by William Smyth (1765 - 1849)
Save me from the grave and wise
Language: English
Save me from the grave and wise, For vainly would I tax my spirit, Be the thing that I despise, And rival all their stupid merit. On! My careless laughing heart, O dearest Fancy let my find thee, Let me but from sorrow part, And leave this moping world behind me. Refrain Speak ye wiser than the wise, Breathe aloud your welcome measure, Youthful Fancy well can prize The words that counsel love and pleasure. Is it merry look, or speech, Or bounding step that thus displeases? Go and graver movements teach To yon light goss'mer on the breezes: Go where breathes the opening spring, And chide the flowers for gaily blowing, Tell the linnet not to sing In jocund May, when noon is glowing. (Refrain) Hence with wisdom, dull and drear, And welcome folly at a venture: Cease my song, a sound I hear, The planxty comes, the dancers enter. In yon throng, if I should see Some gallant, giddy, gay adviser, Who trough life might counsel me, He indeed might make me wiser. (Refrain)
Authorship:
- by William Smyth (1765 - 1849) [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 Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827), "Save me from the grave and wise", WoO. 154 (12 Irische Lieder) no. 8, G. 225 no. 8, published 1812/3 [ voice, piano, violin, violoncello ] [sung text checked 2 times]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) [singable] (Georg Pertz) , "Ernst und Weisheit sei verscheucht"
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2005-09-18
Line count: 31
Word count: 176