by Thomas Pringle (1789 - 1834)
I'll bid my heart be still
Language: English
I'll bid my heart be still, And check each struggling sigh! And there's none e'er shall know My soul's cherish'd woe, When the first tears of sorrow are dry. They bid me cease to weep, For glory gilds his name; Ah! 'tis therefore I mourn -- He ne'er can return To enjoy the bright noon of his fame. While minstrels wake the lay For peace and freedom won, Like my lost lover's knell The tones seem to swell, And I hear but his death-dirge alone. My cheek has lost its hue, My eye grows faint and dim, But 'tis sweeter to fade In grief's gloomy shade, Than to bloom for another than him.
Text Authorship:
- by Thomas Pringle (1789 - 1834) [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 Cyril Meir Scott (1879 - 1970), "I'll bid my heart be still", subtitle: "Ancient Border Melody", published 1922 [voice and piano], London: Elkin [text not verified]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-05-03
Line count: 20
Word count: 112