Glen Collection of printed music > Printed text > Charms of melody, or, Siren medley

THE CHARMS OF MELODY.
243
Alloa Houfe.
X HE fpring time returns, and cloaths the green
plains,
And Alloa fhinss more chearful and gay,
•The lark tunes his throat and the neighbouring
fwains
Sing merrily round me wherever I ftray.
But Sandy no move returns to my view,
No Ipring time me chears, no mufic can charm,
He's gone, and I fear me, for ever, adieu.
Adieu ev'ry pleafure this bofom can warm.
O Alloa Houfe! how much art thou chang'd!
How filent, how dull to me is each grove !
\lone I here wander where once v.-e both rang'd !
Alas! where to pleafe me my Sandy once ftrove!
Here Sandy I heard the tales that you told;
Here liftened, too fond, whenever you fung ;
Am I grown lets fair, then, that you are turnM cold,
Or foolifli believ'd I a falfe flatt'ring tongue ?
So fpobe the fair maid, when forrow's keen pain,
And Ihame, her laft fault'ring accents fuppreft ;
J"or fate at that moment brought back her dear
fwain,
Who heard, and with rapture, his Nelly addreft.
" Mv Nelly, my fair, I come, oh, my love,
" No pow'rlhall e'er tear thee again from my arms
"And, Nelly ! no more thy fond Ihepherd reprove,
" Who knows thy fair v/orth, and adores all thy
charms."
She heard, and new joy fhot thro' her foft frame ;
" And will you, my love ! be true," Ihe reply 'd,
■' And live Iv^to meet my fond Ihepherd the fame !
" O'.'dream '. thalSandy will make me his bride?"
-" Oh, Nelly I I live to find thee ftill hind ;
" Still true to thy fwain, and lovely as true :
'■ Then adieu to all forrow, what foul is fo blind
" As not to live happy for ev^^r with you 1"
l^o Harm in that.
WHEN nights were cold, and rain, and Heet,
Full hard againft the window beat;
Then many a long and w-eary mile.
My lover travell'd to behold me.
His toil repaid to lee me fmile.
And fweeily in his arms enfold me ;
And thio' the night we'd fit and chat;
Aias ! there was no harm in that.
How fweet Ills words whene'er he fpoke,
liut, oh ! when he his paffion broke,
U|'on his lips the fait'ring tale
More grace receiv'd from his confufion.
And now by turns his cheek look'd pale,
: Or crimfon'd o'er with mild fufFufion,
Our beating hearts went pit-a-pat;
AlasJ there was no harm in that-.
Another now the hlifs muft prove.
The' we fo oft have fworn to love;
Oh I cruelty — my heart wuU b-eak,
I'll hie m,e to fome fhade forfaken,
And only of my love I'll fpeak.
And prove my faith and truth unfhaksn :
I'll wander where u e oft have iat ;
Sure there will be no harm in that.
The Bird
THf bird that hears hei; neftlings cry.
And flies abroad for food.
Returns impatient through the flcy,
To nurfe her callow brood :
The tender mother knows no joy,
t ut bodes a thoufand harms ;
And fickens for the darling boy.
When abfent from her arms.
Such fondnefs, with impatience join'd.
My faithful bofom fires ;
Now forc'd to leave my fair behind,
The queen of my defires :
The pow'rs of verfe too languid prove,
All fimilies are vain,
"To fhew how ardently I love,
Or to relieve my pain.
The faint w^ith fervent zeal infpir'd,
For heav'n and joy divine ;
The faint is not with rapture fir'd.
More pure, more warm than mine ;
I take what liberty I dare,
'Twere impious to fay more ;
Convey my longings to the fair,
The goddefs I adore.
Emma's Plaint.
SWEET zephyr, tho' 'midft rofe-buds playing,
Or o'er the fragrant meadows ftraying,
Waft tidings of my abfent fwain ;
Whether in woodlands wild a rover.
Or to fome village maid a lover.
Soon, foon relieve lad Emma's pain:
But, oh ! if death has fnatch'd his breath.
Ah, whifper.
Where lies his grave in vale or plain.
How oft' my Henry, all endearing,
•Has charm'd my ear, all fondly hearing?
While on he view'd the inconftant mainj
He bade adieu, he faw my forrow.
And cry'd, " I'll haften back to-morrow,"
Yet he, alas ! came not again.
Bitt.sh ! ifdealli, Uc
But Emma there — no mortal knowing.
With filent Hep and eye o'erfiov/ing.
At eve will Iteal to vent her pain :
Till from her grief each nerve eshaufting,
Till her poor tender heart-ftrings burfling.
She dies to join her clay-cold Iwain :
Then, oh ! if death, &C^
rnrrt^nwrgDnmrr-'^'f' "^i^' ' '■'-"^■'^ ^j^ '.».
BALLAD.
The Lady tura'd Serving-man,
YOU beauteous ladies, great and fmail,
I write unto you one and all,
Whereby that you may unde' 't jid
What I have fuffer'd in this laud.
I was by birth a lady fair,
An ancient V> u'cn's only heir.
And when my :;ood old n ther dy'd,
1 hen I became a joung knight's bride-.