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BALLAD OPERAS AND BALLADS 47
the way, is one of Ben Davies's favourite songs.
To come back to history and the old-time ballads, Giardini's setting of Goldsmith's "When lovely woman stoops to folly," in The Vicar of Wakefield, must not be forgotten. Giardini was a magnificent violinist, but not a great success as a composer.
Thomas Linley was the composer of Sheridan's " Here's to the maiden of bashful fifteen," in The School for Scandal. Sheridan was Linley's son-in-law, and the latter also wrote the music for The Duenna. Linley took high rank as a composer; and his lovely five-part madrigal " Let me, careless," is still well known.
Mention may perhaps be made here of two old Scotch songs, " Robin Adair " and " Auld Robin Gray." The former, it should be said, was originally an Irish melody, "Eileen Aroon," but gradually became credited with being Scotch when associated with the words of " Robin Adair." These words have often been assigned to Burns, but it appears more likely that they were written by Lady Caroline Keppell, while under the influence of an unfortunate love affair. Mr. Fitzgerald, in his Stories of Famous Songs, says that her lover was one Robert Adair, and that they were kept apart by her hard-hearted parents. The lady eventually became so ill with |
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