Dedicated as a Mark of Friendship and Esteem to 
I. M. Floyd, Esq. 
"Midnight Rhymes, or, 
Tis Merry When the Stars are Bright" (1846) 
As Sung By Miss Anna Stone. 
Words by 
Barry Cornwall. 
Music Composed by 
Francis H. Brown. 

Boston: G. P. Reed, 17 Tremont Row 
W. Sharp & Co. Lith. 
[Source: 123/074@Levy]

1. Oh! ’tis merry when the stars are bright, 
  To sing, as you pace alang, 
Of the things that are dream’t by night, 
  To the motion of some old song; 
For the fancy of mortals teems, 
  Whether they wake or sleep, 
With figures that shine like dreams, 
  Then die in the darkness deep.  

[CHORUS sung after each verse]
Oh, merry are the Christmas times 
And merry the belfry chimes, 
But the merriest thing that a man e’er sings, 
Are his midnight rhymes.

2. At night both the rich and the lame 
  Abandon their world of care, 
And the creature that droops with shame, 
  For getteth her old despair. 
The boy on the raging deep, 
  Laugh, loud that the skies are clear 
And the murderer turns in sleep 
  And dreams, that a pardon’s near. 

3. At night, all wrongs are right,
  And all perils of life grow smooth;
Then why cometh the fierce daylight,
  When fancy is bright as truth?
All hearts, ’tween the earth and the moon,
  Recover their hopes again;
Ah,— ’tis pity so sweet a tune,
  Should ever be jarred by pain.