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So when the first bold vessel dar'd the feas,

High on the ftern the Thracian rais'd his strain,

While Argo faw her kindred trees
Defcend from Pelion to the main.
Transported demi-gods ftood round,
And men grew heroes at the found,
Enflam'd with glory's charms:
Each chief his fev'nfold fhield difplay'd,
And half unfheath'd the fhining blade:
And feas, and rocks, and fkies rebound
To arms, to arms, to arms!

IV.

But when thro' all th' infernal bounds,
Which flaming Phlegeton surrounds,

Love, ftrong as Death, the Poet led
To the pale nations of the dead,

What founds were heard,
What scenes appear'd,

O'er all the dreary coafts!

Dreadful gleams,

Difmal fcreams,

Fires that glow,

Shrieks of wỏe,

Sullen moans,

Hollow groans,

And cries of tortur'd ghofts!

But hark! he ftrikes the golden lyre;

And fee! the tortur'd ghofts refpire,
See, fhady forms advance!

Thy stone, O Syfiphus, ftands ftill,

Ixion refts upon his wheel,

And the pale fpectres dance!

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60

The

The Furies fink upon their iron beds,

And fnakes uncurl'd hang liftning round their heads.

V.

By the ftreams that ever flow,
By the fragrant winds that blow
O'er th' Elyfian flow'rs;
By those happy fouls who dwell
In yellow meads of Afphodel,

Or Amaranthine bow'rs;
By the hero's armed shades,
Glitt'ring thro' the gloomy glades;
By the youths that dy'd for love,
Wand'ring in the myrtle grove,

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Oh take the husband, or return the wife!

He fung, and hell confented

To hear the Poet's prayer:

Stern Proferpine relented,
And gave him back the fair.
Thus fong could prevail

O'er death, and o'er hell,

A conqueft how hard and how glorious?
Tho' fate had faft bound her

With Styx nine times round her,
Yet mufic and love were victorious.

VI.

eyes:

But foon, too soon, the lover turns his
Again fhe falls, again she dies, fhe dies!
How wilt thou now the fatal fifters move?
No crime was thine, if 'tis no crime to love.

85

دو

95

Now

Now under hanging mountains,

Befide the falls of fountains,

Or where Hebrus wanders,

Rolling in Mæanders,
All alone,

Unheard, unknown,

He makes his moan;
And calls her ghost,
For ever, ever, ever loft!
Now with Furies furrounded,
Despairing, confounded,

He trembles, he glows,

Amidft Rhodope's fnows:

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See, wild as the winds, o'er the defart he flies; Hark! Hamus refounds with the Bacchanals cries

Ah fee, he dies!

Yet ev'n in death Eurydice he fung,

Eurydice ftill 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 fevereft rage difarm:

Mufic can foften pain to ease,

And make despair and madness please:

Our joys below it can improve,

And antedate the blifs above.

This the divine Cecilia found,

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And to her Maker's praise confin'd the found. 125

When

DE

When the full organ joins the tuneful quire,
Th' immortal pow'rs incline their ear;
Borne on the fwelling notes our fouls afpire,
While folemn airs improve the facred fire;

And Angels lean from heav'n to hear.
Of Orpheus now no more let Poets tell,
To bright Cecilia greater power is giv'n;
His numbers rais'd a fhade from hell,
Hers lift the foul to heav'n.

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130

TWO

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YE

CHORUS of ATHENIANS.

STROPHE I.

E fhades, where facred truth is fought;
Groves, where immortal Sages taught:
Where heav'nly visions Plató fir'd,
And Epicurus lay infpir'd!

In vain your guiltless laurels stood
Unfpotted long with human blood.

War, horrid war, your thoughtful walks invades,
And fteel now glitters in the Muses shades.

ANTIS TROPHE I

Oh heav'n-born fifters! fource of art!

Who charm the sense, or mend the heart;
Who lead fair Virtue's train along,

Moral Truth, and myftic Song!

5

Το

Altered from Shakespear by the Duke of Buckingham, at whofe defire these two Chorus's 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. P.

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