1 OH, would I were a boy again!
When life seem'd form'd of sunny hours,
And all the heart then knew of pain
Was wept away in transient showers!
When every tale hope whisper'd then
My fancy deem'd was only truth--
Oh, would that I could know again
The happy visions of my youth!
Oh, would I were, &c.
2 'Tis vain to mourn that years have shown
How false these fairy visions were,
Or murmur that mine eyes have known
The burden of a fleeting tear.
But still the heart will fondly cling
To hopes no longer prized as truth,
And memory still delights to bring
The happy visions of my youth!
Oh, would I were, &c.
1 THE Union-Jack of England-
How gloriously it waves!
But not where reigns a tyrant--
For when were Britons slaves?
And whether on the ocean,
Or the river it may be,
It floats the flag of glory,-
The banner of the free.
2 The Union-Jack of England!
I love its stripe of blue;
And though I love its crimson,
I love its white one, too.
The blue of hope is telling-
. Hope ever fair and bright ;-
The crimson emblems valour;
Peace claims the spotless white.
3 The Union-Jack of England!
Long may it rule the main !
And should the voice of honour
Its aid demand again,-
Still may it, proud as ever,
In conquest walk the sea;
The envy of the nations—
The banner of the free!
1 BE kind to thy father, for when thou wert young Who loved thee so fondly as he?
He caught the first accents that fell from thy tongue, And join'd in thy innocent glee.
Be kind to thy father, for now he is old;
His locks intermingled with grey;
His footsteps are feeble-once fearless and bold;
Thy father is passing away.
2 Be kind to thy mother, for lo! on her brow
May traces of sorrow be seen;
Oh well mayst thou cherish and comfort her now, For loving and kind hath she been.
Remember thy mother, for thee will she pray
As long as God giveth her breath;
With accents of kindness, then, cheer her lone way, E'en to the dark valley of death.
3 Be kind to thy brother, his heart will have dearth,
If the smile of thy joy be withdrawn ;
The flowers of feeling will fade at their birth,
If the dew of affection be gone.
Be kind to thy brother, wherever you are:
The love of a brother shall be
An ornament purer and richer by far
Than pearls from the depth of the sea.
4 Be kind to thy sister: not many may know
The depth of true sisterly love ;-
The wealth of the ocean lies fathoms below
The surface that sparkles above.
Be kind to thy father, once fearless and bold;
Be kind to thy mother so near
Be kind to thy brother, nor show thy heart cold :
Be kind to thy sister so dear.
! THERE is not one familiar face
Where many loved me once !
I speak aloud-the lonely place
Returns no kind response!
Where I and others roved, I see
Another roving race;
Gay smiles are there-but ah! for me
Not one familiar face!
2 Where are they now, the young, the gay?
No longer gay and young;
O'er some, the early snatch'd away,
The cold earth has been flung.
The rapid stream-the shelter'd seat-
Each spot unchanged I trace,
But mournful is the scene-I meet
Not one familiar face!
I THERE'S music in a mother's voice,
More sweet than breezes sighing;
There's kindness in a mother's glance,
Too pure for ever dying.
There's love within a mother's breast,
So deep, 'tis still o'erflowing,
And care for those she calls her own,
That's ever, ever growing.
2 There's anguish in a mother's tear,
When farewell fondly taking,
That so the heart of pity moves,
It scarcely keeps from breaking.
And when a mother kneels to Heaven,
And for her child is praying,
Oh! who shall half the fervour tell
That burns in all she's saying!
3 A mother! how her tender arts
Can soothe the breast of sadness,
And through the gloom of life once more
Bid shine the sun of gladness
A mother! when, like evening's star,
Her course has pass'd before us,
From brighter world regards us still,
And watches fondly o'er us.
I THE landsmen tell you, those who roam
O'er ocean's boundless tide,
On ev'ry shore can find a home,
In every port a bride.
Heed not, sweet maid, their idle prate,
They ne'er such feelings knew
As warm the heart of thy sailor mate,
Which beats alone for you.
2 What though, when storms our bark assail,
The needle trembling veers;
When night adds horror to the gale,
And not a star appears.
True to the pole, as I to thee,
It faithful still will prove;
An emblem, dear, of constancy,
And of a sailor's love.
3 Then turn from what the landsmen say,
Who would thy faith beguile;
They seize the time when we're away
To practise ev'ry wile.
O'er beauty bright our looks may rove,
We ne'er its influence shun,
But though the eye has many a love,
The heart knows only one.
I FAREWELL old England's shores!
Farewell her rugged men!
Now, sailors, strain your oars !
I ne'er will look again.
I've lived-I've sought-I've seen-
Oh, things I love too well,
Upon those shores of green:
So, England! long farewell!
He seeks but to depart
From the land he loves too well,
From thoughts that smite his heart :
So, England! long farewell!
3 O'er lands and the lonely main,
A lonelier man, I roam,
To seek some balm for pain,
Perhaps to find a home;
I go, but time nor tide,
Nor all that tongue may tell,
Shall e'er from thee divide
My heart, and so, farewell!
Old England, fare thee well!
IA WORD is ringing through my brain,
For starting anguish bids it stay
With leaden weight of lingering pain,
When lighter griefs should pass away.
Oh lips, whose accents now are gone!
Oh voice, which I shall hear no more!
How bitter seem'd your once harsh tone-
The careless word in days of yore!
2 Even now, recalling hopes of old,
And musing lone with many a sigh,
On life grown sad and love grown cold,
I hear its echo wandering by.
That discord in a voice beloved,
Which alter'd all life's music then, In vain hath fleeting time removedThe careless word comes back again.
The cup of sorrow fear to fill,
Words rashly said will linger long, And haunt us e'en against our will,
For love is weak and pain is strong; And memory gives to vanish'd sound, Like poison on the warrior's dart, Such strength by slender means to wound--A careless word may break the heart.
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