Robert Southey: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

The Traveller's Return

Robert Southey

“The Traveller's Return” as printed in A First Series of Hymns and Songs (1853).

Robert Southey: 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

Sweet to the early wayfarer

The song amid the sky,

Where twinkling in the dewy light,

The sky-lark soars on high;

And cheering to the wayfarer

The gales that o'er him play,

When faint and heavily he drags

Along his noon-tide way.

Verse 2

And when beneath the unclouded sky

Full wearily toils he,

The flowing water makes to him

A soothing melody.

And when the daylight wanes away,

And all is calm around,

There is sweet music to his ear

In the distant sheep-bell's sound.

Verse 3

And sweet the village curfew-bell,

As shades of night appear,

That marks his weary journey's bourn,

And tells that home is near.

But, oh! of all delightful sounds,

Of evening or of morn,

Far sweetest is the voice of love

That welcomes his return.

Credits

Written by Robert Southey

Words by Robert Southey. 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 Traveller's Return”

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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