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GAILY SOUNDS THE CASTANET.

AIR-Maltese.

GAILY sounds the castanet,

Beating time to bounden feet, When, after day-light's golden set,

Maids and youths by moon-light meet,

Oh! then, how sweet to move

Through all that maze of mirth,

Lighted by those eyes we love,
Beyond all eyes on earth.

Then, the joyous banquet spread
On the cool and fragrant ground,

With night's bright eye-beams over head,
And still brighter sparkling round.

Oh! then, how sweet to say

Into the loved one's ear,

Thoughts reserved through many a day, To be thus whisper'd here.

When the dance and feast are done,
Arm in arm as home we stray;
How sweet to see the dawning sun
O'er her cheeks warm blushes play!
Then, then the farewell kiss,

And words whose parting tone
Lingers still in dreams of bliss,

That haunt young hearts alone.

LOVE IS A HUNTER BOY.

AIR-Languedocian.

LOVE is a hunter-boy,

Who makes young hearts his prey; And in his nets of joy

Ensnares them night and day.

In vain conceal'd they lie,

Love tracks them every

In vain aloft they fly,

where;

Love shoots them flying there.

But 'tis his joy most sweet,

At early dawn to trace

The print of Beauty's feet,

And give the trembler chace. And most he loves through snow To track those footsteps fair,

For then the boy doth know

None track'd before him there.

COME, CHASE THAT STARTING TEAR AWAY.

AIR-French.

COME, chase that starting tear away,
Ere mine to meet it springs;
To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings!

Like sun-set gleams, that linger late,
When all is darkʼning fast,

Are hours like these we snatch from fate,
The brightest and the last.

Then chase that starting tear away,
Ere mine to meet it springs,
To-night, at least, to-night be gay,
Whate'er to-morrow brings.

To gild our dark'ning life, if heav'n
But one bright hour allow,

Oh! think that one bright hour is giv'n
In all its splendour now.

Let's live it out-then sink in night,
Like waves, that from the shore

One minute swell-are touch'd with light,
Then lost for ever more.

Come, chase that starting tear away,

Ere mine to meet it springs;

To-night, at least, to-night be gay,

Whate'er to-morrow brings.

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