I sit before the firelight's glow With all the world in apogee, And con good Master Florio
[PARIS, 1896] Oh, damsel fair at the Porte Maillot, With the soft blue eyes that haunt me so,
All on a golden summer day, As through the leaves a single ray Of yellow sunshine finds its way
At Marliave's when eventide Finds rare companions at my side, The laughter of each merry guest
Of sweethearts I have had a score, And time may bring as many more; Tho' I remember all the rest,
I first saw Phebe when the show'rs Had just made brighter all the flow'rs; Yet she was fair
Of all the joys on earth that be There is no sweeter one to me Than sitting with a merry lass
I fill my goblet to the brim And clink the glasses rim to rim. Across the board I waft a kiss
Time and I have fallen out; We, who were such steadfast friends. So slowly has it come about
[TRIO] Oh, love hits all humanity, humanity, my dear; But after all it's vanity, a vanity, I fear;
I wrote the truest, tend'rest song The world had ever heard; And clear, melodious, and strong,
Whoso his book of life doth con From title-leaf to colophon May read, if he but wrongly look,
Crime flourishes throughout the land, And bids defiance to the law, And wicked deeds on every hand
Between the two perplexed I go, A shuttlecock, tossed to and fro. I gaze on one, and know that she
A White Rose said, "How fair am I. Behold a flower that cannot die!" A lover brushed the dew aside,
I heard an old, familiar air Strummed idly by a careless hand, Yet in the melody were rare,
Sweet visions came to me in sleep, Ah! wondrous fair to see; And in my mind I strove to keep
We keep in step as years roll by; You march behind and I before: - The path is new to you; but I
My dear old Uncle Jogalong Was very slow, was very slow, And said he thought that folks were wrong
Lyke some choise booke thou arte toe mee, Bound all so daintilie; And 'neath the covers faire
Take all the love that e'er was told Since first the world began, Increase it twenty thousand-fold