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by Oliver Goldsmith (1730 - 1774)

With my Bible and my staff
Language: English 
Now go, my children, be miserable and infamous, 
for we shall ne'er enjoy an hour again! 
May Heaven's everlasting curse upon him light that robbed me of my child, 
my child, my Olivia, Olivia! Vile traitor! 
Thou shalt rue, shalt rue thy villainy. 
Where are my pistols? 
Bring them me! 
I will pursue him while he is on earth, 
Old as I am, he shall find I can sting him yet! 
Ah! may Heav'n forgive both him and me! 
Blessed be His name, blessed be His name, for all that He hath given, 
and all that He hath taken away. 
'Tis not a small distress can wring the tears from these old eyes, 
that have not wept for so many years! 
Yet tho' the world judge harshly, 
ever shall this home and this heart be open to a poor repentant sinner. 
My son, bring hither my Bible and my staff. 
With my Bible and my staff, and Heav'n to be my guide, 
I will seek her to the world's end, will seek her to the world's end, 
and bring her home at last! and bring her home at last!

Text Authorship:

  • by Oliver Goldsmith (1730 - 1774) [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 Liza Lehmann (1862 - 1918), "With my Bible and my staff", copyright © 1907 [ low voice and piano ], from opera The Vicar of Wakefield, New York : Boosey & Co.
        Score: Ball State University [external link]  [sung text checked 1 time]

Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-04-07
Line count: 20
Word count: 189

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