CHORUS.

Bacchus' blessings are a treasure,
drinking is the soldier's pleasure;
rich the treasure,

sweet the pleasure;

sweet is pleasure after pain.

Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain; fought all his battles o'er again; [the slain. and thrice he routed all his foes; and thrice he slew The master saw the madness rise;

his glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes;
and while he heaven and earth defy'd,
chang'd his hand, and check'd his pride.
He chose a mournful Muse
soft pity to infuse:

be

sung Darius great and good,
by too severe a fate,
fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen,
fallen from his high estate,

and weltering in his blood;

deserted, at his utmost need,
by those his former bounty fed:
on the bare earth expos'd he lies,
with not a friend to close his eyes.
With down-cast looks the joyless victor sate
revolving in his alter'd soul

the various turns of chance below;
and now and then, a sigh he stole;
and tears began to flow.

CHORUS.

Revolving in his alter'd soul

the various turns of chance below;
and, now and then, a sigh he stole;
and tears began to flow.
11

No. 77.

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The mighty master smil❜d, to see
that love was in the next degree:
't was but a kindred sound to move,
for pity melts the mind to love.
Softly sweet, in Lydian measures,
soon he sooth'd his soul to pleasures.
War, he sung, is toil and trouble;
honour but an empty bubble;
never ending, still beginning,
fighting still, and still destroying:

if the world be worth thy winning, think, O think, it worth enjoying: lovely Thais sits beside thee,

take the good the gods provide thee.

The many rend the skies with loud applause; so Love was crown'd, but Music won the cause. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, gaz'd on the fair

who caus'd his care

and sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, and sigh'd again:

at length, with love and wine at once oppress'd, the vanquish'd victor sunk upon her breast.

CHORUS.

The prince unable to conceal his pain,

gaz'd on the fair

who caus'd his care,

and sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, and sigh'd again: at length, with love and wine at once oppress'd, the vanquish'd victor sunk upon her breast. Now strike the golden lyre again:

a louder yet, and yet a louder strain. Break his bands of sleep asunder,

and rouse him, like a rattling peal of thunder. Hark, hark, the horrid sound

has rais'd up his head:

as awak'd from the dead, and amaz'd, he stares around.

Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries,
see the furies arise:

see the snakes that they rear,
how they hiss in their hair,

and the sparkles that flash from their eyes! behold a ghastly band,"

each a torch in his hand;

those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, and unbury'd remain ›› inglorious on the plain:

give the vengeance due

to the valiant crew,

behold how they toss their torches on high, how they point to the Persian abodes, and glittering temples of their hostile gods. The princes applaud, with a furious joy; and the king seiz'd a flambeau with zeal to destroy; Thais led the way,

to light him to his prey,

and, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy.

CHORUS.

And the king seiz'd a flambeau with zeal to destroy; Thais led the way,

to light him to his prey,

and, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy.

Thus, long ago,

ere heaving bellows learn'd to blow,

while orgáns yet were mute; Timotheus, to his breathing flute, and sounding lyre,

could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire. At last divine Cecilia came, inventress of the vocal frame;

the sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, enlarg❜d the former narrow bounds,

and added length to solemn sounds,

with nature's mother-wit, and arts unknown be Let old Timotheus yield the prize,

or both divide the crown; he rais'd a mortal to the skies; she drew an angel down.

GRAND CHORUS.

At last divine Cecilia came, inventress of the vocal frame; the sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, enlarg❜d the former narrow bounds,

and added length to solemn sounds,

[fore.

with nature's mother-wit, and arts unknown beLet old Timotheus yield the prize,

or both divide the crown; he rais'd a mortal to the skies; she drew an angel down.

THE CHARACTER OF A GOOD PARSON.
A parish priest was of the pilgrim train;
an awful, reverend, and religious man.
His eyes diffus'd a venerable grace,
and charity itself was in his face.

Rich was his soul, tho' his attire was poor
(as God hath cloth'd his own ambassador);
for such, on earth, his bless'd Redeemer bore.
Of sixty years he seem'd; and well might last
to sixty more, but that he liv'd too fast;
refign'd himself to soul, to curb the sense;
and made almost a sin of abstinence.

[fore.

Yet, had his aspect nothing of severe, but such a face as promis'd him sincere. Nothing reserv'd or sullen was to see: but sweet regards, and pleasing sanctity: mild was his accent, and his action free. With eloquence innate his tongue was arm'd; tho' harsh the precept, yet the people charm'd. For, letting down the golden chain from high, he drew his audience upward to the sky: and oft with holy hymns he charm'd their ears (a music more melodious than the spheres): for David left him, when he went to rest, bis lyre; and after him he sung the best. He bore his great commission in his look: but sweetly temper'd awe; and soften'd all he spoke. He preach'd the joys of heaven, and pains of hell, and warn'd the sinner with becoming zeal; but, on eternal mercy lov'd to dwell. He taught the gospel rather than the law; and forc'd himself to drive; but lov'd to draw. For fear but freezes minds: but love, like heat, exhales the soul sublime, to seek her native seat, to threats the stubborn sinner oft is hard,

wrapp'd in his crimes, against the storm prepar'd, but, when the milder beams of mercy play, be melts, and throws his cumbrous cloak away. Lightning and thunder (heaven's artillery) as harbingers before th' Almighty fly: those but proclaim his style, and disappear; the stiller sound succeeds, and God is there. The tithes, his parish freely paid, he took; but never sued, or curs'd with bell or book. With patience bearing wrong; but offering none; since every man is free to lose his own.