by Felicia Dorothea Hemans (1793 - 1835)
Why lingers my gaze where the last hues...
Language: English
Why lingers my gaze where the last hues of day on the hills of my country in loveliness sleep? Too fair is the sight for a wanderer, whose way lies far o'er the measureless worlds of the deep! Fall, shadows of twilight! and veil the green shore, That the heart of the mighty may waver no more. Why rise on my thoughts, ye free songs of the land where the harp's lofty soul on each wild wind is worn? Be hushed, be forgotten! for ne'er shall the hand of minstrel with melody greet my return. No, no! let our echoes still float on the breeze, And my heart shall be strong for the conquest of seas! 'Tis not for the land of my sires to give birth unto bosoms that shrink when the trial is nigh; Away we will bear over ocean and earth a name and a spirit that never shall die. My course to the winds, to the stars I resign; But my soul's quenchless fire, O my country is thine.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Felicia Dorothea Hemans (1793 - 1835), "Prince Madog's Farewell", appears in Welsh Melodies, first published 1822 [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 Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Sir (1848 - 1918), "Prince Madog's Farewell", published 1822 [ voice and piano ], from A Selection of Welsh Melodies, an arrangement of the air "Lady Owen's Delight" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arthur Somervell, Sir (1863 - 1937), "Why lingers my gaze?", published 1911 [ men's chorus a cappella ], arrangement of the air "Lady Owen's delight", also set in Welsh (Cymraeg) [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Villiers Stanford, Sir (1852 - 1924), "Prince Madoc's Farewell", 1893, published 1894 [ voice and piano or orchestra ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Welsh (Cymraeg), a translation by John Ceiriog Hughes (1832 - 1887) ; composed by Arthur Somervell, Sir.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 18
Word count: 173