To fair Fidele's grassy tomb

General information

A text by William Collins. It is frequently referred to as the Dirge from Cymbeline, since it was frequently inserted into the Shakespeare play in eighteenth century productions.

Settings by composers

• Anonymous SAB (vv.1, 4-6)
• Thomas Arne
  • Air Solo high
  • Glee SATB (vv.1, 4-6)
• Benjamin Cooke SATB (vv.1, 4-6)
• William Jackson (of Exeter) solo high (vv.1-4,6,5)(To fairest Delia's tomb...)
• Maria Hester Park SSA, SSB or TTB (vv. 1,2,5)
• Venanzio Rauzzini STB (vv. 1,2,4,5)

Text and translations

English text 1 To fair Fidele's grassy tomb Soft maids and village hinds shall bring Each opening sweet of earliest bloom, And rifle all the breathing Spring. 2 No wailing ghost shall dare appear, To vex, with shrieks, this quiet grove; But shepherd lads assemble here, And melting virgins own their loves. 3 No wither'd witch shall here be seen, No goblins lead the nightly crew; But female fays shall haunt the green, And dress the grove with pearly dew.

4 The redbreast oft, at evening hours, Shall kindly lend his little aid, With hoary moss, and gathered flowers, To deck the ground where thou art laid.   5 Each lonely scene shall thee restore; For thee the tear be duly shed; Beloved till life can charm no more, And mourned till pity's self be dead. 6 When howling winds and beating rain In tempest shake the sylvan cell; Or 'midst the chase, on every plain, The tender thought on thee shall dwell.

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