Pleas'd to obey, the beauteous monster flies, And on his scales as the gilt sun-beams play, Ten thousand variegated dies In copious streams of lustre rise, Rise o'er the level main, and signify his way.- Rides the voluminous wave, and makes the wish'd-for shore. Come, ye festive, social throng, Who sweep the lyre, or pour the song, Your noblest melody employ, Such as becomes the mouth of joy ; Bring the sky-aspiring thought, With bright expression richly wrought; And hail the Muse ascending on her throne, 'The main at length subdu’d, and all the world her own. VI. But o'er th' affections too she claims the sway, Pierces the human heart, and steals the soul away; And as attractive sounds move high or low, Th' obedient ductile passions ebb and flow. From her cheeks the roses die, The radiations vanish from her sun-bright eye, And her breast, the throne of love, Can hardly, hardly, hardly move, To send th' ambrosial sigh. But let the skilful bard appear, And pour the sounds medicinal in her ear: Steept in tears that endless flow, Melancholy notes of pity, Notes that mean a world of woe; She too shall sympathize, she too shall moan, VII. Wake, wake the kettle-drum, prolong The sword, the target, and the lance She wields, and as she moves, exalts the Pyrrhic dance. Trembles the earth, resound the skies Swift o'er the fleet, the camp she flies, With thunder in her voice, and lightning in her eyes. And hearts unchill'd with fear : And triumph crowns the rear. VIII. But hark the temple's hollow'd roof resounds, He pours his strains along, Attend he sings Cecilia-matchless dame! And dwell delighted on her name. When Death shall blot out every name, Thy power shall last, thy bays shall bloom, ODE X. ON ST. CECILIA's DAY. Adapted to the ancient British Music, viz. THE SALT-BOX, THE JEW's HARP, THE MARROW BONES AND As it was performed on June 10, 1763, at Ranelagh. BY BONNEL THORNTON, ESQ. Cedite, Tibicines Itali, vos cedite, Galli; TRANSLATION OF THE MOTTO. Yield, yield, ye fidlers, French, Italians; PART I. ALEX. HEINS. RECITATIVE, Accompanied. BE dumb, ye inharmonious sounds, And music, that the astonish'd ear with discord wounds: No more let common rhymes prophane the day. |