The plague of love (Whitehead, set by T. Arne, M. Head) (The Lied and Art Song Texts Page: Texts and Translations to Lieder, mélodies, canzoni, and other classical vocal music)


 Yes, I'm in love, I feel it now,
 And Celia has undone me;
 And yet I'll swear, I can't tell how,
 The pleasing plague stole on me.

 'Tis not her face that love creates,
 For there no graces revel;
 'Tis not her shape,
 For there the Fates have rather been uncivil.

 'Tis not her air, for sure in that
 There's nothing more than common;
 And all her sense is only chat,
 Like any other woman.

 Her voice, her touch, might give th' alarm;
 'Tis both, perhaps, or neither;
 In short, 'tis that provoking charm
 Of Celia all together!

Authorship

William Whitehead (1715-1785)

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)

Thomas Augustine Arne (1710-1778)

Michael Head (1900-1976)

Added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.

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