Thou happy wretch! (Samuel Wesley)

Music files

L E G E N D

Disclaimer

How to download

ICON	SOURCE
	Web Page
	File details
	Help

• (Posted 2022-05-14)  CPDL #69215: 

Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2022-05-14).   Score information: A4, 2 pages, 145 kB   Copyright: CC BY SA

Edition notes: Please click on the link for preview/playback/PDF download.

General Information

Title: Thou happy wretch!
Composer: Samuel Wesley
Lyricist: Edward Young
Number of voices: 3vv   Voicing: TTB
Genre: Secular, Glee

Language: English
Instruments: A cappella

First published:
Description: Composed 1781.

Original text and translations

English text

Thou happy wretch! by blindness thou art blest;
By dotage dandled to perpetual smiles.
Know, smiler! at thy peril art thou pleased;
Thy pleasure is the promise of thy pain.
Misfortune, like a creditor severe,
But rises in demand of her delay;
She makes a scourge of past prosperity,
To sting thee more, and double thy distress.