Believe Me,
If All Those Endearing Young Charms
This is an Irish Song of the early 1800s. The melody had been used earlier for the poem My Lodging it is in the Cold Ground (the words were also associated with another tune by Locke). It was first printed in 1737 in London, but is probably much older. There was also a set of Scottish lyrics I Lo'ed Ne'er a Laddie But Ane. In 1808 Thomas Moore wrote the lyrics that are popular today. There is also a Harvard version of lyrics to the tune, Fair Harvard; of course, all are now public domain.
Which I gaze on so fondly to-day,
Were to change by to-morrow, and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy-gifts fading away,
Thou wouldst still be adored, as this moment thou art,
Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
It is not while beauty and youth are thine own
And thy cheeks unprofaned by a tear,
That the fervour and faith of a soul can be known,
To which will but make thee more dear;
No, the heart that has truly loved never forgets,
But as truly loves on to the close,
As the sun-flower turns on her god, when he sets.
The same look which she turn'd when he rose.
--Thomas Moore
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