expression so dear to her still must remain.

VI

No stranger is there, it is Roland she hears,
And answers his fond vows with eloquent tears.
Then say not that love is a frivolous thing,
'Tis the evergreen leaf on the emerald ring.

GO, ROSA, GO!

[_]

(Original Air.)

I

Go, Rosa, go! at once farewell,
Since faithless I have found thee;
Nay, do not quite destroy the spell,
That my fancy shed around thee.
If thou had'st seem'd, what thou hast prov'd,
I never should have sought thee:
Alas! it was not thee I lov'd,
But the artless girl I thought thee.

II

Go dance with other youths to-night,
Where we have danced together;
Go prove thy heart to be as light
As the down upon thy feather.
Go rove where we have often rov'd,
Go smile as pride hath taught thee;
Alas! it was not thee I lov'd,
But the artless girl I thought thee.