Tell me not, in mournful numbers

Representative Text

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream;
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end and way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us further than to-day.

Lives of true men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints which perhaps another,
Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.



Source: A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #310

Author: Henry W. Longfellow

Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth , D.C.L. was born at Portland, Maine, Feb. 27, 1807, and graduated at Bowdoin College, 1825. After residing in Europe for four years to qualify for the Chair of Modern Languages in that College, he entered upon the duties of the same. In 1835 he removed to Harvard, on his election as Professor of Modern Languages and Belles-Lettres. He retained that Professorship to 1854. His literary reputation is great, and his writings are numerous and well known. His poems, many of which are as household words in all English-speaking countries, display much learning and great poetic power. A few of these poems and portions of others have come into common use as hymns, but a hymn-writer in the strict sense of that term he… Go to person page >

Text Information

First Line: Tell me not, in mournful numbers
Author: Henry W. Longfellow
Language: English
Copyright: Public Domain

Tune

RATHBUN

This story is associated with the writing of RATHBUN: One Sunday in 1849 Ithamar Conkey (b. Shutesbury, MA, 1815; d. Elizabeth, NJ, 1867) walked out of the morning service at Central Baptist Church, Norwich, Connecticut, where he was choir director and organist, frustrated because only one soprano f…

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SICILIAN MARINERS

SICILIAN MARINERS is traditionally used for the Roman Catholic Marian hymn "O Sanctissima." According to tradition, Sicilian seamen ended each day on their ships by singing this hymn in unison. The tune probably traveled from Italy to Germany to England, where The European Magazine and London Review…

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Timeline

Instances

Instances (1 - 67 of 67)
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A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion. (10th ed.) #310

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Ocean Melodies, and Seamen's Companion #39c

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The School Hymn-Book #229

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Hymns for the Church of Christ (3rd thousand) #730

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship #444

Hymns for Children and Young Persons #d382

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Plymouth Collection of Hymns and Tunes; for the use of Christian Congregations #872

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Hymns for the Church of Christ. (6th thousand) #730

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The Psalms of Life #299

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The Baptist Hymn and Tune Book #872

The Golden Harp #d297

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A Book of Hymns and Tunes #107

Hymns and Tunes for the Sunday School, the Congregation and the Home #d152

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Hymns for First-Day Schools #39

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Plymouth Collection #a872

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Songs for Social and Public Worship #836

The Soldier's Manual of Devotion, or Book of Common Prayer 2d ed. #d78

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Hymn Book for Christian Worship. 8th ed. #a444

Hymns of Progress #d163

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Hymns of the Spirit #567

Soldier's Friend #d77

Text

A Book of Hymns for Public and Private Devotion (15th ed.) #310

Prayers and Hymns for the Church and the Home #d622

The New Christian Harp. 10th ed. #d220

Glad Tidings #d77

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Hymn and Tune Book, for the Church and the Home #684

Lyra Sacra Americana #d183

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Palmer's Sabbath School Songs #58b

Sacred Lyrics #d128

The Association Hymn Book #d117

Grammar School Hymn Book #d233

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Hymns of the Church, Ancient and Modern #355

Progressive Songster #d121

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National Hymn and Tune Book #164

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Singers and Songs of the Liberal Faith #216

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A Collection of Spiritual Hymns #705

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Church Harmonies #623

Songs for the School #d150

The Truth Seeker Collection of Forms, Hymns and Recitations, Original and Selected, for the Use of Liberals #d336

Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home and Services for Congregational Worship. Rev. ed. #d659

The Gospel Hymnal #d564

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The Liberal Hymn Book #16

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A Collection of Hymns and Sacred Songs #510

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The Spirit of Praise #174

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Hymn and Tune Book for the Church and the Home. (Rev. ed.) #618

Love and Praise #d123

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Sacred Songs For Public Worship #141

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The Carol #50c

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Hymns and Anthems adapted for Jewish Worship #64

The Public School Hymnal, for the Use of High Schools and Seminaries. New and enl. ed. #d225

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Hymnal for Christian Science Church and Sunday School Services #145

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Good-Will Songs #183

Universal Hymns #137

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High School Hymnal #107

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Sacred Songs For Public Worship #141

School and College Hymnal #d144

Jubilate Deo #299

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The Brethren Hymnal #453

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The Golden Hymn Book #239

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School and College Hymnal #107

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The Sunday School Hymnary #337

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The Fellowship Hymn Book #51

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The Fellowship Hymn Book #51

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Heart and Voice #213

Heart and Voice #d245

The Faithist Hymnal #d96

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