Familiar Songs - Their Authors & Histories

300 traditional songs, inc sheet music with full piano accompaniment & lyrics.

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	22*;	OUR FAMILIAR SONGS.
	DAYS OF ABSENCE. The melody, and probably the words of the thrice-familiar song which follows, were written by Jean Jacques RotjsseaU, the celebrated French author, in 1775. He was born in Geneva, June 28, 1712, and was descended from a family of Paris booksellers and Pro­testant refugees. His mother, the daughter of a clergyman, died when he was born, and his grief that he should have met so bitter a loss was often referred to by him. Although he was a very delicate boy, before he was nine years old, he had spent whole nights in reading novels with his father, who had a visionary and restless disposition. From an engineer, a lawyer, and an engraver, with whom he lived successively, he picked up a varied fund of information. After a series of adventures of the most romantic and miser­able sort, he devoted himself to the study of music, which he afterward taught, and invented a new system of musical notation. He published several operas and musical works, before he turned his whole attention to the writings for which he is chiefly known. Eousseau died at Ermonville, near Paris, July 2, 1778. His melody has now been so long associated in our minds with its hymn-book title of "Greenville," that it seems odd to connect it with this French love song. In Europe it is called " Eousseau's Dream."
	Not till that loved voice can greet me, Which so oft has charmed mine ear, Not till those sweet eyes can meet me, Telling that I still am dear: Days of absence then will vanish, Joy will all my pangs repay; Soon my bosom's idol banish Gloom, but felt when she's awav. ■		All my love is turned to sadness, Absence pays the tender vow, Hopes that filled the heart with gladnes Memory turns to anguish now; Love may yet return to greet me, Hope may take the place of pain; Antoinette with kisses meet me, Breathing love and peace again.