Annotation:Stella darling of the Muses
X:1 T:Stella darling of the Muses M:3/8 L:1/8 Q:"Slow" B:David Young – “A Collection of Scotch Airs with the latest Variations” (AKA - The B:McFarlane Manuscript (c. 1741, No. 208, p. 250) F: https://rmacd.com/music/macfarlane-manuscript/collection/pdfs/stella_darling_of_the_muses.pdf N:The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland K:G G/A/Bc|def|gTg2|(3f/e/d d2|(3e/d/c/ TBA|(3d/c/B/ TAG|c/d/cB|TBAz |G/A/Bc| def|gTg2|(3f/e/d/ d2|(3g/f/e/ d^c|dAd|(3g/f/e/ d^c|dTA2|GTG2|FAd|(3g/f/e/ d^c|d3:| |:d/c/BA|^G/A/Bc|dTd2|(3c/B/A/ A2|c/B/AG|F/G/AB|c/d/cB|TBAz|G/A/Bc|def| gTg2|(3f/e/d/ d2|(3e/d/c/ TBA|dFG|(3e/d/c/ TBA|dFG|cTc2|BgG|(3c/B/A/ TA2|G3:| |:cac|BgB|(3c/B/A/ (GTF)|G3::G/F/G/A/B/c/|def|g/f/g/b/a/g/|(3f/e/d/ d2|e/c/B/A/^G/A/| d/B/A/=G/F/G/|(3c/f/a/ (3g/f/e/ (3d/c/B/|TBAz|G/F/G/A/B/c/|def|g/f/g/b/a/g/|(3f/e/d/ d2|(3g/f/e/ d^c| dAd|gf/e/d/^c/|(3d/^c/B/ TBA|GTG2|FAd|(3g/f/e/ T^c2|d3::d/c/BA|^G/A/B/c/d/e/ |=fed| (3c/B/A/ A2|c/B/A/G/F/E/|D/E/F/G/A/B/|(3c/f/a/ (3g/f/e/ (3d/c/B/|TBAz|G/F/G/A/B/c/|def|gTg2|(3f/e/d/ d2| e/c/B/A/^G/A/|d/B/A/=G/F/G/|(3e/d/c/ (3d/c/B/ (3c/B/A/|(3d/c/B/ (3A/G/F/ (3G/A/B/|c Tc2| B/a/g/f/g/G/|(3c/B/A/ TA2|G3::c/f/a>c|B/d/g>B|A/g/Df|gBz:|
STELLA DARLING OF THE MUSES. AKA - "Be kind to the young thing," "Semplicetta Tortona." English, Air (3/8 time). G Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABBCCDD. "Stella Darling of the Muses" was a mid-18th century song. The tune of ‘Stella Darling of the Muses’ was published under its original title of ‘Semplicetta Tortona’ in 'The Favourite Songs in the Opera Call'd Demetrius (London: Walsh, 1737). A score of the same tune with the English title was published as "Stella Darling of the Muses. The Charmer. To a Celebrated Air in Demetrius" some time around 1740. The song was printed in several period songsters, such as George Bickham's Musical Entertainer vol. 1 (1740, p. 67), John Simpson's Caliope: or, English Harmony, vol. 1 (1746, p. 31), and Ritson's Select Collection of English Songs(1783). The melody was also included in 18th century instrumental tutors for woodwind instruments.
The first two stanzas of the song go:
Stella, darling of the Muses,
Fairer than the blooming spring,O,
Sweetest theme the poet chuses,
When of thee he strives to sing, O.
Whilst my soul with wonder traces
All thy charms of face and mind, O,
All the beauties, all the graces,
Of thy sex in thee I find, O.
