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THE BALLAD FIFTY YEARS AGO 141
Wrighton made out of the music of this onetime enormously popular song is not known, but L. M. Thornton, who wrote the words, received a guinea, and died in the Bath Workhouse on May 8, 1888, worn out and weary, and was only saved from a pauper's grave through the intervention of a kind friend. 'The Postman's Knock' was sung by everyone at one time, and was so popular that it was actually made the groundwork of a farce of the same name, by Thornton, which was produced almost simultaneously at the Surrey and Haymarket Theatres ; at the former on April 7, 1876, with Phelps in the leading part, and at the Haymarket four days later with Mr. W. Farren as the Postman. It ran at both theatres for some considerable time, and was praised by the press of the day, though, to tell the truth, it is a rather weak concoction. Thornton wrote a large number of songs of a distinctly homely character, and ' Sing, Sweet Bird,' the music for which was composed by Mr. Ganz, the words by Mr. Thornton, is still a popular ditty."
George Linley was a composer who wrote nearly all his own words, and some of his songs enjoyed a considerable vogue. Such were "The Ballad Singer," "The Contrabandista," "Fare thee well, my own true love," and "On the past look not with sorrow." With regard to this |
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