The Complete Poems of Sir Thomas Moore Part 82

[1] It is hardly necessary, perhaps, to inform the reader, that these lines are meant as a tribute of sincere friends.h.i.+p to the memory of an old and valued colleague in this work, Sir John Stevenson.

NATIONAL AIRS

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nT.

It is Cicero, I believe, who says "_natura, ad modes ducimur;_" and the abundance of wild, indigenous airs, which almost every country, except England, possesses, sufficiently proves the truth of his a.s.sertion. The lovers of this simple, but interesting kind of music, are here presented with the first number of a collection, which, I trust, their contributions will enable us to continue. A pretty air without words resembles one of those _half_ creatures of Plato, which are described as wandering in search of the remainder of themselves through the world. To supply this other half, by uniting with congenial words the many fugitive melodies which have hitherto had none,--or only such as are unintelligible to the generality of their hearers,--it is the object and ambition of the present work. Neither is it our intention to confine ourselves to what are strictly called National Melodies, but, wherever we meet with any wandering and beautiful air, to which poetry has not yet a.s.signed a worthy home, we shall venture to claim it as an _estray_ swan, and enrich our humble Hippocrene with its song.

T.M.

NATIONAL AIRS

A TEMPLE TO FRIENDs.h.i.+P.

(SPANISH AIR.)

"A Temple to Friends.h.i.+p;" said Laura, enchanted, "I'll build in this garden,--the thought is divine!"

Her temple was built and she now only wanted An image of Friends.h.i.+p to place on the shrine.

She flew to a sculptor, who set down before her A Friends.h.i.+p, the fairest his art could invent; But so cold and so dull, that the youthful adorer Saw plainly this was not the idol she meant.

"Oh! never," she cried, "could I think of enshrining "An image whose looks are so joyless and dim;-- "But yon little G.o.d, upon roses reclining, "We'll make, if you please, Sir, a Friends.h.i.+p of him."

So the bargain was struck; with the little G.o.d laden She joyfully flew to her shrine in the grove: "Farewell," said the sculptor, "you're not the first maiden "Who came but for Friends.h.i.+p and took away Love."

FLOW ON, THOU s.h.i.+NING RIVER.

(PORTUGUESE AIR.)

Flow on, thou s.h.i.+ning river; But ere thou reach the sea Seek Ella's bower and give her The wreaths I fling o'er thee And tell her thus, if she'll be mine The current of our lives shall be, With joys along their course to s.h.i.+ne, Like those sweet flowers on thee.

But if in wandering thither Thou find'st she mocks my prayer, Then leave those wreaths to wither Upon the cold bank there; And tell her thus, when youth is o'er, Her lone and loveless Charms shall be Thrown by upon life's weedy sh.o.r.e.

Like those sweet flowers from thee.

ALL THAT'S BRIGHT MUST FADE.

(INDIAN AIR.)

All that's bright must fade,-- The brightest still the fleetest; All that's sweet was made But to be lost when sweetest.

Stars that s.h.i.+ne and fall;-- The flower that drops in springing;-- These, alas! are types of all To which our hearts are clinging.

All that's bright must fade,-- The brightest still the fleetest; All that's sweet was made But to be lost when sweetest?

Who would seek our prize Delights that end in aching?

Who would trust to ties That every hour are breaking?

Better far to be In utter darkness lying, Than to be blest with light and see That light for ever flying.

All that's bright must fade,-- The brightest still the fleetest; All that's sweet was made But to be lost when sweetest!

SO WARMLY WE MET.

(HUNGARIAN AIR.)

So warmly we met and so fondly we parted, That which was the sweeter even I could not tell,-- That first look of welcome her sunny eyes darted, Or that tear of pa.s.sion, which blest our farewell.

To meet was a heaven and to part thus another,-- Our joy and our sorrow seemed rivals in bliss; Oh! Cupid's two eyes are not liker each other In smiles and in tears than that moment to this.

The first was like day-break, new, sudden, delicious,-- The dawn of a pleasure scarce kindled up yet; The last like the farewell of daylight, more precious, More glowing and deep, as 'tis nearer its set.

Our meeting, tho' happy, was tinged by a sorrow To think that such happiness could not remain; While our parting, tho' sad, gave a hope that to-morrow Would bring back the blest hour of meeting again.