The Irish standard., 1907-01-05

And I love my love because 1 know
my love loves me.
snrdlu shrdl shrdl shrdl shrd shrdlu
o if 1 were a little bird, to build upon
his breast,
Or If We're a nightingale, to sing my
love to rest,
To gaze upon his lovely eyes, all my
reward should be,
For 1 love my love because know
my love loves me.
Q if We're an eagle, to soar into the
sky,
I'd gaze around with piercing eyes,
when I my love might spy,
But ah! unhappy maiden! that love
you ne'er Shall see.
Yet love my love because know my
love loves NO."
On November 81, 1875, fourth Eng
lish version of "Grahmachree" was
sung in London, and had an enormous
success. This was the song: Had !
a Heart for Falsehood Framed" by
Richard Brimsley Sheridan, in his OPP
era Of 'The Duenna," which ran for
seventy-tlve nights with undated
popularity. Twentieth century read
ers are not familiar with this charming
lyric, and, therefore. I append verse
Of it:
Had 1 a heart for falsehood framed,
I ne'er could injure you: :. .'.-
For though your tongue no promise
claimed,
Your charms would make me true.
10 you no soul shall bear deceit.
No stranger offer wrong;
But friends in all the aged you'll meet.
And lovers in the young"
Finally. Tom Moore set his seal on
the old Irish song, by writing his own
Incompatible setting, 1.-The Harp Tha.
Once Thro' Tara's Halls" in 1907,
which was published in the first num-
Der of the Irish Melodies" in 1898.
= Nor must it be forgotten that sew
eral other English versions subse-
quently appeared, including a very
fine setting, "If l Had Thought Thou
Coulds't Have Died." by Rev. Charles
Wolfe (author Of THE Burial Of Sir
John Moore). and magnificent ballad
"a Cushla Gal Machree." by Michael
Doheny. 49,.
And now for the story Of the mel
ody itself which inspired such num-
Der Of settings, and which was par
ticular favorite with Robert Burns.
The air, as I have stated above, can
be traced back to the early years II
the seventeenth century, and is unde-
niably Irish. Known additionally in
Ireland for century, it was printed in
Dublin in 1877 as "Gramachree." Five
years later, the notorious Scotch tune-
stealer, James Oswald. published the
melody under the title: "Will Ye Go
to Flanders, My Mollo OF" in his sec
ond collection of Curious Scots
Tunes" and, in 1746, it was reprinted
under the same title by William Nc.
Gibbon, in the second book OF his
collection Of Scots Tunes" AS a
boy-about the year 1740-Rev. DIR.
Campbell Chancellor Of Clogher, heard
it in his native county Of Tyrone, and
it was equally popular in Leinster,
where George Ogle heard it in 1856.
The Scotch claim to the air of
"Gramachrce" is utterly absurd. Har-
dirnan, who published the original
Irish song, says: with respect to
Molly Asthore,' or, as Burns called it,
'Gramachree.' as well might it be as
serted that he hill Of Howth lay In
Pertl1shire, as that this ancient air
was Scotch" Indeed, the English might
as well claim it inasmuch as q dance
setting Of the air. under the title Of
my Hearts Delight" Ga translated
form OF the Irish title), was published
in Charles and Samuel Thompson's
Country Dances for 1775." And we
have seen that the air was utilized for
the pretty folk ballad. 1.-THE Maid of
Bedlam," about the year 1910. But the
words Of the earliest English version
may be dated from the first
decade Of the eighteenth cetury, when
the Irish troops were fighting the
Flanders-amply demonstrate the r.
ish origin Of song and air.
We have seen that the irish song
was popular during the Confederate
period, that is to say. from 1642 to 164s
and OF course 1t was sung to its own
air, now inseparably associated with
"The Harp That Once" My reason for
dating the English version: ''Wlll Ye
Go to Flanders, My Molly o." as about
the year 1909 is that many Irish troupe