[Erminie:]
A lover in his mirror gaz'd,
With visage wan, and glare half craz'd
To see if thinner he had grown,
With love to hope alas unknown.
He brush'd his unkempt looks aside,
With careless haste and view'd with pride,
And morbid joy the lines of care
That blighted dreams had planted there.
With sigh and groan his bosom heaves,
Despairing plaint alone relieves.
Ah, me, ah, woe!
The deep drawn sigh;
Alack, heigho, of love I die,
Heigho, ah woe, ah woe,
Ah, me, ah, woe!
The deep drawn sigh;
Alack, heigho, of love I die,
Heigho, ah woe, ah woe.
Depress'd his spirits lower sink,
As wand'ring near a lake-let brink,
And in its surface gazing on
Once more his visage woe begone.
He brush'd away the silent tear,
But ne'er look'd up to see quite near
The goddess hope, with smile of fire
O bade the hopeless swain aspire.
He groan'd, and moan'd, nor look'd around,
But drooping still fell in and drown'd.
Ah, me, ah, woe!
The deep drawn sigh;
Alack, heigho, of love I die,
Heigho, ah woe, ah woe,
Ah, me, ah, woe!
The deep drawn sigh;
Alack, heigho, of love I die,
Heigho, ah woe, ah woe.