Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Popular music of the olden time > Volume 2

522
ENGLISH SONG AND BALLAD MUSIC.
Mr. Campbell also gives three stanzas " of the original Border ditty, which
was chanted to the melody." These were supplied by Miss M. Pringle, of Jed-
burgh. They are evidently a paraphrase of Mrs. Habergham's ballad, as the
two following will shew : —
" O once my thyme was young,
It floui'ish'd night and day;
But by there came a false young man,
And he stole my thyme away.
Within my garden gay,
The rose and lily grew ; [away,
But the pride o' my garden is wither'd
And it's a' grown o'er wi' rue."
The tune was not improved in transmission to the Border, as may be seen by
comparing the copy in Albyn's Anthology, or Wood's Songs of Scotland (in both
of which Mr. Thomas Pringle's song is united to it) , with the Lancashire version
here printed.
The following lines were written to the air by Mr. H. F. Chorley, for the
National English Airs. They are entitled " The Widow's Song :" —
Oh ! leave me to dream and weep,
Or lift ye the churchyard stone,
And send me my dead, through the
twilight deep,
For I sit by my hearth alone !
They were three of the blythest fays !
But their mirth — it all is done !
Oh I never could think in those glad, glad
I must sit by my hearth alone ! [days !
The spring 'mid her bloom goes by,
And the summer's glorious sun,
Ere I know there are flowers, or a bright
blue sky,
While I sit by my hearth alone !
Then leave me to dream and weep !
Or lift ye the church-yard stone :
I am weary, weary ; better sleep,
Than sit by my hearth alone !
From a variety of traditional versions, I have selected the following. The
Seven Dials copies are very corrupt, and I am informed that they are frequently
reprinted from the dictation of ballad-singers, who require a supply for sale,
instead of from earlier copies.
In moderate time, and with simplicity
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