LOVE frowns in beauteous Myra's eyes 3

Ah, nymph! thofe cruel looks give o'er.
While Love is frowning, Beauty dies,
And you can charm no more.

RECITATIVE.

Mark, how when fullen clouds appear,
And wintery ftorms deface the year,

The prudent cranes no longer stay,
But take the wing, and through the air,
From the cold region fly away,

And far o'er land and feas to warmer climes repair.
Juft fo, my heart-But fee-Ah no!

She fmiles-I will not, cannot go.

AIR.

Love and the Graces fmiling,
In Myra's eyes beguiling,
Again their charms recover.
Would you fecure our duty,
Let kindness aid your beauty,

Ye fair, to footh the lover.

RECITATIVE.

"TWAS at the royal feaft, for Perfia won By Philip's warlike fon;

Aloft in awful state,

The godlike hero fate

On his imperial throne:

His valiant peers were plac'd around; Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound.

AIR.

Lovely Thais by his fide

Blooming fat in beauty's pride.

Happy, happy, happy Pair!

None but the brave deferves the fair!

II. RE

II.

RECITATIVE.

Timotheus plac'd on high,

Amid the tuneful quire,

With flying fingers touch'd the lyre;
Trembling the notes afcend the sky,
And heavenly joys inspire.

The fong began from Jove,
Who left his blissful feats above;
(Such is the power of mighty Love!
A dragon's fiery form bely'd the god;
Sublime on radiant fpires he rode,
When he to fair Olympia prefs'd,
And while he fought her fnowy breast;

Then round her flender waift he curl'd,

And ftamp'd an image of himself, a fovereign of the world.

The liftening croud adore the lofty found,
A prefent deity, they fhout around;

A prefent deity, the echoing roofs rebound!

AIR.

With ravish'd ears
The monarch hears,

Affumes the god,

Affects the nod,

And seems to shake the spheres.

III. RE.

III.

RECITATIVE.

The praise of Bacchus then the fweet Mufician fung,
Of Bacchus ever fair, and ever young:
Behold he comes, the victor god!
Flush'd with a purple grace,

He fhews his honeft face;

As when, by tigers drawn, o'er India's plains he rode,
While, loud with conqueft and with wine,

His jolly troop around him reel'd along,
And taught the vocal skies to join
In this applauding fong.

DUETT O.

Bacchus ever gay and young,
First did drinking joys ordain:
1. Bacchus' bleffings are a treasure;
2. Drinking is the foldier's pleasure
1. Rich the treasure,

2. Sweet the pleasure !

BOTH. Sweet is pleasure after pain!

VI.

RECITATIVE.

Fir'd with the found, the king grew vain;

Fought all his battles o'er again,

And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he flew

the flain.

The mafter faw the madness rife,

His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes;

And

And while he Heaven and Earth defy'd,

He chose a mournful Mufe,

Soft pity to infuse;

177

Then thus he chang'd his song, and check'd his pride.

AIR.

See Darius great and good,

By too fevere a fate,

Fall'n from his high estate;

Behold his flowing blood!

On earth th' expiring monarch lies,
With not a friend to close his eyes.

V.

RECITATIVE.

With downcast looks the joyless victor fate,

Revolving in his alter'd foul

The various turns of chance below;
And, now and then, a figh he stole,
And tears began to flow.
The mighty mafter fmil'd to fee
That love was in the next degree,
'Twas but a kindred-found to move:
For pity melts the mind to love.
Softly fweet in Lydian measures,
Soon he footh'd his foul to pleasures.

AIR with flutes.

War is toil and trouble,
Honour is an airy bubble,