To Miss Irene McIntyre & J. V. Aldrich Esq.
Richmond, Ill.
"My Beautiful, for Thee" (1873)
Words by Sanford Fillmore Bennett, 1836-1898
Music by Joseph Philbrick Webster, 1819-1875

1.
I've heard the wild bird trill his song
In vale and leafy grove,
When, flower deck'd, the glad earth smil'd,
With azure skies above;
But sweeter far the voice that sings
A song of love to me
That thrills my soul with tenderness,
My beautiful, to Thee
That thrills my soul with tenderness,
My beautiful, to Thee.

CHORUS (with overlapping voices)
[SOPRANO and TENOR]
But sweet far the voice that sings
A song of love to me
That thrills my soul with tenderness,
My beautiful to Thee.
That thrills my soul with happiness,
My Beautiful to Thee.
[ALTO and BASS]
But sweeter far the voice that sings
A song of love, song of love to me
That thrills my soul with tenderness,
My beautiful, Beautiful to thee.
That thrills my soul with happiness
My Beautiful to Thee.

2.
I've seen the dew drop shining bright
Within the lily's bell,
Or glist'ning on the roses' lip
In garden and in dell;
But brighter far the eye that beams
Its untold love on me,
And thrills my heart with answering love,
My beautiful, for Thee
And thrills my heart with answering love,
My beartiful, for Thee.

(CHORUS)

3.
The world is fairer in thy smile,
The skies are brighter far;
The morn that smiles upon the hills,
The night with many a star,
The very flow'rs that lift their heards
So beautiful to see,
And all things fairest here below
Remind me, love, of Thee
And all things fairest here below
Remind me love, of Thee.

(CHORUS)