William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.
I Dearly Love the FreeI
Its rivers rolling wide,
Its forests green, its silvery lakes,
Its mountains in their pride;
Beneath its banner’s starry folds,
The wand’rer seeketh rest;
The home of true and gallant hearts,
The hope of the oppress’d.
O! still most dear, this country fair
Must ever prove to me,
For well I love her noble sons;
I dearly love the free!
The forest wide did roam,
The son of Nature, wild and free,
In Nature’s sylvan home;
The city, in her health and pride,
Now rears her hundred spires;
No more is heard the sound of war
Around his council fires;
How fair, and bright, and beautiful,
This land appears to me,
I love it well and truly,
For I dearly love the free!
Her banner bright is known,
Her honour, wealth, and greatness,
Earth’s mighty nations own;
The tide of her prosperity,
Which onward still must roll,
While freedom’s stripes are waving,
To cheer each gallant soul;
There’s every tie to bind true hearts,
Fair country, unto thee,
Who love, as I do dearly love,
The bold, the brave, the free!
I do not sigh to roam,
Thy banner gives protection,
Thy ample soil a home;
Here plenty yields her blessings,
With a rich and liberal hand,
And peace her downy pinions spread
Above this fertile land;
Then be thou still my home of joy,
Until life’s sands are gone,
And let me have a grave in thee,
Thou land of Washington!