What sadness reigns over the plain - Arne, Thomas

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"Probably written for performance at Vauxhall."

⌛ Period → Classical ◈ Genre → Arias ♬ Voicing → solo high ¶ Language → English

Parts 1

Instruments Basso continuo, violin

Pages 4

CPDL # 87084

Editor Christopher Shaw

Posted 2025-10-09

License Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike

¶Lyrics / Text

What sadness reigns over the plain, How droop the sweet flow'rets around; How pensive each nymph and each swain, How silent each musical sound. No more the soft lute in the bow'rs Beguiles the cool evenings away; Sad sighs measure out the long hours, Since Damon has wander'd away. Oh! he was our village's pride, This change from his absence is seen: 'Twas he that our music supplied When gaily we danc'd on the green. At shearing, at wake and at fair, How jovial, how frolic were we; But now ev'ry feast in the year Is joyless as joyless can be. Ah! why did he venture from home, To mix among hostile alarms? No justice obliged him to roam, Or take up those terrible arms. Let those who are cruel and rough Be heedless of life and of limb; The county had soldiers enough, Nor needed one gentle like him. Where e'er the adventurer goes On land, or the dangerous main, Kind heaven protect him from woes, And give him to Celia again. Oh! give him to Celia again; My true love in safety restore; I'll cease on his breast to complain; From my arms he shall wander no more.