The Songs, Chorusses, &c. in the Lucky Escape, a comic opera as performed at the Theatre Royal, in Drury-Lane [by Mary Robinson] |
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 | The Songs, Chorusses, &c. in the Lucky Escape, a comic opera |  |
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THE Songs, Chorusses, &c.
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- MEN.
- Sir TOBY STEDFAST, (Father to Maria)—Mr. Waldron.
- VENTURE, a Sharper,—Mr. Dodd.
- EDWIN, in love with Maria, Mr. Vernon.
- WOMEN.
- MARIA, in love with Edwin, Miss Collett.
- LETITIA, her Friend, Mrs. Wrighten.
- Servants, &c.
Dramatis Personæ.
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Ye crystal fountains softly flown,
Ye gentle gales, ah! cease to blow;
For Damon rests in yonder grove,
And dreams, perhaps, of me and love.
Ye gentle gales, ah! cease to blow;
For Damon rests in yonder grove,
And dreams, perhaps, of me and love.
Propitious powers, grant him that rest
Which seldom visits this fond breast;
Still, still ye gales around him rise
With breath as soft as Emma's sighs.
Which seldom visits this fond breast;
Still, still ye gales around him rise
With breath as soft as Emma's sighs.
Around my love ye violets spring,
In plaintive notes ye warblers sing,
Ye roses blossom o'er his head,
And sweetly scent his mossy bed.
In plaintive notes ye warblers sing,
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And sweetly scent his mossy bed.
And if, O love, thy potent dart
Should reach the sleeping shepherd's heart,
O! be to him a gentler guest,
And pierce, with lighter shaft, his breast.
Should reach the sleeping shepherd's heart,
O! be to him a gentler guest,
And pierce, with lighter shaft, his breast.
Mr. VERNON.
When winter o'ershadows the scene,
And no longer the hyacinth's blow;
Chill frost nips the leaf on the green,
And the rivulet ceases to flow.
And no longer the hyacinth's blow;
Chill frost nips the leaf on the green,
And the rivulet ceases to flow.
'Till reviv'd by the breathings of spring,
All nature looks smiling and gay;
The warblers in extacy sing,
And own the soft impulse of May.
All nature looks smiling and gay;
The warblers in extacy sing,
And own the soft impulse of May.
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The lambkins now sport in the vale,
By the stream that meanders along;
The wood-pidgeon tells its soft tale,
While melody echo's the song.
By the stream that meanders along;
The wood-pidgeon tells its soft tale,
While melody echo's the song.
What pain from thy coldness I've known,
When your frowns did my passion reprove,
Now you smile, May's soft raptures I'll own,
And bless the sweet season of love.
When your frowns did my passion reprove,
Now you smile, May's soft raptures I'll own,
And bless the sweet season of love.
Mrs. WRIGHTEN.
Hope, thou source of every blessing,
Parent of each joy divine,
Every balmy sweet possessing,
Every promis'd bliss be thine.
Parent of each joy divine,
Every balmy sweet possessing,
Every promis'd bliss be thine.
Softest friend to heart-felt anguish,
Lend, O! lend thy powerful aid,
Bid the lover cease to languish,
Cheer the fond despairing maid.
Lend, O! lend thy powerful aid,
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Cheer the fond despairing maid.
Mr. WALDRON.
When women are suffer'd to ramble at large,
They think themselves wondrous wise sir;
They fancy they've knowledge sufficient to rule,
And advice from the old ones despise sir.
They think themselves wondrous wise sir;
They fancy they've knowledge sufficient to rule,
And advice from the old ones despise sir.
The maxims of prudence they scorn to pursue,
Till they find themselves ruin'd—undone sir;
But mark what I say, the old proverb is true,
“Two heads are much better than one sir,”
Till they find themselves ruin'd—undone sir;
But mark what I say, the old proverb is true,
“Two heads are much better than one sir,”
Mr. DODD.
A ruby lip, a dimpled cheek,
With all the grace's boasted treasure,
Those may prize, who idly seek,
To me they yield no joy or pleasure.
With all the grace's boasted treasure,
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To me they yield no joy or pleasure.
Beauty once the heart possessing,
Charms the sense and drowns our reason;
Gold the spring of every blessing,
Finds a friend in every season.
Charms the sense and drowns our reason;
Gold the spring of every blessing,
Finds a friend in every season.
The comely lass of gay fifteen,
May make a silly lover languish,
But the pain that lurks unseen,
Often fills the heart with anguish.
May make a silly lover languish,
But the pain that lurks unseen,
Often fills the heart with anguish.
Beauty once the heart possessing,
Charms the sense and drowns our reason;
Gold the spring of every blessing,
Finds a friend in every season.
Charms the sense and drowns our reason;
Gold the spring of every blessing,
Finds a friend in every season.
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Ye powers, ah! wherefore decree,
Such torture my bosom shou'd prove;
When torn from the presence of thee,
Of thee whom I tenderly love.
Such torture my bosom shou'd prove;
When torn from the presence of thee,
Of thee whom I tenderly love.
Farewell, every power reward
And guard thy soft bosom from harm;
Let constancy still be thy guard,
To shield thee from every alarm.
And guard thy soft bosom from harm;
Let constancy still be thy guard,
To shield thee from every alarm.
Mr. DODD.
O where shall I run, which way shall I fly,
I tremble all over, I'm ready to die.
To be trick'd thus and treated,
Impos'd on and cheated,
'Tis more than I'm able to bear,
'Tis more than I'm able to bear.
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Be my friend and advise, I'll be govern'd by you.
For women, they say, are ne'er at a loss,
The old ones to teaze, or the lover to cross.
Henceforth we'll be friends,
I'll make you amends,
Nay tell me Letitia, &c.
Mrs. WRIGHTEN.
Farewel, Sir, farewel, depend on my care,
Love and friendship invite, to the field I repair;
No threats shall disarm me,
No fears shall alarm me,
While on wings of impatience to Edwin I fly,
I laugh at all danger and custom defy.
Love and friendship invite, to the field I repair;
No threats shall disarm me,
No fears shall alarm me,
While on wings of impatience to Edwin I fly,
I laugh at all danger and custom defy.
Let formal old prudes preach their sanctified rules,
To plague love and beauty, and terrify fools,
No fears shall disarm me,
No threats shall alarm me,
Farewel, Sir, farewel, depend on my care,
Love and friendship invites, to the field I repair.
To plague love and beauty, and terrify fools,
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No threats shall alarm me,
Farewel, Sir, farewel, depend on my care,
Love and friendship invites, to the field I repair.
Miss COLLETT.
Let your passion still be guarded,
Still let reason hold her sway,
Truth like thine must be rewarded;
Banish sorrow far away.
Still let reason hold her sway,
Truth like thine must be rewarded;
Banish sorrow far away.
Love, each painful care beguiling,
Moulds the heart with power divine,
Softly sighing, fondly smiling,
Only known to minds like thine.
Moulds the heart with power divine,
Softly sighing, fondly smiling,
Only known to minds like thine.
Let, &c.
Looks that speak the soft confession,
More than language can impart,
When each tender, fond expression,
Flows unbidden from the heart.
More than language can impart,
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Flows unbidden from the heart.
Let, &c.
Mr. VERNON.
O, how to bid my love adieu,
The painful task reveal!
No more the conscious blush to view,
The tender glance to steal.
The painful task reveal!
No more the conscious blush to view,
The tender glance to steal.
Alas! how sharp will be my woe,
For ever torn from thee;
Shall that fond breast one joy forego,
Or yield one sigh for me?
For ever torn from thee;
Shall that fond breast one joy forego,
Or yield one sigh for me?
Though destin'd every anxious pain,
Each tender fear to prove,
My constant heart shall still remain,
Unchang'd to thee and love.
Each tender fear to prove,
My constant heart shall still remain,
Unchang'd to thee and love.
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Your blooming face, and gait so smart,
Has long enslav'd my tender heart,
Your snowy cheeks, as lilies fair,
Your easy shape and graceful air,
Your eyes so bright,
Your teeth so white,
I sigh, I languish, I despair;
Then listen, Goddess, to my prayer,
For know your face and gait so smart
Has long enslav'd my tender heart.
Mrs. WRIGHTEN.
Think on the pangs that must rend the soft breast,
By passion distracted, by duty distress'd;
Shield a daughter's breast from pining care;
Snatch a faithful lover from despair;
Crown with joy and peace this lovely pair;
Pity their fate;
By passion distracted, by duty distress'd;
Shield a daughter's breast from pining care;
Snatch a faithful lover from despair;
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Pity their fate;
Let each soft feeling this ruin prevent,
And by your compliance ensure them content;
Can you still forget each tender claim,
And their constant loves with harshness blame?
Yield them joy and pleasure, banish pain
Ere 'tis too late.
And by your compliance ensure them content;
Can you still forget each tender claim,
And their constant loves with harshness blame?
Yield them joy and pleasure, banish pain
Ere 'tis too late.
FINALE.
Mrs. WRIGHTEN.
Every blessing crowns this wedding,
All that love and mirth can send,
Still one anxious fear's invading,
Still on you our hopes depend.
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Deign to smile, and all is pleasure,
Let no frowns our bliss annoy,
We desire no greater treasure;
Crown this night with mirth and joy.
Let no frowns our bliss annoy,
We desire no greater treasure;
Crown this night with mirth and joy.
Miss COLLETT.
Though each blessing crowns this wedding,
Still our joys are not complete,
Doubts and fears our minds invading
Till your gentle smiles we meet.
CHORUS.
Deign, &c.
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You alone can crown our wedding,
You alone can make us blest,
Every trembling care forbidding;
Now on you our hopes shall rest.
CHORUS.
Deign, &c.
FINIS.
| The Songs, Chorusses, &c. in the Lucky Escape, a comic opera | |