Traditional: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

I mark'd a gem

Traditional

“I mark'd a gem” as printed in The Book of Scottish Song (1843).

Traditional: Collected Lyrics Text 185 1843 · historical text
Public domainScottish songFolk
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from The Book of Scottish Song, edited by Alexander Whitelaw, a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

I mark'd a gem of pearly dew,

While wand'ring near yon misty mountain,

Which bore the tender flow'r so low,

It dropp'd it off into the fountain.

So thou hast wrung this gentle heart,

Which in its core was proud to wear thee,

Till drooping sick heneath thy art,

It sighing found it could not bear thee.

Adieu, thou faithless fair! unkind!

Thy falsehood dooms that we must sever;

Thy vows were as the passing wind,

That fans the flow'r, then dies for ever.

And think not that this gentle heart,

Though in its core 'twas proud to wear thee,

Shall longer droop beneath thy art;—

No, cruel fair, it cannot bear thee.

Credits

Written by Traditional

Traditional words. Historical text published in The Book of Scottish Song (1843); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

The Book of Scottish Song (1843), edited by Alexander Whitelaw, “I mark'd a gem”

Every contribution in this 1843 anthology predates modern copyright terms by more than a century; any contributor died at least 130 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide (life+70 terms expired no later than 2020).

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 2026-10-12. 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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