by Allan Ramsay (1686 - 1758)
The widow
Language: English
The widow can bake, and the widow can brew, The widow can shape, and the widow can sew, And mony braw things the widow can do; Then hey for the widow, my laddie. What could you wish better your pleasure to crown, Than a widow, the bonniest toast in the town, Wi' naething but draw in your stool and sit down, And sport wi' the widow, my laddie? Then till 'er , and kill 'er wi' courtesie dead, Tho' stark love and kindness be a' ye can plead; Be heartsome and airy, and hope to succeed Wi' a bonny gay widow, my laddie. Strike iron while 'tis hot, if ye'd have it to wald, For Fortune ay favours the active and bauld, But ruins the wooer that's thowless and cauld, Unfit for the widow, my laddie.
GLOSSARY
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
Braw = fine
Bonniest = loveliest
Till 'er = go to her
Towless = lacking spirit
Authorship:
- by Allan Ramsay (1686 - 1758) [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 (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "The widow", Hob. XXXIa no. 118, JHW. XXXII/2 no. 118. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani
This text was added to the website: 2013-03-25
Line count: 16
Word count: 136