by Tobias George Smollet (1721 - 1771)
The tears of Caledonia
Language: English
Written upon the Battle of Culloden Mourn, hapless Caledonia, mourn, Thy banish'd peace, thy laurels torn! Thy sons, for valour long renown'd, Lie slaughter'd on their native ground! Thy hospitable roofs no more Invite the stranger to the door; In smoaky ruins sunk they lie, The monuments of cruelty! Oh baneful cause! oh fatal morn! Accurs'd to ages yet unborn! The sons against their fathers stood; The parent shed his children's blood! Yet, when the rage of battle ceas'd, The victor's soul was not appeas'd: The naked and forlorn must feel Devouring flames, and murd'ring steel! While the warm blood bedews my veins, And unimpair'd remembrance reigns, Resentment of my Country's fate Within my filial breast shall beat: And, spite of her insulting foe, My sympathizing verse shall flow; "Mourn, hapless Caledonia, mourn "Thy banish'd peace, thy laurels torn!"
Authorship:
- by Tobias George Smollet (1721 - 1771) [author's text not yet checked 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):
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "The tears of Caledonia", Hob. XXXIa:201, JHW. XXXII/3 no. 251. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2009-08-12
Line count: 25
Word count: 140