Wert thou like me in life's low vale,
With thee, how blest! that [life]1 I'd share:
With thee I'd fly [as far as]2 gale
Could waft, or [swelling ocean]3 bear.
But parted by severe decree,
Far different must our fortunes prove;
May thine be joy! enough for me
To weep and pray for him I love.

The pangs this foolish heart [may]4 feel,
When hope [must be for ever gone]5,
No [fruitless sorrow]6 shall reveal,
No [sullen murmur]7 ever own.
Nor will I [thro' my]8 weary years,
[As]9 a pale drooping mourner [rove]10,
While I can think my secret tears
[Are not forgot by]11 him I love.

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Confirmed with The Miscellaneous Works of A. M'Donald; including The Tragedy of Vimonda, and those productions which have appeared under the signature of Matthew Bramble, Esq. with various other compositions by the same author. London: Printed for J. Murray, no. 32, Fleet-Street. M.DCC.XCI. [1791], page 289.

Note: In MacDonald's opera libretto Love and Loyalty the poem appears in act III as Juliana's air. The poem has been quoted and included by Sir Walter Scott in his novel A Legend of Montrose, with some changes, in the 21st chapter (denominated "Chapter XIII"). Here Annot Lyle sings "a little Gaelic song, [which] has been translated by the ingenious and unhappy Alexander M'Donald". Scott's transcription of the poem has been confirmed with his anonymous publication Tales of my Landlord, Third Series. Collected and arranged by Jedediah Cleishbotham, Schoolmaster and Parish-Clerk of Gandercleugh. In four volumes. Vol. IV. Edinburgh: printed for Archibald Constable and Co. Edinburgh; 1819, pages 277-278.

¹ Scott: "lot"
² Scott: "wherever"
³ Scott: "bounding galley"
⁴ Scott: "must"
⁵ Scott: "shall be forever flown"
⁶ Scott: "sullen murmur"
⁷ Scott: "selfish murmurs"
⁸ Scott: "through life's"
⁹ Scott: "Like"
¹⁰ Scott: "move"
¹¹ Scott: "May wound the heart of"

Text Authorship:

• by Andrew MacDonald (1757 - 1790), "Air XXVII", appears in Love and Loyalty, first published 1791 [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 Horatia Feilding , "Annot Lyle's song", published 1830? [ chorus and piano ], from Six songs, no. 4, London : T. Boosey & Co. [sung text not yet checked]
• by Eliza Flower (1803 - 1846), "Annot Lyle's song", published 1831? [ chorus and piano ], from Musical Illustrations of the Waverley Novels, no. 11, London : Jos. Alfred Novello [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

• Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation sometimes misattributed to Sophie Friederike Elise Mayer (1788 - 1827) and by Wilhelm Adolf Lindau (1774 - 1849) , first published 1824 ; composed by Franz Peter Schubert.
  • Go to the text.
    

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• GER German (Deutsch) (Sophie Friederike Elise Mayer) , no title, first published 1826

Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Peter Rastl [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 120

Wärst du wie ich im niedern Thal geboren,
Wie selig, selig pries ich dann mein Loos!
Mit dir hätt' ich die Wüste mir erkoren,
Mich anvertraut der dunklen Welle Schooß.
  Doch unterthan des Schicksals Willen,
  Das ungleich zeigte uns das Ziel,
  Blüht dir das Glück! - Mir bleibt im Stillen
  Gebeth und Thränen und - Gefühl.

Wenn einst der Hoffnung letzter Schimmer schwindet,
Und bittrer Gram zerreißt das arme Herz,
Verrathe Klage nicht, was es empfindet,
Kein Seufzer künde laut den tiefen Schmerz.
  Daß nie der stillen Thräne Zeichen,
  Ob Leid an Leid sich endlos eint,
  Und farblos trüb' die Jahre schleichen,
  Das Herz verwunde meinem Freund.