Drink to me only with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine; Or leave a kiss within the cup, And I'll not ask for wine. The thirst that from the soul doth rise Doth ask a drink divine; But might I of Jove's nectar sup, I would not change for thine. I sent thee late a rosy wreath, Not so much honouring thee, As giving it a hope that there It could not withered be. But thou thereon didst only breathe And send'st it back to me: Since when it grows, and smells, I swear Not of itself, but thee.
Three songs from old English popular songs
Song Cycle by Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953)
1. Drink to me only with thine eyes  [sung text checked 1 time]
Authorship:
- by Ben Jonson (1572 - 1637), "Song to Celia"
Based on:
- a text in Greek (Ελληνικά) by Lucius Flavius Philostratus (c170 - c248), quotes from love letters 24, 30 and 31 [text unavailable]
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Bertram Kottmann) , "Lied an Celia", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Note: parodied in Archibald Stodart-Walker's Blink to me only with thine eyes.
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
2. Barbara Allen  [sung text checked 1 time]
In Scarlet Town, where I was born, There was a fair maid dwellin', Made ev'ry youth cry "Well-a-day!" Her name was Barb'ra Allen. All in the merry month of May When green buds they were swellin', Young Jemmy Grove on his death-bed lay For love of Barb'ra Allen. Then slowly, slowly she came up, And slowly she came nigh him, And all she said when there she came "Young man, I think you're dying". As she was walking o'er the fields She heard the dead-bell knellin', And ev'ry stroke the dead-bell gave Cried "Woe to Barb'ra Allen!" When he was dead and laid in grave Her heart was struck with sorrow. "O mother, mother, make my bed, For I shall die tomorrow." "Farewell," she said, "ye virgins all, And shun the fault I fell in; Henceforth take warning by the fall Of cruel Barb'ra Allen."
Authorship:
Go to the single-text view
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry3. Over the mountains  [sung text checked 1 time]
Over the mountains,
And over the waves,
Under the fountains
And under the graves.
Under floods that are deepest
Which Neptune obey,
Over rocks that are steepest,
Love will find out the way.
Where there is no place
For the glow-worm to lie,
Where there is no space
For receipt of a fly;
Where the midge dare not venture
Lest herself fast she lay,
If love come, he will enter
And [soon find out his way]1.
Some think to [lose him
By having]2 him confined;
[And]3 some do suppose him,
Poor thing, to be blind;
But if ne'er so close ye wall him,
Do the best that ye may,
Blind love, if so ye call him,
[Will find out his way]4.
[ ... ]
You may train the eagle
To stoop to your fist;
Or you may inveigle
The phoenix of the East,
The lioness, [ye]5 may move her
to [give]6 o'er her prey;
But you'll ne'er stop a lover:
[He will find out his way]7.
Authorship:
- from Volkslieder (Folksongs) , "Love will find out the way", appears in Reliques of Ancient English Poetry, collected by Thomas Percy
See other settings of this text.
View original text (without footnotes)1 Quilter: "will find out the way"
2 Quilter: "loose him/ Or have"
3 omitted by Quilter.
4 Quilter: "Soon will find out his way"
5 Quilter: "you"
6 Quilter: "get"
7 Quilter: "love shall find out the way"
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry