Glen Collection of printed music > Printed music > Songs of Scotland > Volume 2

oh! thou art all so tender.
35
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Concluding Sj/7tiphoni/.
Though long and deep my sorrow, all lonely thus may be.
Oh ! still my heart shall borrow a ray of joy from thee ;
To thee the charms seem given of earth that never sprung,
The melting hymns of heaven are round thy spirit sung.
Then let thy form be near me, that I that form may see,
I've tried to live, but eerie, I cannot live from thee ;
Nor grudge deep kindness either, to sooth me when I sigh,
I know thoul't give it rather than thou would'st see me die.
Though mine thou may'st be never, and ceaseless woes betide,
Still nouglit on earth shall ever my love ii'om thee divide ;
My mind may cease to cherish the hope of bUss to be,
But of the hopes that perish the last shall breathe of thee.
" Oh ! THOU AM ALL SO tenher." This song was written by the Rev. Henry Scott Riddell, and is here repub-
lished by his express permission. The air is that given in Johnson's Museum, vol. ii., under the name of "My
love has forsaken me," and which is stated, by Mr. Stenhouse, to have been furnished for the Museum by Doctor
Blacklock, about the close of 1787. It has somewhat of a Gaelic cast, and from the simplicity of its style, and the
tonality on which it is composed, we would pronounce it to be considerably older than Dr. Blacklock's time.
As a preliminary to the consideration of Riizio's alleged authorship of many Scottish melodies, we subjoin a
few particulars of his life. We are told by Chalmers that David Rizzio* was born at Turin, of poor parents ; and
that he came to Scotland in the suite of the Piedmontese Ambassador, towards the end of the year 1561. Soon
afterwards he entered the service of Queen Mary, for we find that on the 8th January 1.561-2, he received £50
Scots, as " virlet of the Queen's chalmer ; " and again, three months later, £15, as " chalmer-chield," (page or
usher.) The account given of his entrance into the Queen's household, is, that a fourth singer was occasionally
wanted to take a part in the performance of madrigals and other concerted vocal music, and that he, having a good
voice and being skilled in music, was engaged to fill the situation. In this position he seems to have remained for
several years, for in 1564 we find that four payments were made to him at the rate of £80 a-year, still as " virlet."
In 1565, the Queen's French Secretary having been dismissed, Rizzio was appointed to succeed him, but did not
long enjoy his new office, as he was murdered about the close of the same year, (9th March); having thus been
little more than four years in the country.
* Or rather Riccio ; for thus Queen Srary spells the name in writing an account of the murder to the .Archbishop of Glas'^ow, then her
Ambassador at the Court of France.