by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) and by Agnes Craig (1759 - 1841)
The banks of Spey
Language: Scottish (Scots)
Talk not of love, it gives me pain, For love has been my foe; He bound me with an iron chain, And plung'd me deep in woe. But friendship's pure and lasting joys, My heart was form'd to prove; There, welcome win and wear the prize, But never talk of love. Your friendship much can make me blest, Oh, why that bliss destroy? Why urge the only, one request You know I will deny; Your thought, if love must harbour there, Conceal it in that thought, Nor cause me from my bosom tear The only friend I sought.
Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Agnes Craig (1759 - 1841) [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 banks of Spey", JHW. XXXII/1 no. 57, Hob. XXXIa no. 57. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2012-08-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 98