by Charles Sedley, Sir (1639 - 1701)
Ah, Chloris! could I now but sit
Language: English
[Ah, Chloris! could]1 I now but sit As unconcern'd as when Your infant beauty could beget No happiness [or]2 pain! When I [the dawn used to]3 admire, And praised the coming day, I little thought [the]4 rising fire Would take my rest away. Your charms in harmless childhood lay [Like]5 metals in a mine; Age from no face takes more away Than youth conceal'd in thine. But as your charms insensibly To their [perfection]6 prest, So love as unperceived did fly, And centr'd in my breast. My passion with your beauty grew, While Cupid at my heart, Still as his mother favour'd you, Threw a new flaming dart: Each gloried in their wanton part; [To make a lover, he Employ'd the utmost of his art -- To make a beauty, she.]7
J. Kinkel sets stanzas 1-2
J. Haydn sets stanzas 1, 3
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Kinkel: "Oh! Chloris, could"
2 Haydn: "nor"
3 Haydn, Kinkel: "this dawning did"
4 Haydn, Kinkel: "that"
5 Kinkel: "As"
6 Kinkel: "perfections"
7 Haydn: "To make a beauty, she / Employed the utmost of her art; / To make a lover, he."
Authorship:
- by Charles Sedley, Sir (1639 - 1701), "Child and maiden" [author's text checked 1 time 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 (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Gilderoy", JHW. XXXII/5 no. 403, Hob. XXXIa no. 225, stanzas 1,3, one of the Scottish Songs for William Whyte arranged by Haydn [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Johanna Kinkel, née Mockel (1810 - 1858), "Gilderoy", Hob. XXXIa (1837/8), stanzas 1-2. [ sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2007-10-04
Line count: 24
Word count: 130