Lovely Nancy (James Oswald)
Music files
| ICON | SOURCE |
|---|---|
 |
Web Page |
 |
File details |
 |
Help |
- (Posted 2023-08-14) CPDL #74873:
- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2023-08-14). Score information: A4, 2 pages, 117 kB Copyright: CC BY SA
- Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download. Figured bass realised editorially.
General Information
Title: Lovely Nancy
Composer: James Oswald
Lyricist: John Lockmancreate page
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: solo high
Genre: Secular, Aria
Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo
First published: 1738
Description: Published in "The Musical Entertainer" under the original title of "The inconstant fair one, or Strephon's complaint". The tune achieved great popularity under the name of Lovely Nancy.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
How can you, lovely Nancy, thus cruelly slight
A swain who is wretched when banished your sight;
Who for your sake alone thinks life worth his care,
But which soon if you frown on must end in despair.
If you mean thus to torture, Oh! why did your eyes
Once express so much softness and sweetly surprise?
By their lustre inflamed I could not believe
As they shed such wild influence they e'er would deceive.
But alas, like the pilgrim bewildered in night,
Who perceives a false splendour at distance invite.
Overjoyed he hastes on, pursues it and dies;
A like ruin attends me, if away Nancy flies.
O forget not the raptures you felt in my arms,
When you called me dear angel and unveiled all your charms;
When you vowed lasting love and swore with a kiss
That in my fond embraces was centred all bliss.
Fairest but most obdurate consider that woe
Will, like sickness neglected, more desperate grow.
That your heart may relent, I implore the kind pow'rs,
Since I'm constant as your sex, be not fickle as ours.