My days have been so wondrous free - Turner, Elizabeth

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◈ Genre → Arias ♬ Voicing → solo high ¶ Language → English

Parts 1

Instruments Basso continuo,violin

Pages 3

CPDL # 79408

Editor Christopher Shaw

Posted 2024-03-06

License Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike

¶Lyrics / Text

My days have been so wondrous free; The little birds, that fly With careless ease from tree to tree, Were but as pleas'd as I. Ask gliding waters if a tear Of mine increas'd their stream; Or ask the flying gales if e'er I lent a sigh to them. But now my former days retire, And I'm by beauty caught; The tender chains of sweet desire Are fix'd upon my thought: An eager hope within my breast Does ev'ry doubt control, And charming Nancy stands confess'd The fav'rite of my soul. Ye nightingales, ye twisting pines, Ye swains that haunt the grove, Ye gentle echoes, breezy winds, Ye close retreats of love: With all of nature, all of art Assist the dear design; Oh! teach a young unpractis'd heart To make her ever mine. The very thought of change I hate, As much as of despair, And hardly covet to be great, Unless it be for her. 'Tis true, the passion in my mind Is mix'd with soft distress; Yet while the fair I love is kind, I cannot wish it less.