Bantock (arr.) – Drink to me only with thine eyes

Song Information

Title: Drink to me only with thine eyes

Music: Popular song, attributed to Colonel R. Mellish (1777-1817)

Arranger: Granville Bantock (1868-1946)

Text: Ben Jonson (1572-1637)

Sheet Music

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Audio Files

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  • There are numerous arrangements of this tune to be found online, but not necessarily this version.

MIDI:

Song Text

Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
Or leave a kiss but in* the cup,
And I’ll not ask for wine.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink divine;
But might I of Jove’s nectar sup,
I would not change for thine.

I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee,
As giving it a hope that there
It could not wither’d be.
But thou thereon didst only breathe
And send’st it back to me:
Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself, but thee.

* other editions have “within” here, but this appears to be the authentic text.

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