To Dr. Varick, of Jersey City.
"Retrospection" (1859)
Ballad
Words by 
Amelia
Music composed by
John Rogers Thomas, 1830-1896
Author of
"The Leaves That Fall in Spring," 
"She Was a Beauteous Flower," etc.

New York: William Hall & Son, 543 Broadway
(between Spring and Prince Sts.)
Boston: Russell & Tolman
New Orleans: P. P. Werlein
Louisville: D. P. Faulds & Co.
Plate No. 4430
[Source: @NYPL]

1. I love to rove in fancy’s dreams, 
’Mid scenes of bygone hours, 
Ere time had wove its sadd’ning spell, 
Or blighted hope’s fair flow’rs; 
And faces o’er whose features fond, 
The well known smile still plays, 
These haunt me still, but, where are they, 
The friends of other days? 
These haunt me still, but, where are they, 
The friends, the friends of other days? 

2. Some sleep beneath the cold, cold sod, 
And tread life’s ways no more, 
Some linger still ’mid early haunts 
Some on a foreign shore; 
But yet while reason holds her sway, 
Or mem’ry leads her rays, 
The heart’s affection still will cling 
To friends of other days? 
The heart’s affection still will cling 
To friends, to friends of other days.