In The Eye Abides The Heart

In the eye abides the heart.
Every pure and tender feeling,
All emotions worth revealing,
Through the eyes their charm impart.
Words are often clothed in guile;
For the lips with fear my falter:
E'en confiding smiles may alter
Oh! believe not in a smile!


'Tis the eye unveils the heart.
Every pure and tender feeling,
All emotions worth revealing,
To the eyes their glow impart.

If thy bosom heaves a sigh
For a fair and cherished maiden,
Though her voice with love be laden,
Mark the language of her eye
There each impulse of her soul
Beams for thee in truth and candor;
There her secret passions wander,
There remain beyond control.


Franz von Kobell, tr. by Stephen Foster, 1851