Album Summary: William Thomson's Orpheus Caledonius (1725) was a landmark publication; the first ever large-scale collection of "Scotch Songs" in print — 50 songs arranged with un-figured bass, most with lyrics from Allan Ramsay's Scots Songs and Tea-Table Miscellany, plus an appendix of melodic reductions. It was an instant hit and in 1733, expanded into 2 volumes with 100 songs. Indeed, Thomson's Orpheus set the standard format for Scots Song settings for the rest of the eighteenth century, including those of Robert Burns in The Scots Musical Museum. This ScotMus.com album is a faithful reprint of the song arrangements from the historic 1st edition of 1725.
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(2)
Mark, dear Maid the Turtles Cooing,
Fondly Billing, kindly Wooing, See how ev'ry Bush discovers, Happy Pairs of feather'd Lovers. |
(3)
Or in singing, or in Loving,
Every moment still improving, Love and Nature wisely leads 'em, Love and Nature ne'er misguides 'em. |
(4)
See the opening blushing Roses,
All their secret Charms discloses, Sweet's the Time ah! shorts the measure, Of their fleeting hasty pleasure. |
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(5)
Quickly we must snatch the Blesses,
Of their soft and Fragrant kisses, To day they bloom, they Fade to morrow, Droop their Heads, and die in Sorrow. |
(6)
Time my Bess will leave no Traces,
Of those Beauties of those Graces, Youth and love forbid our staying, Love and Youth abhor delaying. |
(7)
Dearest Maid nay do not fly me,
Let your Pride no more denie me, Never doubt your faithfull Willie, There's my Thumb, I'll ne'er beguile thee. |