Will you come to the Bower I've shaded for you, Our bed shall be roses, all spangled with dew. Will you, will you, will you, will you come to the Bower? Will you, will you, will you, will you come to the Bower?
A LIST OF SONGS AND INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC MENTIONED BY DICKENS
_The figures in brackets denote the chapter in the novel referred to_
A cobbler there was, and he lived in a stall, Which serv'd him for parlour, for kitchen and hall, No coin in his pocket, nor care in his pate, No ambition had he, nor no duns at his gate, Derry down, down, down, derry down.
The melody appeared in _Beggar's Opera_, 1728, and _Fashionable Lady_, 1730.
The theme of the ballad belongs to the late sixteenth century.
A frog he would a-wooing go, Heigho! said Rowley, Whether his mother would let him or no, With his rowly powly, Gammon and spinnage, O heigh! said Anthony Rowley.
We are told that Jack Hopkins sang 'The King, God Bless Him,' to a novel air, compounded of 'The Bay of Biscay' and 'A Frog He Would.' The latter was evidently the modern setting by C.E. Horn.
ALL HAIL TO THE VESSEL OF PECKSNIFF THE SIRE (_M.C._ 11)
Perhaps a parody on 'All Hail to the Chief.'
Deserted by the waning moon, When skies proclaim night's cheerless gloom, On tower, fort, or tented ground, The sentry walks his lonely round; And should a footstep haply stray Where caution marks the guarded way, Who goes there? Stranger, quickly tell, A friend. The word? Good-night. All's well.
And ye shall walk in silk attire, And siller ha'e to spare, Gin ye'll consent to be my bride, Nor think on Donald mair.
Susan Blamire was born at Carden Hall, near Carlisle. Very few of her poems were published under her own name, as well-born ladies of those days disliked seeing their names published as authors. 'The Siller Crown,' from which this verse is taken, is in the Cumberland dialect. It first appeared anonymously in the _Scots Musical Museum_, 1790, and the authorship was subsequently settled by members of the family.
AND YOU NEEDN'T, MR. VENUS, BE YOUR BLACK BOTTLE (_O.M.F._).
A STIFF NOR'-WESTER'S BLOWING, BILL (_D. & S._ 49)
One night came on a hurricane, The seas were mountains rolling, When Barney Buntline turned his quid, And said to Billy Bowling, A stiff Nor'-Wester's blowing, Bill, Hark, don't you hear it roar now? Lord help 'em! how I pity's all Unhappy folk ashore now.