The Poems and Verses of Charles Dickens Part 3

LYRIC FROM 'THE LAMPLIGHTER'

A FARCE

1838

THE LAMPLIGHTER

In 1838 d.i.c.kens agreed to prepare a little play for Macready, the famous actor, then the manager of Drury Lane Theatre. It was called _The Lamplighter_, and when completed the author read aloud the 'unfortunate little farce' (as he subsequently termed it) in the greenroom of the theatre. Although the play went through rehearsal, it was never presented before an audience, for the actors would not agree about it, and, at Macready's suggestion, d.i.c.kens consented to withdraw it, declaring that he had 'no other feeling of disappointment connected with this matter' but that which arose from the failure in attempting to serve his friend. The ma.n.u.script of the play, not in d.i.c.kens's handwriting, reposes in the Forster Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and in 1879 it was printed for the first time, in the form of a pamphlet, of which only two hundred and fifty copies were issued.

When rejected by Macready as unsuitable for stage presentation, _The Lamplighter_ was adapted by d.i.c.kens to another purpose--that is to say, he converted it into a tale called _The Lamplighter's Story_, for publication in _The Pic-Nic Papers_, issued in 1841 for the benefit of the widow of Macrone, d.i.c.kens's first publisher, who died in great poverty.

Between the farce and the story there are but slight differences. The duet of two verses, sung by Tom and Betsy to the air of 'The Young May-moon,'

cannot of course be regarded as a remarkable composition, but it served its purpose sufficiently well, and for that reason deserves recognition.

DUET FROM 'THE LAMPLIGHTER'

AIR--'THE YOUNG MAY-MOON'

_Tom._ There comes a new moon twelve times a year.

_Betsy._ And when there is none, all is dark and drear.

_Tom._ In which I espy--

_Betsy._ And so, too, do I--

_Both._ A resemblance to womankind very clear--

_Both._ There comes a new moon twelve times a year; And when there is none, all is dark and drear.

_Tom._ In which I espy--

_Betsy._ And so do I--

_Both._ A resemblance to womankind very clear.

_Second Verse._

_Tom._ She changes, she's fickle, she drives men mad.

_Betsy._ She comes to bring light, and leaves them sad.

_Tom._ So restless wild--

_Betsy._ But so sweetly wild--

_Both._ That no better companion could be had.

_Both._ There comes a new moon twelve times a year; And when there is none, all is dark and drear.

_Tom._ In which I espy--

_Betsy._ And so do I--

_Both._ A resemblance to womankind very clear.

SONGS FROM 'THE PICKWICK PAPERS'

1837

I.--THE IVY GREEN

THE IVY GREEN

This famous ballad of three verses, from the sixth chapter of _Pickwick_, is perhaps the most acceptable of all d.i.c.kens's poetical efforts. It was originally set to music, at d.i.c.kens's request, by his brother-in-law, Henry Burnett, a professional vocalist, who, by the way, was the admitted prototype of Nicholas Nickleby. Mr. Burnett sang the ballad scores of times in the presence of literary men and artists, and it proved an especial favourite with Landor. 'The Ivy Green' was not written for _Pickwick_, Mr. Burnett a.s.sured me; but on its being so much admired the author said it should go into a monthly number, and it did. The most popular setting is undoubtedly that of Henry Russell, who has recorded that he received, as his fee, the magnificent sum of ten s.h.i.+llings! The ballad, in this form, went into many editions, and the sales must have amounted to tens of thousands.

THE IVY GREEN

Oh, a dainty plant is the Ivy green, That creepeth o'er ruins old!

Of right choice food are his meals, I ween, In his cell so lone and cold.

The wall must be crumbled, the stone decayed, To pleasure his dainty whim: And the mouldering dust that years have made Is a merry meal for him.

Creeping where no life is seen, A rare old plant is the Ivy green.

Fast he stealeth on, though he wears no wings, And a staunch old heart has he.

How closely he twineth, how tight he clings, To his friend the huge Oak Tree!

And slily he traileth along the ground, And his leaves he gently waves, As he joyously hugs and crawleth round The rich mould of dead men's graves.

Creeping where grim death hath been, A rare old plant is the Ivy green.

Whole ages have fled and their works decayed, And nations have scattered been; But the stout old Ivy shall never fade, From its hale and hearty green.

The brave old plant, in its lonely days, Shall fatten upon the past: For the stateliest building man can raise Is the Ivy's food at last.

Creeping on, where time has been, A rare old plant is the Ivy green.

II.--A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The five stanzas bearing the above t.i.tle will be found in the twenty-eighth chapter of _Pickwick_, where they are introduced as the song which that hospitable old soul, Mr. Wardle, sung appropriately, 'in a good, round, st.u.r.dy voice,' before the Pickwickians and others a.s.sembled on Christmas Eve at Manor Farm. The 'Carol,' shortly after its appearance in _Pickwick_, was set to music to the air of 'Old King Cole,' and published in _The Book of British Song_ (New Edition), with an ill.u.s.tration drawn by 'Alfred Crowquill'--_i.e._, A. H. Forrester.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL