The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation, Z. 196: "Tell me, Some Pitying Angel" (Live)
Tell me, some pitying angel, quickly say
Where does my soul’s sweet darling stay
In tiger’s, or more cruel Herod’s way?
O! rather let his tender footsteps press
Unregarded through the wilderness
Where milder savages resort
The desert’s safer than a tyrant’s court
Why, fairest object of my love
Why dost thou from my longing eyes remove?
Was it a waking dream that did foretell
Thy wondrous birth? no vision from above?
Where’s Gabriel now that visted my cell?
I call; he comes not; flatt’ring hopes, farewell
Me Judah’s daughters once caress’d
Call’d me of mothers the most bless’d
Now (fatal change!) of mothers most distress’d
How shall my soul its motions guide
How shall I stem the various tide
Whilst faith and doubt my lab’ring thoughts divide?
For whilst of thy dear sight I am beguil’d
I trust the God, but oh! I fear the child
Autor(es): Henry Purcell, Nahum Tate
