Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

O softly Sigh into the Flute,
While dear Ianthe breaths the lovesick Lay:
Now teach the melancholy Lute
In tender trills to melt the Notes away,
Melodious in Decay!—
But hark, She louder, louder sings,
Sink, boldly sink into the Strings:
Shake, O shake the numerous Wire,
Fire the Blood, the Spirits fire
With musical Thunder and burning Desire!

Air II.

Our Souls divided with a fond Surprise
Dissolve in Woe;
With Rapture glow;
Fall with her Notes; or with her Bosom rise;
Rais'd with Hopes; with Fears deprest;

Sweetly tortur'd, sweetly blest;
Sav'd by Her Voice, and Vanquish'd by her Eyes.

Recitative.

The God of Love, to hear her Strains
Leaves his Acidalian Plains,
And, as th' harmonious Charmer sings,
In triumph points his Darts and waves his Wings.
Th' harmonious Charmer paus'd to see
A list'ning, wond'ring Deity;
While Silence softly chain'd her Tongue,
The God responsive rais'd the Song,
In Strains like these, if Strains can be
Rais'd to the Raptures of a Deity,
The Raptures of a wond'ring Deity!

Air III.

Beauty, sacred Beauty sing,
Flowing from the wond'rous Spring
Of uncreated and primeval Light!
Beauty the first-best Work of God,
Spoke into Being in his high Abode,
And next his own Eternal Essence bright!

Air IV.

With Beauty Musick join,
The Breath of Heav'n
To Mortals given
To swell their Bliss to Bliss divine!
With Beauty Musick join.

Chorus.

Beauty, silent Harmony!
Softly stealing through the Eye
Smiles into the the Breast a Dart.
Musick, fine-proportion'd sounds!
Pours Balm upon the Lover's Wounds
Through the Ear into the Heart.

Recitative.

Thus once Cecilia, (tuneful Dryden sings.)
To fire with sacred Rage her Soul,
Touch'd into Voice the sprightly Strings,
And bade the silver Tides of Musick roll.
An Angel, list'ning to her Lyre,
To lift the Modulations higher,

Apply'd the aiding Graces of his Tongue;
And while the Virgin play'd, the Seraph sung.

Air V.

Sweetest Mortal, to befriend Thee,
Angels from their Quires attend Thee,
Angels leave their Thrones to hear
Musick with Devotion glowing,
Musick heavenly Joys bestowing,
Worthy a Seraphick Ear!

Recitative.

Again she trembles o'er the silver Strings,
The silver Strings, exulting to her Hand,
Obey the sweet Command,
And thus again the Angel sings.
(While Silence wav'd her downy Wings around,
And Gladness smil'd along the purple Skies;
All Nature soft'ned at their Flows of Sound,
And bright'ned at the Radiance of their Eyes.)

Air VI.

Harmony, the Soul refining!
Beauty, Sense, and Virtue joining

In a Form and Mind like Thine,
Nobly raise a mortal Creature
To a more exalted Nature;
We alone are more Divine!

Recitative.

Rapt'rous thus the Angel sung,
Manna melting from his Tongue,
Attemper'd to Cecilia's golden Lyre:
The blended Powr's of Harmony
Trembled up the willing Sky,
And mingled with the Seraph's flaming Quire.

Chorus.

How sweet the Musick, how divine,
When Heaven and Earth in Consort join!
O sweet the Musick! O divine!

Air. VII.

Skill'd the softest Notes to sing,
Skill'd to wake the sweetest String,
Dear Ianthe Both supplies:
Thee, Cecilia, Thee we find

In Her Form and in her Mind,
The Angel in her Voice and Eyes!

Chorus.

Happy, O beyond expressing!
He who tastes th' immortal Blessing
Dear Ianthe may bestow!
Beauty, in its pride, possessing,
Ever loving and caressing,
Musick moving,
Bliss improving!—
He'll enjoy a Heav'n-Below!
Happy He, beyond expressing!