Abimelech an oratorio. As it is performed at the theatre-royal in Covent-Garden [by Christopher Smart]. The Music by Mr. Arnold |
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| I. |
| II. | PART THE SECOND. |
| III. |
 | Abimelech |  |
11
II. PART THE SECOND.
Recitative.
Sarah.Is this a garden, that a silver fountain?
Are these sweet flowers, and those embow'ring shades?
No—nature in distress denies it all.
AIR.
There is no rose to minds in grief;
There is no lilly for despair;
Tears and distraction are relief,
And yews and willows we must wear.
There is no lilly for despair;
Tears and distraction are relief,
And yews and willows we must wear.
All nature's blandishments are vain
From flow'ry turf, or azure sky,
And grottoes, where the groans of pain
In sadly sounding echoes die.
From flow'ry turf, or azure sky,
And grottoes, where the groans of pain
In sadly sounding echoes die.
Recitative.
Hagar.Alas! dear lady, sure you over-rate
Th'occasion of your sorrows; far too much
I have indulged them also—'tis high time
To shift the scene in thought, and cherish hope.
12
AIR.
Tho' yon tall almond blooms no more,'Tis not because its sweets are o'er
On each aspiring shoot—
Attend to what the starlings sing,
Another year, another spring,
The buds to gayer pride shall bring.
It now prepares for fruit.
Abraham and Abimelech.
Recitative.
Abrah.Nay—nay—there is no treaty in our house
Of such concern as this, but with our kindred.
Abim.
It is a custom far too blameable
For such a man to follow—such affinity
In Gerar, here deters us from each other—
Thou wou'dst not marry her thyself?
Abrah.
Forbear vain altercation—hast not thou a wife?
Abim.
I hold it lawful to espouse another,
Ev'n thy fair sister.
Abrah.
She will not consent.
Abim.
In troth, she wavers—at thy word she yields.
DUETTO.
Abim.To a monarch's just petition,
Yield, and let my suit be heard.
Abrah.
'Tis distraction, 'tis perdition,
But to note a single word.
13
Change thy blunt and fierce denial,
To a mild and gentle speech:
Abrah.
Sooner at the hour of trial
Shall the Oaf, the Ethiop bleach.
CHORUS of Phicol and his Guards.
Obey, ye brave, the king's command,
And on your needful duty stand;
With might defend the gates you bar,
—Here we are—here we are.
Recitative.
Abim.Go call thy charming mistress to our presence;
Let Phicol too attend—'Tis female folly,
E'en in extremity, to fancy danger
Where kindness and affection have been shown.
AIR.
Not with more joy in Mamre's field,
Didst thou God's angels e'er receive,
Or greater signs of homage yield,
To them that came with Lot's reprieve—
All but the bending of the knee,
As thou to them, am I to thee.
Didst thou God's angels e'er receive,
Or greater signs of homage yield,
To them that came with Lot's reprieve—
All but the bending of the knee,
As thou to them, am I to thee.
My servants are the slaves of thine,
Each vying who should wait thee first;
'Tis well with all thy flocks and kine,
Thy goodly camels know no thirst,
For hospitality we hold
As royal as our crown of gold.
Each vying who should wait thee first;
'Tis well with all thy flocks and kine,
Thy goodly camels know no thirst,
For hospitality we hold
As royal as our crown of gold.
14
Recitative.
Abrah.I pray thee, King Abimilech, excuse her—
Women are weak and tim'rous, full of frailties;
They're made but for indulgence and forgiveness.
CHORUS.
Shall mighty monarchs sue in vain;
Shall they, unheeded, plead their cause?
Oh, Abraham, sooth our prince's pain,
And yield to Love's persuasive laws.
Sarah and Phichol.
Shall they, unheeded, plead their cause?
Oh, Abraham, sooth our prince's pain,
And yield to Love's persuasive laws.
Recitative.
Sarah.We're treated here like prisoners, not like guests,
And guarded by a keeper—I but offer'd
To pass beyond the garden, and was question'd
As touching my presumptiom—If this Phicol
Must needs be ask'd permission for an airing,
Our royal host has robb'd us of our freedom—
This is full wretched—Confidence deceiv'd,
Is more impatient of unwonted thrall,
Than he who, sick of liberty, wou'd change
His own caprices for a guiding monarch.
AIR.
Lo! the redbreast when encaged,
Breaks his head against the wire;
But, the bullfinch, unenraged,
Sings, and bids despair retire:
Breaks his head against the wire;
But, the bullfinch, unenraged,
Sings, and bids despair retire:
15
Grows familiar, once so wild,
Pipes the tune the master sets;
Trusts the finger of a child,
Nor his captive state regrets.
Pipes the tune the master sets;
Trusts the finger of a child,
Nor his captive state regrets.
Recitative.
Abim.If thou hast done this fair one such displeasure,
And dared against her liberty, thou varlet,
Low on thy knees intreat her gentle pardon,
And make protest against offence to come.
Phicol.
If my officious zeal to serve my master,
Has given disgust to thee, thou pearl of beauty,
Thus prostrate I renounce th'audacious deed,
And crave forgiveness in this suppliant guise.
AIR.
Ah, spare, triumphant beauty, spare,And my too rash officious zeal excuse;
Sooner the lion shall the virgin tear,
Than I again on thee my pow'r abuse;
Unto my fault the arms of grace extend;
On thee my honour and my life depend.
Recitative.
Abrah.Better dismiss us, if I may be heard,
Than let us stay to doubt thee—I wou'd bless thee,
If thou would'st chuse a blessing—but, beware
Of treach'rous practice—for I serve a God
With whom I do converse, and he will hear me.
16
AIR.
Hear Abraham, O thou God of pow'r,
Hear Abraham in his urgent hour,
Exalt his pray'r until it tow'r
To reach thine awful throne.
Hear Abraham in his urgent hour,
Exalt his pray'r until it tow'r
To reach thine awful throne.
If here, at thy behest, I came,
Assert, assert thine hallow'd name,
Thy glorious majesty proclaim,
And be in thunder known.
Assert, assert thine hallow'd name,
Thy glorious majesty proclaim,
And be in thunder known.
CHORUS.
Hear Abraham, &c.
End of the Second Part.
| Abimelech | |