A Selection of Irish Melodies, Songs, and Poems

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1859 Excerpt: ... breathing of flowers, To heaven in mingled odour ascend. Do not disturb our calm, oh Love! So like is thy form to the cherubs above, It well might deceive such hearts as ours!" Love stood near the novice and listen'd, And Love is no novice in taking a hint; His laughing blue eyes soon with piety glisten'd, His rosy wing turn'd to heaven's own tint. ' Who would have thought," the urchin cries, "That Love could so well, so gravely disguise His wandering wings and wounding eyes i" Love now warms thee, waking and sleeping, Young novice! to him all thy orisons rise; He tinges the heavenly fount with his weeping, He brightens the censer's flame with his sighs! Love is the saint enshrin'd in thy breast, And angels themselves would admit such a guest, If he came to them cloth'd in piety's vest. THIS LIFE IS ALL CHEQUER'D WITH PLEASURES AND.WOES. Air--" The bunch of green rushes." This life is all chequer'd with pleasures and woes, That chase one another like waves of the deep; Each billow as brightly or darkly it flows, Reflecting our eyes, as they sparkle or weep. So closely our whims on our miseries tread, That the laugh is call'd up ere the tear can be dried; And as fast as the rain-drop of pity is shed, The goose plumage of folly can turn it aside. But pledge me the cup, if existence would cloy, "With hearts ever happy, and heads ever wise, Be ours the light Grief that is sister to Joy, And the short brilliant Folly that flashes and dies! When Hylas was sent with his urn to the fount, Thro' fields full of sun-shine, with heart full of play, Light rambled the boy over meadow and mount, And neglected his task for the flowers on the way. Thus some, who like me should have drawn and have tasted The fountain, that runs by philosop...