Pshaw, tell me no more of the lily (Thomas Arne)

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• (Posted 2025-10-09)  CPDL #87082: 

Editor: Christopher Shaw (submitted 2025-10-09).   Score information: A4, 2 pages, 69 kB   Copyright: CC BY SA

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

General Information

Title: Pshaw, tell me no more of the lily
Composer: Thomas Arne
Lyricist:
Number of voices: 1v   Voicing: solo high
Genre: Secular, Aria

Language: English
Instruments: Keyboard

First published: 1760
Description: Probably written for performance at Vauxhall.

Original text and translations

English text

Pshaw! Tell me no more of the lily,
The violet, carnation and rose;
You never can think me so silly
To match my Clorinda with those.

The lily, all beauteous today,
Tomorrow will wither and fade;
Pinks, roses and violets decay;
Not so my adorable maid.

Her charms unimpaired will endure;
Bloom brighter and brighter each day:
For virtue and candour are sure
In their nature, and never decay.