by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Sheridan (1808 - 1877), as Mrs. Norton
The Lament for Shuil Donald's Daughter
Language: English
In old Shuil Donald's cottage there are many voices weeping, And stifled sobs, and murmurings of sorrow wild and vain, For the old man's cherished blessing on her bed of death lies sleeping, - The sleep from which no human wish can rouse her soul again. Oh, dark are now those gentle eyes which shone beneath their lashes So full of laughter and of love - it seems but yesterday - Well may Shuil Donald mourn beside his hearth's forsaken ashes, His lily of the valley is withered away! The spring shall come to other hearts with breezes and with showers, But lonely winter still shall reign in old Shuil Donald's home; Others may raise the song of joy, and laugh away the hours, But he - oh! never more may joy to his lone dwelling come. Her name shall be an empty sound, in idle converse spoken, Forgotten shall she be by those who mourn her most to-day - All, all but one, who wanders with his Highland spirit broken, His lily of the valley is withered away! And he - long, long, at even-tide, when sunset rays are gleaming, That sad old man shall sit within his lonely cottage door, Desolate, desolate shall sit, and muse with idle dreaming On days when her returning step came quick across the moor. Oh! never more her quiet smile, her cheerful voice of greeting, Shall rouse to warmth his aged heart, when darkly sinks the day - Never, oh! never more on earth those loved ones may be meeting - His lily of the valley is withered away!
Authorship:
- by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Sheridan (1808 - 1877), as Mrs. Norton, "The Lament For Shuil Donald's Daughter" [author's text checked 1 time 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 Frances Arkwright (1787 - 1849), "The Lament for Shuil Donald's Daughter", published 1842? [ voice and piano ], London : C. Lonsdale [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-10-24
Line count: 24
Word count: 267