Good Night

Good night, good friend, good night to thee,
Good night, sweet lady fair and free.
For the night has been a good night to me.
Though thou art come from a far countree.
Smiles soft and still, not laughter high.

Have gladden'd our quiet company,
And ever and aye with a happy sigh
Thou smilest on the baby sleeping by.
See how the baby smiles in her sleep.

What dream on her soul doth lightly creep ?
What fancy so pretty is playing bo-peep
With the innocent's thoughts in the fields of sleep ?

When slumbering babies smile in a dream,
'Tis their angel, as antique faith would deem,

That plays with their hearts like a moonlight beam.
Stealing through chinks to a hidden stream.
Good night, good night, the smile is past.

And I must say good night at last ;
I am long a-going, but hark to the blast,
And the rain that patters so loud and fast.

But I will carry sweet thought away,
To sweeten my bread for many a day.

When I think of the beautiful babe that lay
So calm — yet as bright as an image of May.