Lucy Aikin: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Beggar-Man

Lucy Aikin

“The Beggar-Man” as printed in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853).

Lucy Aikin: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1853 · historical text
Public domainHymnSacred song
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from A First Series of Hymns and Songs, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Around the fire, one wintry night,

The farmer's rosy children sat,

The faggot lent its blazing light,

And jokes went round and careless chat.

When, hark! a gentle hand they hear,

Low tapping at the bolted door;

And, thus to gain their willing ear,

A feeble voice was heard to implore:

Verse 2

"Cold blows the blast across the moor,

The sleet drives hissing in the wind,

Yon toilsome mountain lies before,

A dreary treeless waste behind.

Open your hospitable door,

And shield me from the biting blast;

Cold, cold it blows across the moor,

The weary moor that I have past!"

Verse 3

With hasty steps the farmer ran,

And close beside the fire they place

The poor half-frozen beggar-man,

With shaking limbs and pallid face.

The little children flocking came,

And warm'd his stiffening hands in theirs;

And busily the good old dame

A comfortable mess prepares.

Verse 4

Their kindness cheer'd his drooping soul;

And slowly down his wrinkled cheek

The big round tear was seen to roll.

And told the thanks he could not speak.

The children too began to sigh,

And all their merry chat was o'er;

And yet they felt, they knew not why,

More glad than they had done before.

Credits

Written by Lucy Aikin

Words by Lucy Aikin. Historical text published in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853), “The Beggar-Man”

Every text in this 1853 collection is by Henry Formby (1816-1884), who died more than 140 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-26. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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