The transit of Venus (Anonymous)
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(Posted 2026-03-09) CPDL #88606:
- Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2026-03-09). Score information: A4, 2 pages, 57 kB Copyright: CC BY SA
- Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.
General Information
Title: The transit of Venus
Composer: Anonymous
Lyricist: Anonymous
Number of voices: 1v Voicing: solo high
Genre: Secular, Folksong
Language: English
Instruments: Basso continuo
First published: c.1772
Description: An account of Captain James Cook's first voyage, with the purpose of observing the transit of Venus: an astronomical search described in Carry On terms, ten years before Herschel discovered Uranus.
External websites:
Original text and translations
English text
Come, ye lads and lasses, with speed
Hawkesworth's new collection read;
His natural philosophy
Will teach you all the Timorade,
Timorade, Timorade, will teach you all the Timorade.
George the third of glorious sway
Sent two wondrous men to sea,
From motives of true piety,
That we might learn the Timorade,
Timorade, Timorade, that we might learn the Timorade.
Banks and Solander straight fly,
Like meteors thro' the southern sky,
To Otahite most speedily;
When there they saw the Timorade,
Timorade, Timorade, when there they saw the Timorade.
Oberea, charming queen,
Led the lovely sylvan scene;
While all around beheld with glee
Those mystic rites of the Timorade,
Timorade, Timorade, those mystic rites of the Timorade.
The lads and lasses, in a ring,
Quickly dance and loudly sing;
Like the tremulous leaves of the Aspen tree,
Their bu--ks shook time to the Timorade,
Timorade, Timorade, their bu--ks shook time to the Timorade.
There I saw a lovely fair
Venus' rites most boldly bear;
Twelve years old she could not be,
Yet foaming below for the Timorade,
Timorade, Timorade, yet foaming below for the Timorade.
Then a lusty, able youth
Tipped the maid the naked truth;
Whilst shedding the tears of virginity,
Her a--e danc'd an earthquake to Timorade,
Timorade, Timorade, her a--e danc'd an earthquake to Timorade.
Paddy, who star'd with falling jaw,
Was asked by Banks what was't he saw?
"Why, what we all were sent to see,
The transit of Venus, by Jasus", said he,
"By Jasus", said he, "by Jasus", said he, "the transit of Venus, by Jasus", said he.