Lyr Req: Sylvia the Fair (John Dryden)

Subject: 'Sylvia the Fair' Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Merrilee Overdone
Date: 26 May 00 - 12:17 PM

One of my fellow performers has asked me for this song. I have never heard of it. Does anyone have the lyrics? Good ye Den! Merrilee

Subject: RE: 'Sylvia the Fair' Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 26 May 00 - 05:02 PM

Ed McCurdy sang it on his LP "When Dalliance was in Flower", Elektra EKL-110.

Subject: RE: 'Sylvia the Fair' Lyrics?
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 26 May 00 - 05:32 PM

The proper title is "Fair Silvia", and it commences "Silvia the fair, in the bloom of fifteen". It's given with Wm. Boyce's tune in Walsh's "The British Musical Miscellany", II, p. 89 (1734), and it was also printed as a single sheet song with music.

Subject: RE: 'Sylvia the Fair' Lyrics?
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 06:09 AM

Copied from PoemHunter.com

SONG (SYLVIA THE FAIR, IN THE BLOOM OF FIFTEEN)
John Dryden (1631-1700)

Sylvia the fair, in the bloom of fifteen,
Felt an innocent warmth as she lay on the green:
She had heard of a pleasure, and something she guessed
By the towsing and tumbling and touching her breast:
She saw the men eager, but was at a loss
What they meant by their sighing and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining,
And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,
And sighing and kissing so close.

"Ah!" she cried, "ah, for a languishing maid
In a country of Christians to die without aid!
Not a Whig, or a Tory, or Trimmer* at least,
Or a Protestant parson, or Catholic priest,
To instruct a young virgin that is at a loss
What they meant by their sighing and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining,
And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,
And sighing and kissing so close."

Cupid in shape of a swain did appear;
He saw the sad wound, and in pity drew near;
Then showed her his arrow, and bid her not fear,
For the pain was no more than a maiden may bear;
When the balm was infused, she was not at a loss
What they meant by their sighing and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining,
And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,
And sighing and kissing so close.

[Sung by Ed McCurdy on "The Best of Dalliance," Rhino Handmade CD #7835, 2004.]

---

*The McCurdy CD has "Triber."
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: 'Sylvia the Fair' Lyrics?
From: Ep' Eric
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 06:59 AM

This song can also be found in Ed Mcurdy's Songs of Dalliance, along
with other songs of similar ilk. Too disgusting to mention.

I have been singing some of them for years at Ep'th Folk and hope to continue, despite a stroke.

Subject: Tune Add: SYLVIA THE FAIR (from Ed McCurdy)
From: masato sakurai
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 07:51 AM

X:1
T:SYLVIA THE FAIR
M:6/8
L:1/8
K:F
B:Ed McCurdy's Song Book of Wit and Mirth (Hargail, p. 10)
"F"F F A c c c |"C7"B A G "F"F F F|"Bb"d d d "F"c c c|
w:Syl-via the fair, at the age of six-teen, Felt an in-nocent warmth as she
"C7"B B B "F"A2 A|"Dm"A A A A G A|"Gm"F G E "Dm"D A A|
w:lay on the green; She'd heard of a plea-sure and some-thing she guess'd By the
A A A A G A|"Gm"F G E "Dm"D2 F|"Bb"d d d "F"c c c|
w:tows-ing and tumbl-ing and touch-ing her breast. She saw the men ea-ger but
"C7"B B B "F"A A A|"Dm"A A A A G A|"Gm"F G E "Dm"D F F|
w:was at a loss What they meant by their sigh-ing and kiss-ing so close: By their
"Bb"d d d "F"c c c|"C7"B B B "F"A A F|
w:(FAST)~pray-ing and whin-ing and clasp-ing and twin-ing and
"Bb"d d d "F"c c c|"C7"B B B "F"A A G|
w:pant-ing and wish-ing and sigh-ing and kiss-ing (A~TEMPO)~And
F F F "C7"E E E|"F"F3-F3|]
w:sigh-ing and kiss-ing so close._

Subject: RE: 'Sylvia the Fair' Lyrics?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Apr 06 - 07:56 PM

Is McCurdy the sole source of this? Seems to me it should also be finable under Dryden, not connected with McCurdy.
Is "Trimmer" or "Triber" correct? - what's the meaning of "Trimmer" or "Triber"?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: 'Sylvia the Fair' Lyrics?
From: Snuffy
Date: 18 Apr 06 - 08:21 AM

Trimmers were those who "trimmed their sails" to the prevailing wind, i.e. backed whoever was winning at the time. The Vicar of Bray was one.