Love thee?—so well, so tenderly

  Thou'rt loved, adored by me,

Fame, fortune, wealth, and liberty,

  Were worthless without thee.

Tho' brimmed with blessings, pure and rare,

  Life's cup before me lay,

Unless thy love were mingled there,

  I'd spurn the draft away.

Love thee?—so well, so tenderly,

  Thou'rt loved, adored by me,

Fame, fortune, wealth, and liberty,

  Are worthless without thee.

Without thy smile, the monarch's lot

  To me were dark and lone,

While, with it, even the humblest cot

  Were brighter than his throne.

Those worlds for which the conqueror sighs

  For me would have no charms;

My only world thy gentle eyes—

  My throne thy circling arms!

Oh, yes, so well, so tenderly

  Thou'rt loved, adored by me,

Whole realms of light and liberty

  Were worthless without thee.