To Mrs. Sophie Dowland
"Not Lost For Ever!" (1874)
"Not lost for ever though on earth were parted,
Not lost for ever thou we meet no more;
They do not wander lone and broken hearted
Who see heav'ns radiance on the father shore."
Ballad
Composed by
John Rogers Thomas, 1830-1896

New York, NY: William A. Pond & Co., 547 Broadway
& 39 Union Square
Chicago, IL: Root & Lewis
Milwaukee, MI: H. N. Hempstead
Pittsburg, PA: H. Kleber & Bro.
San Francisco, CA: Matthias Gray
New Orleans, LA: L. Grunewald
Plate No. 8655
[Source: @NYPL]

1. Not lost forever, though on earth we’er parted! 
Not lost forever, though we meet no more! 
They do not wander lone and broken hearted 
Who see Heav’ns radiance on the further shore. 
Not lost forever! ev’ry gentle token, 
That mem’ry wins me from the far away; 
Shall fill my soul, though all our lives are broken, 
With tender grace that never can decay. 

[REFRAIN sung after each verse]
Not lost forever, though on earth we’re parted! 
Not lost forever, though we meet no more! 
They do not wander lone and broken hearted, 
Who see Heav’ns radiance from the further shore.

2. Not lost forever, while around me springing 
The violets weep, the roses blush and bloom; 
And summer birds in summer woodland singing 
Flood with soft music all the tranquil gloom. 
Not lost forever! there shall still be near me, 
Through ev’ry fortune and in ev’ry clime; 
When cares oppress, or gentle mem’ries cheer me, 
Thou shalt be with me dearest all the time.