Origins: Lin was a mighty great mandarin

Subject: Origins: Lin was a mighty great mandarin
From: MoragF
Date: 03 Nov 17 - 06:48 AM

Has anyone else come across this song? I learnt it from my father.

I know the title is 'Love in Canton' because it appears a copy was once sold through Amazon in the Antiquarian, Rare and Collectible section. It is still listed there (unavailable, of course) with the date given as 1875.

Lin was a mighty great mandarin
Fidgety, proud, and old.
Tin was a merchant of tea, I ween,
Rich as a mine of gold.
Lin was proud of his daughter fair,
She was his hope and his pride,
Tin with his chests of tea so rare
Courted her for his bride.

Chorus
Rinketin, tinketin, tink, tin, tin,
Rinketin, tink, tin, tin,
Rinketin, tinketin, tink, tin, tin,
Rinketin, tink, tin, tin.

Now Master Tin had an ugly face,
Horribly pale and thin,
Yet, like a lover, with strange grimace,
Ventured to court Miss Lin.
She was a maiden of high degree,
Fair as a China rose,
And at Tin and his chests of tea
Turned up her noble nose.

Soon 'twas arranged that it so should be,
The wedding was well-nigh o'er,
When a barbarian English ship
Suddenly came ashore.
Soon amidshipmen bouncing in
Scattered them far and wide,
And in face of the bridegroom Tin
Captured the lovely bride.

"Middyman, middyman, pray come in,
And will you not take some tea?
And which shall it be, kind sir, black or green?"
"Mixed, if you please," said he.
Charmed he was by her tiny feet,
Please by her long slit eyes,
And on board of the English fleet
Carried her off his prize.

"Pray, will you marry me, sweet Miss Lin?"
"Certainly, sir," said she.
"I'd rather have you than that monster Tin
In spite of his golden tea."
So on board of the man o' war
They were united for life,
And Miss Lin from her native shore
Went as a sailor's wife.

Subject: RE: Origins: Lin was a mighty great mandarin
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 Nov 17 - 05:49 PM

Hi, Morag -
Google Books is great for stuff like this. I found "Love in Canton" in The Red, White, and Blue Monster Songbook, Vol. 3, edited by John Diprose and published in 1860.
-Joe-

Subject: ADD: Love in Canton
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Nov 17 - 12:52 AM

LOVE IN CANTON

Lin was a mighty great mandarin
Fidgetty, proud, and old;
Tin was a merchant of tea, I ween,
Rich as a miner of gold.
Lin was vain of his daughter fair -
She was his hope and pride,
Tin. tho' sinking with age and care,
Wanted her for his bride.

CHORUS
Tink a ting, ting a ting, ting, ting, ting.

Lin had a residence out of town,
Luckily so had Tin;
Lin, like a nobleman, up and down
Went in a palanquin;
Tin each day to his office door,
Rode on a donkey white,
As soon as the Hong was o'er,
Canter'd him back at night,
Tink a ting, etc.

Now Mr. Tin had an ugly face,
Awfully pale and thin,
Yet, as a lover, with strange grimace,
Ventured to court Miss Lin.
She was young and of high degree,
Sweet as a China rose,
And at Tin and his chests of tea
Turn'd up her noble nose.
Tink a ting, etc.

Old Mr. Lin was a thoughtless man,
Foolishly fond of dash.
Rather too fast through his income ran,
Often was short of cash;
Owed more money than he could pay,
Mortgaged to Tin his land,
And to settle his debts one day,
Sold him his daughter's hand.
Tink a ting, etc.

The hour of the wedding arrived, - and then,
All would have soon been o'er,
When the barbarian Englishmen,
Suddenly came ashore;
Soon a midshipman, bouncing in,
Scatter'd them far and wide,
And away from the arms of Tin,
Captured the lovely bride.
Tink a ting, etc.

"Middyman, - Middyman, - do come in, -
Pray will you take some tea?
How will you drink it, sir, black or green?"
"Mixed, if you please," said he.
He was pleased with her tiny feet,
Struck with her long thin eyes,
And with joy to the English fleet
Carried her off as his prize.
Tink a ting, etc.

"Say, will you marry me, sweet Miss Lin?"
"Certainly, sir," said she;
"I'd rather have you than that monster Tin,
In spite of his gold and tea."
Then on board of a man-of-war
They were united for life,
And Miss Lin, with the English tar,
Went as a sailor's wife.
Tink a ting, etc.

Music at A.W. Hammond's


Source: The Red, White, and Blue Monster Songbook, Vol. 3, edited by John Diprose and published in 1860. page 196

Subject: RE: Origins: Lin was a mighty great mandarin
From: Joe Offer
Date: 04 Nov 17 - 12:57 AM

I found another version at https://lairdfamilymatters.wordpress.com/2008/02/13/6/


Grandfather was rather a testy old gentleman but he had a sense of humour and he surprised us all one time at some kind of party by sitting down at the piano and playing a little tinkling song singing ?Rinkerty Ching was Chinaman?.

Grandfather?s Song

Lin was a mighty great mandarin,
Fidgety, proud, and old.
Tin was dealer in Tin at Pekin
Rich as a mine of gold.

Now Mr Lin was a foolish man
Awfully fond of dash;
Speedily through his income ran,
Often was short of cash.

He owned more money than he could pay,
Mortgaged to Tin his land,
And so to settle his debts one day,
He sold him his daughter?s hand.

Miss Lin was fair and of high degree,
Sweet as a China Rose
And at Tin with his chests of tea
She turned up her noble nose.

The day of the marriage was fixed, and then
All would soon have been o?er,
When a barbarian Englishman
Suddenly came on shore.

Soon this Midshipman bouncing in,
Scattered them far and wide,
And far away on a foreign shore
She sails as a sailor?s bride.

Chorus:
Ringetty chingetty ching ching ching!
Ringetty ching ching ching!
Ringetty chingetty ching ching ching!
Ringetty ching ching ching!