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ADIEU, ADIEU, MY ONLY LIFE, by                     Poet's Biography
Last Line: To watch me in the battle.
Alternate Author Name(s): Dibdin, Charles Isaac Mungo; Dibdin, Charles, Jr.
Subject(s): Farewell; Parting


ADIEU, adieu, my only life,
My honour calls me from thee;
Remember thou'rt a soldier's wife—
Those tears but ill become thee;
What though by duty I am called,
Where thundering cannons rattle,
Where valour's self might stand appalled,
When on the wings of thy dear love,
To heaven above
Thy fervent orisons are flown?
The tender prayer
Thou put'st up there
Shall call a guardian angel down
To watch me in the battle.

My safety thy fair truth shall be,
As sword and buckler serving;
My life shall be more dear to me,
Because of thy preserving;
Let peril come, let horror threat,
Let thund'ring cannons rattle,
I'll fearless seek the conflict's heat,
Assured when on the wings of love
To heaven above
Thy fervent orisons are flown;
The tender prayer thou put'st up there
Shall call a guardian angel down
To watch me in the battle.

Enough—with that benignant smile
Some kindred god inspired thee,
Who knew thy bosom void of guile,
Who wondered and admired thee.
I go assured, my life, adieu!
Though thund'ring cannons rattle,
Though murd'ring carnage stalk in view,
When on the wings of thy true love
To heaven above
Thy fervent orisons are flown;
The tender prayer thou put'st up there
Shall call a guardian angel down
To watch me in the battle.





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