II. By Mufic, minds an equal temper know, Or, when the foul is press'd with cares, Warriors fhe fires with animated founds; Pours balm into the bleeding lover's wounds; Melancholy lifts her head, Morpheus roufes from his bed, Sloth unfolds her arms and wakes, Liftening Envy drops her fnakes; Inteftine war no more our Paffions wage, And giddy Factions hear away their rage. III. But when our Country's cause provokes to Arms, How martial mufic every bofom warms! 25 30 35 So when the first bold veffel dar'd the feas, High on the stern the Thracian rais'd his strain, While Argo faw her kindred trees 4.0 Defcend from Pelion to the main. And half unsheath'd the shining blade : 45 But IV. But when through all th' infernal bounds, Love, ftrong as Death, the Poets led What founds were heard, O'er all the dreary coasts! Dreadful gleams; Difmal fcreams, Fires that glow, Shrieks of woe, Sullen moans, Hollow groans, And cries of tortur'd ghosts! But hark! he strikes the golden lyre; See, fhady forms advance! Thy stone, O Sifyphus, stands still, And the pale spectres dance! The Furies fink upon their iron beds, 50 55 60 65 And snakes uncurl'd hang listening round their heads. V. By the streams that ever flow, By the fragrant winds that blow O'er the Elyfian flowers; Or Amaranthine bowers; 75 By By the hero's armed fhades, Glittering through the gloomy glades ; Wandering in the myrtle grove, Restore, restore Eurydice to life : Oh take the husband, or return the wife! He fung, and hell confented To hear the Poet's prayer; gave him back the fair. O'er death, and o'er hell, A conqueft how hard and how glorious! With Styx nine times round her, Yet mufic and love were victorious. VI. But foon, too foon the lover turns his eyes : Now under hanging mountains, Befide the falls of fountains, Or where Hebrus wanders, Rolling in Meanders All alone, Unheard, unknown, And calls her ghost, 80 85 90 95 100 For ever, ever, ever loft! 105 Now Now with Furies furrounded, Defpairing, confounded, He trembles, he glows, Amidst Rhodope's fnows: See, wild as the winds, o'er the defert he flies; Hark! Hæmus refounds with the Bacchanals cries Ah fee, he dies! Yet ev'n in death Eurydice he fung, Eurydice still trembled on his tongue, Eurydice the woods, Eurydice the floods, Eurydice the rocks and hollow mountains rung. VII. Mufic the fierceft grief can charm, And fate's feverest rage difarm : 110 115 Mufic can foften pain to ease, 120 And make defpair and madness please: And antedate the blifs above. This the divine Cecilia found, And to her Maker's praise confin'd the found. And angels lean from heaven to hear. 125 130 TWO TWO CHORUS ES то THE TRAGEDY OF BRUTUS. Altered from Shakespeare by the Duke of Buckingham, at whofe defire thefe two Chorufes were compofed, to fupply as many, wanting in his play. They were fet many years afterwards by the famous Bononcini, and performed at Buckingham-house. Y CHORUS OF ATHENIANS. STROPHE I. E fhades, where facred truth is fought; In vain your guiltlefs laurels ftood War, horrid war, your thoughtful walks invades, Oh heaven-born fifters! fource of art! Who charm the fenfe, or mend the heart; To what new clime, what distant sky, Say, will ye bless the bleak Atlantic fhore? STROPHE |