[Intro] [instrumental] (8 bars) Now western winds and slaught'ring guns/ Bring Autumn's pleasant weather;/ The moorcock springs on whirring wings/ Amang the blooming heather:/ Now waving grain, wide o'er the plain,/ Delights the weary farmer;/ And the moon shines bright, as I rove by night,/ To muse upon my charmer./ [connecting instrumental break] The partridge loves the fruitful fells, The plover loves the mountains; The woodcock haunts the lonely dells, The soaring heron the fountains: Through lofty groves the pigeon roves, The path of man to shun it; The hazel bush o'erhangs the thrush, The spreading thorn the linnet. [connecting instrumental break] Thus ev'ry kind their pleasure find, The savage and the tender; Some social join, some leagues combine, Some solitary wander: Avaunt, away, the cruel sway! Tyrannic man's dominion; The sportsman's joy, the murd'ring cry, The flutt'ring, gory pinion! [Instrumental] (16 bars) But, Peggy dear, the ev'ning's clear, Thick flies the skimming swallow, The sky is blue, the fields in view, All fading - green and yellow: Come let us stray our gladsome way, And view the charms of Nature; The rustling corn, the fruited thorn, And ev’ry happy creature. [connecting instrumental break] We'll gently walk, we’ll sweetly talk, Till the silent moon shine clearly; I'll grasp thy waist, and, fondly pressed, Tell how I love thee dearly: Not vernal show'rs nor budding flow'rs, Not Autumn to the farmer, So dear can be as thou to me, My fair, my lovely charmer! [outro] [Instrumental] (16 bars) [end]
