University of Virginia Library

Scene, a Field of Battle.
Enter the God of War, attended by Power, Ambition, and Contention.
War.
Give me your Hands, ye noblest Friends of War,
Ye choicest Comrades of our glorious Deeds!
First Thou, our chief; bold enterprizing Power;
Thou next, Ambition, brave aspiring Spirit;
And Thou, Contention, foremost in our Cause:
Come, while the glowing Battles rage around,
And Europe is the Field of Blood and Death;
Come, bent on Action, let us issue forth,
And with united Efforts shake the World.
[The Sound of warlike Instruments is heard at a Distance.
Hark how the martial Sounds of Drums and Fifes
Float in the Air, and raise the Spirit of Man
To noble Deeds! Whate'er is great or brave
In human Breasts, is in the Field call'd forth
To Action; Men are seen: their Powers are known,
And bold Atchievments win their due Reward.

Power.
O glorious War! by thy decisive Sword
The Rights, th'important Rights of Kings and States
And Empires are determin'd. Thy Right Hand
Cancels the wrangling Arguments of Law,
Or slow-pac'd Reason; and the high Debate
Reduces to short Issue. While in Peace—

Ambition.
Peace! name not Peace, that Child of Cowardice,
Whom Fools alone, or silken Slaves admire!
Wanton, corrupt, luxurious are her Paths;
And War, entrusted with the Scourge of Heaven,
Walks forth to punish her flagitious Crimes.

War.
Come on then, to the Field let us repair,
The martial Field, where Victory flies to crown
The Well-deserving with immortal Wreaths
Of Glory, won from the dread Brow of Danger.


SONG.
To Arms! to Arms! hark, hark, the Trumpet sounds!
While every Breast with high Emotion glows;
The Soldier's Heart with martial Transport bounds,
And Courage leads him thro' an Host of Foes.
Now, now they engage,
While Madness and Rage
And Slaughter walk wildly around:
Ah! now they fly
While to the Sky
The Victor's Shouts resound.

[Exeunt.
A Pyrric Dance.