_Songs Of Love._

1. LOVE’S SALUTATION.

Darling maiden, who can be Ever found to equal thee? To thy service joyfully Shall my life be pledged by me.

Thy sweet eyes gleam tenderly, Like soft moonbeams o’er the sea; Lights of rosy harmony O’er thy red cheeks wander free.

From thy small mouth, full of glee, Rows of pearls peep charmingly; But thy bosom’s drapery Veils thy fairest jewelry.

Pure love only could it be That so sweetly thrill’d through me, When I whilome gazed on thee, Darling maid, so fair to see.

2. LOVE’S LAMENT.

On night’s secrecy relying, Silently I breathe my woes; From the haunts of mortals flying, Where the cup of pleasure flows.

Down my cheeks run tears all burning, Silently, unceasingly; But my bosom’s fiery yearning Quench’ed by tears can never be.

When a laughing urchin, gaily Many a merry game I play’d; In life’s sunshine basking daily, Knowing nought of grief or shade.

For a garden of enjoyment Was the world I then lived in, Tending flowers my sole employment, Roses, violets, jessamine.

By the brook’s side, on the meadow, Sweetly mused I in those days; Now I see a pale thin shadow, When upon the brook I gaze.

Pale and thin my grief hath made me, Since mine eyes upon her fell; Secret sorrows now pervade me, Wonderful and hard to tell.

Deep within my heart I cherish’d Angel forms of peace and love, Which have fled, their short joys perish’d, To their starry home above.

Ghastly shadows rise unbidden, Black night round mine eyes is thrown; In my trembling breast is hidden A sad whisp’ring voice unknown.

Unknown sorrows, unknown anguish Toss me wildly to and fro, And I pine away and languish, Tortured by an unknown glow.

But the cause why I am lying Rack’d by fiery torments now,-- Why from very grief I’m dying,-- Love, behold!--The cause art thou!

3. YEARNING.

With sweetheart on arm, all my comrades with joy Beneath the linden trees move; But I, alas, poor desolate boy, In utter solitude rove

Mine eye grows dim, my heart is oppress’d, When happy lovers I see; For a sweetheart by me is also possess’d, But, alas, far distant is she.

I have borne it for years, with a heart fit to break, But no longer can bear with the pain; So pack up my bundle, my pilgrim’s staff take, And start on my travels again.

And onward I go for hundreds of miles, Till I come to a city renown’d; A noble river beneath it smiles, With three stately towers ’tis crown’d.

And now my late sorrows no longer annoy, Made happy at last is my love; For there, with my sweetheart on arm, I with joy Can beneath the sweet linden trees rove.