"Deep in my soul that tender secret dwells, Lonely and lost to light for evermore, Save when to thine my heart responsive swells, Then trembles into silence as before. "There, in its centre, a sepulchral lamp Burns the slow flame, eternal — but unseen; Which not the darkness of Despair can damp, Though vain its ray as it had never been. "Remember me — Oh! pass not thou my grave Without one thought whose relics there recline: The only pang my bosom dare not brave Must be to find forgetfulness in thine. "My fondest — faintest — latest accents hear — Grief for the dead not Virtue can reprove; Then give me all I ever asked — a tear, The first — last — sole reward of so much love!
E. Elgar sets stanzas 1-2
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with The Select Poetical Works of Lord Byron, containing The Corsair, Lara, The Giaour, The Siege of Corinth, The Bride of Abydos, Parasina, Mazeppa, The Prisoner of Chillon, etc., Paris and Lyons: B. Cormon and Blanc, Booksellers, 1836, pages 14-15.
Text Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), no title, appears in The Corsair, Canto I, xiv [author's text checked 2 times 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 Edward Elgar, Sir (1857 - 1934), "Deep in my soul", op. 53 no. 2 (1908), stanzas 1-2 [ ssaattbb chorus ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Ann Sheppard Mounsey (1811 - 1891), "Medora's song", op. 11 no. 4, published 1836? [ vocal duet for 2 sopranos with piano ], from Six duets in canon for two soprano voices, with an accompaniment for the piano forte, no. 4, London : T. E. Purday [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Benjamin Laroche (1797 - 1852) ; composed by Charles Camille Saint-Saëns.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Ernst Ortlepp (1800 - 1864) , no title ; composed by Josephine Lang.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Caroline Pichler (1769 - 1843) , no title ; composed by Benedikt Randhartinger.
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Joseph Emanuel Hilscher (1806 - 1837) , no title, first published 1840 ; composed by Johann Rufinatscha.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Ernst Eckstein) , "Medora's Lied", subtitle: "(Aus dem "Corsar".) (Nach dem Englischen des Lord Byron.)", appears in In Moll und Dur, in 3. Dritte Abtheilung
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Sharon Krebs [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 130
Ein süß' Geheimniß tief mein Busen hegt; Für immer einsam, tritt es nur an's Licht, Wenn an dein Herz mein Herz erwidernd schlägt - Sonst wie zuvor bricht es sein Schweigen nicht. Im Innern hier mit matter Flamme kämpft Ein Grablicht, ewig - aber ungeseh'n, Dem auch Verzweiflung nicht die Strahlen dämpft, Die zwar vergebens nur, wie nicht besteh'n. O meide nicht mein Grab einst! denke mein, Denk', wessen Staube sich dein Fuß genaht! Ach, unerträglich müßte für mich sein Der Gram, daß mich dein Herz vergessen hat. Vernimm mein wärmstes - schwächstes - letztes Fleh'n! Die Tugend billigt Leid um Todte schon - Laß' - mehr nicht - dann nur e i n e Thräne seh'n, Für so viel Liebe letzter - einz'ger Lohn!
About the headline (FAQ)
View text with all available footnotesConfirmed with Weiland Joseph Em. Hilscher's Dichtungen. Originale und Uebersetzungen aus Byron, Moore, Goldsmith, Southey, Waller, Lamartine, Ariosto, Foscolo. Herausgegeben mit einem biographischen Vorworte von Ludwig August Frankl. Pesth. Verlag von Gustav Heckenast. 1840, pages 272-273.
Text Authorship:
- by Joseph Emanuel Hilscher (1806 - 1837), no title, first published 1840 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), no title, appears in The Corsair, Canto I, xiv
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Johann Rufinatscha (1812 - 1893), "Die letzte Bitte", alternate title: "Bitte der Liebe" [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2021-12-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 118