The Mavis (1819, Falkirk)/The Wedding Day

One night, as poor Colin lay muſing on bed,
With a heart full of love; and a vaporous head;
To wing the dull hours, and his ſorrows allay,
How ſweetly he ſung of his wedding-day.

O what would I give for a wedding day!
O what would I give for a wedding-day!
Wealth and ambition I’d loſe you away,
With all you can boaſt for a wedding-day.

Should the Heavens bid me aſk, and with freedom implore,
One bliſs for the anguiſh I ſuffr’d before,
For Jeſſy, dear Jeſſy, alone would I pray,
And grasp my whole wiſh on my wedding-day!

Bleſt be the approach of my wedding-day!
I’ll hail my dear nymph on my wedding-day;
Earth ſmiles more charming, & nature more gay,
And happineſs dawns on my wedding-day.

Luna, who equally ſovereign preſides,
O’er hearts of the ladies, and flow of the tides,
Unhappily changes— has changed her mind,
O Fate! cou’d a wife prove e’er conſtant or kind?,

Why was I born to a wedding day?
Curſt, ever curſt be my wedding-day:
Colin, poor Colin, has changed his lay,
And dates all his plagues from his wedding-day,

​Batchelors, be warn’d by the ſhepherd’s diſtreſs,
Be taught by your freedom to meaſure your bliſs;
Nor fall to the witchcraft of beauty a prey,
And blaſt all your hopes on a wedding day.

Horns is the gift of a wedding-day!
Want and a ſcold crowns a wedding day!
Happy’s the gallantras a wife while he may,
Or obtains a good one on his wedding-day.