FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   >>   >|  
iven them? and how long it continued in use? T. W. D. BROOKS. Cropredy, Banbury. [The inscription is given in Lipscomb's _Buckinghamshire_. Horne Tooke says _imp_ is the past participle of the A.-S. _impan_, to graft, to plant. Mr. Steevens (Note on _2 Henry IV._, Act V. Sc. 5.) tells us, "An _imp_ is a shoot in its primitive sense, but means a son in Shakspeare." In Hollinshed, p. 951., the last words of Lord Cromwell are preserved, who says, "And after him that his sonne Prince Edward, that goodlie _impe_, may long reign over you." The word _imp_ is perpetually used by Ulpian Fulwell, and other ancient writers, for progeny: "And were it not thy royal _impe_ Did mitigate our pain." Again, in the _Battle of Alcazar_, 1594: "Amurath, mighty emperor of the East, That shall receive the _imp_ of royal race." See other examples in Todd's Johnson and Dr. Richardson's Dictionaries. Shakspeare uses the word only in jocular and burlesque passages, which, says Nares, is the natural course of a word growing obsolete.] _"Guardian Angels now protect me," &c._--I remember John Wesley, and also his saying the "Devil should not have the best tunes." There was a pretty love-song, a great favourite when I was a boy: "Guardian angels, now protect me, Send to me the youth I love." the music of which Wesley introduced to his congregation as a hymn tune. The music I have, and I shall be glad if any of your correspondents {444} can oblige me with the first verse of this love-song; I only recollect the above lines. WILLIAM GARDINER. Leicester. [The following is the song referred to by our correspondent: _The Forsaken Nymph._ "Guardian angels, now protect me, Send to me the swain I love; Cupid, with thy bow direct me; Help me, all ye pow'rs above. Bear him my sighs, ye gentle breezes, Tell him I love and I despair, Tell him for him I grieve, say 'tis for him I live; O may the shepherd be sincere! "Through the shady grove I'll wander, Silent as the bird of night, Near the brink of yonder fountain, First Leander bless'd my sight. Witness ye groves and falls of water, Echos repeat the vows he swore: Can he forget me? will he neglect me? Shall I never see him more? "Does he love, and yet forsake me,
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

protect

 

Guardian

 
Shakspeare
 

angels

 

Wesley

 

introduced

 

congregation

 
repeat
 

correspondents

 

groves


Witness

 

oblige

 

forsake

 
pretty
 
forget
 

favourite

 

neglect

 
wander
 

direct

 

gentle


breezes
 

shepherd

 
Through
 

despair

 

grieve

 

Silent

 

WILLIAM

 

GARDINER

 

fountain

 
Leicester

recollect

 

Leander

 

yonder

 
referred
 

correspondent

 
Forsaken
 
sincere
 

jocular

 

primitive

 
Hollinshed

Steevens

 
BROOKS
 
Cropredy
 

Banbury

 

inscription

 

continued

 

Lipscomb

 
participle
 
Buckinghamshire
 

Cromwell