University of Virginia Library

2d INTERLUDE.

SCENE the Side of a large Wood.
Mars
alone.
From Wars Alarms,
To Shady Groves retir'd,
Behold the God of Arms,
By softer Charms inspir'd,
Bids all Imperial Discord cease,
To taste superior Joys in Peace.
Down to these Woods descending,
Venus oft beguiles the Day,
And to be follow'd, sure, intending,
When she sends her Doves away:
Then softly tread this Pathless Cover,
And bless the Hero in the Lover.

[Exit.
Adonis from another Wood, with Huntsmen.
Adon.
No more! no more!
Your fruitless Toil give o'er,
Our Sport is crost:
Was ever Day so lost?
Call in the Hounds, that stand at gaze,
The Morrow's Morn may mend our Chace.
[Exeunt Huntsmen.
Come, sweet Repose, thou welcome Guest,
Laborious Pleasures call for Rest.
[He lays himself on a Bank.

[Sleeps.
Venus enters, not seeing him.
Ven.
This Way the jolly Huntsmens Hollow,
Bids the wand'ring Venus follow:
Let Mars the Woodlands beat in vain,
While I pursue my lovely Swain—
And see! ye Powers! my Charmer's found
In envy'd Sleep's Embraces bound!
O! that the circling Seas would ever
This Grove from all Approaches sever!
Since tend'rest Touching may awake my Boy.
Ah! softly, gently let me steal the Joy.
[Kisses him.
Around thee, let the warbling Choir
In melting Notes soft Dreams of Love inspire.
But soft! he moves, a while retire;—
Ah! catch him, Love,
And flatt'ring Eccho fan the kindling Fire.

[She retires.
Adon.
What soft'ning Sounds my Senses charm?
And with unusual Joys alarm?

[Eccho]
—Unusual Joys alarm.

Adon.
O tell me! tell me, ye melodious Choir!
What gives my Heart this soft, unknown Desire?

[Eccho]
—Unknown Desire.

Adon.
What Voice is that? Who is't o'erhears me?

[Eccho]
—O! hear me?

Adon.
Some Fairy, sure, or Phantome near me!

[Eccho]
—Come near me!

Adon.
I'll try, if yet again 'twill answer.

[Eccho]
—'Twill Answer.

Adon.
O sweet Delusion! to my Sense unfold thee:
If thou art real, let my Eyes behold thee.

[Venus appearing.]
—Behold me!

Adon.
Celestial Venus!—

[Surpriz'd.
Ven.
—O my Love!
Once more I come my Fate to prove.

Adon.
Ah! Goddess, you have kill'd your Boy!
It must be Love has toucht my Heart,
Such Pain is in the Joy.
Such Pleasure in the Smart:
Too late I now my Folly see,
And ask that Pity which you begg'd of me.

Ven.
What Heart could now refuse thee,
My Dearest, only Soul's Desire!
My Passion knows no measure:
O! may the circling Pleasure
But with the World expire!

Adon.
What mean these Fears?

Ven.
Ah! Ruin'd! lost!
See where the jealous Mars appears:
'Tis he! 'Tis he!
And this way seems to bend him!

Adon.
What if it be?
Adonis never did offend him.

Ven.
Here! here, my lovely Boy,
Unseen, secure, repose thee,
While from his jealous Eye
These bending Boughs enclose thee.

[Adonis lies down, while she hides him with the Boughs.]
Enter Mars to her.
Mars.
Thus the Brave from War returning,
With the tend'rest Passion burning,
Fly with Joy to fold the Fair:
Not all Heroes fam'd in Story,
Nor their Triumphs, or their Glory,
Can their Joys with mine compare.

Ven.
Ah! Cruel Mars! forbear! forbear!
My yielding Weakness to ensnare:
Too much of guilty Love I've known,
And must for Follies past atone.

Mars.
What means this cold Reluctance? Why
Does Beauty's Queen her Hero fly?

Ven.
In vain you ask; for now I must deny.

Mars.
No more! no more!
These Female Arts give o'er:
Some lurking God usurps my Right,
On that, on that Presence you're Coy:
Since I no more can give Delight,
I will my Rival's Bliss destroy.
Where have you hid this Minion? Where?

Ven.
Ah! don't disturb the Child! forbear!
'Tis poor sick Cupid just laid down to rest,
And his Disorder has my Mind opprest;
Else I with Joy had met my Mars,
But how can Beauty smile in Tears?

Mars.
Was that the Cause then?—

Ven.
—'Twas no more;
For know, I still my Mars adore:
In yonder Chrystal Fountain strait,
(Where now my busy Nymphs await)
I first will bathe,—then meet my Love,
Kind as his Wishes in yon Myrtle Grove.

Mars.
Forgive my Jealousy.—

Ven.
—Away;
We soon will meet, and bless the Day.

Mars.
Farewel, my Fair.

Ven.
—Nay, haste.—

Mars.
—Farewel.

Ven.
He's gone: What Tongue my Joy can tell?

Mars.
[Apart.]
So Coy, and Kind for slender Reason
Speaks my Presence out of Season!
Behind this Cover undiscern'd,
This Female Secret may be learn'd.

[He retires.
Ven.
Arise! Arise! Come forth, my Love,
Our dread Surprize is over;
Thy Rival's shifted to the Myrtle Grove,
Like a Believing Lover.
Why droops my Boy? Mars has not seen us:
Suppress thy Fears.

Mars.
—O! Constant Venus!

[Behind.
Adon.
—Ah! Goddess! now no more thou'rt Fair;
Thy Charms adorn'd with Truth
Might have subdu'd my Youth,
But Falshood never shall my Heart ensnare.

Ven.
—O my Love, more Pity shew,
Is it a Crime in me,
If I abandon Mars for thee?

Adon.
—On Mars alone your Vows bestow.

Horns, and Voices at a Distance.
[Within]
Hark! Hark! Adonis, Hark! Away!

Ven.
Thus, thus in Love's Embraces bound.—

[Holding him.
Adon.
No, no, the Boar is found,
Nor will I longer stay.—

[Going.
Mars offering to kill Adonis.
Mars.
Hold, Traytor! take thy just Reward!

Ven.
Ah! me!—This Bosom is his Guard.

[Interposing.
[Adonis Kneeling.]
Adon.
Hold! hold, Dread Mars, on me let all
Your furious Vengeance fall;
I cannot see
A Goddess bleed for me:
If Blood alone
Can cure your Jealousy,
Adonis is the Cause of all.

Mars.
O Perjur'd Venus! False as Fair!

Ven.
O Kind Adonis!—O Despair!

Adon.
Are these the Pleasures Lovers share?

[All repeat the three last Lines in Chorus.]
Mars.
It must, it shall be so;
'Twere poor, my self to give the Blow:
[Apart.
Adonis, hence; but range these Woods no more,
I'll leave my Vengeance to the Boar.

[Aside.
Adon.
With Pleasure I obey thy Power.
[Ex. Adon.

Mars.
O fading Joy! Hard-fated Love!
What Pangs in thee we find!
Shall never faithful Passion prove
Fair Truth and Beauty join'd?

Ven.
O! Mars, unkind! Is this thy Love?
Must this persuade me to the Grove?

Mars.
'Tis poor sick Cupid:—Think on that,
And tremble for thy Minion's Fate.

Ven.
—O! spare the Boy, and to restore
Thy Peace of Mind,
I'll be for ever kind,
And never see Adonis more.

Mars.
No! no! I'll never trust thy Power.

[Air in two Parts.]
Ven.
—O! believe me!—

Mars.
—No, no, no!
—You'll deceive me.

Ven.
—No, no, no!
I shall ever Mars Adore.

Mars.
I can never Trust thee more:

Ven.
Ungrateful! I have lov'd thee,
Nor hast thou lov'd in vain:

Mars.
Unfaithful I have prov'd thee,
And now will break the Chain.
[Ex. Mars.

Ven.
He's gone!—and in his Eyes there sate
A Menace of Adonis Fate!
O! Gods! my Fears are form'd too late!

Adonis supported by Huntsmen, Bleeding.
Adon.
Ah! Goddess, lend thy bounteous Aid,
And heal the Wounds thy Eyes have made:
The Jealous Mars, provok'd to see
Thy Radiant Beauty smile on me.
While at the Furious Beast I stroke,
My Launce in thousand shivers broke:
Disarm'd, I fell—when lo! the Boar
With fatal Tusk my Bosom tore,

Ven.
—O! Terror to my Eyes!
—O! Tyrant Jealousy!
Adonis bleeds and dies,
And dies, poor Youth! for me.

Adon.
O! welcome! welcome! gentle Death!
While thus I see
The Queen of Beauty mourn for me,
With Pleasure I resign my Breath.—

Dies.
Ven.
A short Symphony.
It Thunders, Lightens, and the Stage is Darken'd.
[Venus ascends in her Chariot.

Chorus of Huntsmen.
No more let mortal Heart
Of hapless Love complain,
Since Gods could never part
The Pleasure from the Pain.