by Walter Scott, Sir (1771 - 1832)
The harp
Language: English
I was a wild and wayward boy, My childhood scorned each childish toy; Retired from all, reserved and coy, To musing prone, I wooed my solitary joy, My harp alone. My youth, with bold Ambition's mood, Despised the humble stream and wood Where my poor father's cottage stood, To fame unknown;-- What should my soaring views make good? My harp alone. Love came with all his frantic fire, And wild romance of vain desire; The Baron's daughter heard my lyre, And praised the tone;-- What could presumptuous hope inspire? My harp alone. At Manhood's touch the bubble burst, And Manhood's pride the vision curst, And all that had my folly nursed Love's sway to own; Yet spared the spell that lulled me first, My harp alone. Woe came with war, and want with woe; And it was mine to undergo Each outrage of the rebel foe:-- Can aught atone My fields made waste, my cot laid low? My harp alone! Ambition's dreams I've seen depart, Have rued of penury the smart, Have felt of love the venom'd dart When hope was flown; Yet rests one solace to my heart,-- My harp alone! Then over mountain, moor, and hill, My faithful harp, I'll bear thee still; And when this life of want and ill Is well night gone, Thy strings mine elegy shall thrill, My harp alone!
Authorship:
- by Walter Scott, Sir (1771 - 1832), "The harp", appears in Rokeby, Canto 5, no. XVIII, first published 1813 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Konstantin Aleksandrovich Bakhturin (1809 - 1841) [an adaptation] ; composed by Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka.
Researcher for this page: Barbara Miller
This text was added to the website: 2008-09-16
Line count: 42
Word count: 226