A canzonet from 1845.
Words by Felicia Hemans.
Music by E. J. Loder.
The sheet music:
Accompaniment by James Pitt-Payne:
Lyrics
What hid’st thou in thy treasure caves and cells
Thou ever sounding and mysterious main
Pale glis’ning pearls and rainbow color’d shells
Bright things which gleam unreck’d of, and in vain
Keep, keep thy riches, melancholy sea
We ask not, we ask not such from thee
We ask not such we ask not such from thee
But more, the billows and the depths have more
High hearts and brave are gather’d to thy breast
They hear not now the booming waters roar
The battle thunders will not break their rest
Keep thy red gold and gems thou stormy grave
Give back, give back the true and brave
Dark roll thy tides o’er manhood’s noble head
O’er youth’s bright locks and beauty’s flow’ry crown
Yet must thou hear, yet must thou hear a voice
Restore the dead, restore the dead
Earth shall reclaim her precious things from thee
Restore, restore the dead, thou sea
Kenneth Wood, tenor
James Dorn, piano
video by Vancha March: