A GERMAN DITTY.
The following is a very loose imitation of a popular German air.
While life’s early friends still surround us,Yet another bright hour let us pass,And wake the old rafters around usWith the song and the circling glass.For it cannot thus long hold togetherHere under the changeable moon;To bloom for a time, then to wither,Is the lot of all, later or soon.Then here’s to the many good fellowsWho before us have tippled and laugh’d;Be they under the turf or the billows,To them let this goblet be quaff’d.That if, after us, others as merryShall keep up as joyous a train,One bumper of port or of sherryTo us in our turn they may drain—As they keep up the charter of joyance,As by us was maintain’d in our day;Not to drown dull care and annoyance,Not ignobly to moisten our clay;—But to raise an extempore shrine,Where Momus, revisiting earth,May find humour and whim yet divine,And the glorious spirit of mirth.For ’twas not we were reckless of duty,Or the sterner requirements of life;’Twas not we were mindless of beauty,Or are now, of home, children, and wife;But ’tis,—that the wandering hoursHave a singular frolicsome wayOf scattering the fairest of flowersO’er moments of fellowship gay;When fancy leads off to a measureThat youth might mistake for its own,As its wont were to seek after pleasure,With feeling and wit for its tone;And so vivid and bright the idealHer fairy-light shows us the while,That wisdom asks nothing more real,And genius applauds with a smile.Mac.
While life’s early friends still surround us,Yet another bright hour let us pass,And wake the old rafters around usWith the song and the circling glass.For it cannot thus long hold togetherHere under the changeable moon;To bloom for a time, then to wither,Is the lot of all, later or soon.Then here’s to the many good fellowsWho before us have tippled and laugh’d;Be they under the turf or the billows,To them let this goblet be quaff’d.That if, after us, others as merryShall keep up as joyous a train,One bumper of port or of sherryTo us in our turn they may drain—As they keep up the charter of joyance,As by us was maintain’d in our day;Not to drown dull care and annoyance,Not ignobly to moisten our clay;—But to raise an extempore shrine,Where Momus, revisiting earth,May find humour and whim yet divine,And the glorious spirit of mirth.For ’twas not we were reckless of duty,Or the sterner requirements of life;’Twas not we were mindless of beauty,Or are now, of home, children, and wife;But ’tis,—that the wandering hoursHave a singular frolicsome wayOf scattering the fairest of flowersO’er moments of fellowship gay;When fancy leads off to a measureThat youth might mistake for its own,As its wont were to seek after pleasure,With feeling and wit for its tone;And so vivid and bright the idealHer fairy-light shows us the while,That wisdom asks nothing more real,And genius applauds with a smile.Mac.
While life’s early friends still surround us,Yet another bright hour let us pass,And wake the old rafters around usWith the song and the circling glass.
While life’s early friends still surround us,
Yet another bright hour let us pass,
And wake the old rafters around us
With the song and the circling glass.
For it cannot thus long hold togetherHere under the changeable moon;To bloom for a time, then to wither,Is the lot of all, later or soon.
For it cannot thus long hold together
Here under the changeable moon;
To bloom for a time, then to wither,
Is the lot of all, later or soon.
Then here’s to the many good fellowsWho before us have tippled and laugh’d;Be they under the turf or the billows,To them let this goblet be quaff’d.
Then here’s to the many good fellows
Who before us have tippled and laugh’d;
Be they under the turf or the billows,
To them let this goblet be quaff’d.
That if, after us, others as merryShall keep up as joyous a train,One bumper of port or of sherryTo us in our turn they may drain—
That if, after us, others as merry
Shall keep up as joyous a train,
One bumper of port or of sherry
To us in our turn they may drain—
As they keep up the charter of joyance,As by us was maintain’d in our day;Not to drown dull care and annoyance,Not ignobly to moisten our clay;—
As they keep up the charter of joyance,
As by us was maintain’d in our day;
Not to drown dull care and annoyance,
Not ignobly to moisten our clay;—
But to raise an extempore shrine,Where Momus, revisiting earth,May find humour and whim yet divine,And the glorious spirit of mirth.
But to raise an extempore shrine,
Where Momus, revisiting earth,
May find humour and whim yet divine,
And the glorious spirit of mirth.
For ’twas not we were reckless of duty,Or the sterner requirements of life;’Twas not we were mindless of beauty,Or are now, of home, children, and wife;
For ’twas not we were reckless of duty,
Or the sterner requirements of life;
’Twas not we were mindless of beauty,
Or are now, of home, children, and wife;
But ’tis,—that the wandering hoursHave a singular frolicsome wayOf scattering the fairest of flowersO’er moments of fellowship gay;
But ’tis,—that the wandering hours
Have a singular frolicsome way
Of scattering the fairest of flowers
O’er moments of fellowship gay;
When fancy leads off to a measureThat youth might mistake for its own,As its wont were to seek after pleasure,With feeling and wit for its tone;
When fancy leads off to a measure
That youth might mistake for its own,
As its wont were to seek after pleasure,
With feeling and wit for its tone;
And so vivid and bright the idealHer fairy-light shows us the while,That wisdom asks nothing more real,And genius applauds with a smile.Mac.
And so vivid and bright the ideal
Her fairy-light shows us the while,
That wisdom asks nothing more real,
And genius applauds with a smile.
Mac.