BOTH. Together still we'll sport and play, And wedlock's bands make Johnny Jenny's. HE. By cooling streams our flocks we'll feed, SHE. Let guilt the faithless bosom fright, BOTH. Together still we'll sport and play, And live in pleasure where no sin is; The priest shall tie the knot to-day, And wedlock's bands make Johnny Jenny's. THE LASS OF RICHMOND HILL. ON Richmond Hill there lives a lass This lass so neat, with smiles so sweet, I'd crowns resign to call her mine, Ye zephyrs gay, that fan the air, How happy will the shepherd be Who calls this nymph his own! There is some doubt as to the authorship of this song. It is generally ascribed to a Mr. Upton, who wrote many songs for the convivial entertainments at Vauxhall Gardens towards the close of the last century. In the recently published memoirs of Mrs. Fitzherbert, we learn, from Lord Stourton, that her beauty was celebrated in a popular song, in which allusion was thus made to the addresses of the heir apparent: "I'd crowns resign to call her mine, A letter published in the Times newspaper, and dated from the Garrick Club, March 30th, 1856, and signed "The Grandson of the Lass of Richmond Hill," says:-"Lord Stourton is wrong. This popular song was written by Mr. Leonard M'Nally (born Sept. 27, 1752), a man of some repute in his day as a barrister as well as an author. The "Lass of Richmond Hill" was written in honour of Miss Ianson,the daughter of Mr. William Ianson, of Richmond Hill, Seybourne, Yorkshire, a lady to whom he was married at St. George's, Hanover Square, on the 16th of January, 1787. In addition to the "Lass of Richmond Hill," Leonard M'Nally wrote various ballads and romances of great merit, which, I believe, it is the intention of his daughter by his second marriage, with Miss Edgeworth (the youngest daughter of Dr. Edgeworth), to publish with his biography. The music of this song, composed by Mr. Hook, father of the late Theodore Hook, was long popularly ascribed to the Prince of Wales. It was a great favourite with George III." THE FARMER'S SON. From the "Myrtle and the Vine, or Complete Vocal Library," 1800. GOOD people, give attention, while I do sing in praise When my mother she was knitting, my sister she would spin, My brother gave assistance in tending of the sheep; Then to market with the fleece, when the little herd were shorn, I never knew at that time, go search the country round, How merry would the farmers then sing along the road, When wheat was sold at market for five pounds a load! They'd drop into an alehouse, and drink "God speed the plough," How happily we lived then to what we do now! A blessing to the squire, for he gave us great content, At length the squire died, sir,-oh, bless his ancient pate!— May Providence befriend us, and raise some honest heart A much older song, but in nowise resembling this, appears with the same title in Chappell's "Collection of Ancient English Melodies." GOOD neighbours, since you've knock'd me down, Of a race that yields to no man. When order first on earth began, And the barley-mow, Maintain'd his court from off his farm, The plough was then a nation's boast, A brave and a noble Roman. He sav'd the state, He made the haughty foe to bow; Said Horace, "I'm grown sick of court, I long, 'mid all the fun of Rome, But he stuck to his turnips, wheat, and hops; Good freeholders and stout were they, At the name of an English bowman; And the spot where it grew, For that was near our good old church; When George the Third adorn'd our throne, And defied each foreign foeman. The good old King, he fear'd his God, And he found a charm In every useful sterling art, And he wore the home-spun coat and heart Since then the brave, the wise, and great A pride that will injure no man; |