SCENE changes to the River. Re-enter DAPHNE, looking back as affrighted. DAPH. He comes---the swift pursuer comes; O, where Shall I escape his piercing sight, Where hide me from the god of Light? Ah! 't is in vain---he's here. DAPHNE Funs to the side of the river, and, as she sings the fol- "Father Peneus! hear me; aid me! "Cease, Apollo! to persuade me, "I am Daphne now no more"---' APOLLO enters at the latter-end of the air, and is met by PEN. O, Peneus! how shall we our loss deplore? Volume I. N 195 But see! The trembling branches yet her shape retain ! She lives, fair verdant plant! in thee. And hear what honours to thy leaves remain. "No thunder e'er shall blast thy boughs, "Preserv'd to grace Apollo's brows, "Kings, victors, poets, to adorn; "Oft' in Britannia's isle thy prosp'rous green "Shall on the heads of her great chiefs be seen, "And by a Nassau and a George be worn." PEN. Still Peneus, with a father's care, Shall feed thee from his flowing urn With verdure ever fresh and fair, Nor this thy destin'd change shall mourn. CHORUS, OF DUETTO of APOLLO and PENEUS. "Nature alone can love inspire; "Art is vain to move desire. "If Nature once the fair incline, "To their own passion they resign. I 200A 205 210 215 218 A PASTORAL MASK. SCENE, A prospect of a Wood. "YE Nymphs and Shepherds of the grove! "Leave your flocks, and haste away, 5 "With solemn state "To celebrate *Cupid and Hymen's holiday. Enter a band of Shepherds on one side with garlands; on the other side Shepherdesses with canisters of flowers. CHORUS. "From the echoing hills and the jovial plains, "Where pleasure, and plenty, and happiness, reigns, "We leave our flocks, and haste away, "With solemn state "To celebrate "Cupid and Hymen's holiday." II [A dance here.] SCENE opening discovers a pleasant Bower, with the God of Love asleep, attended by Cupids, some playing with his bow, others sharpening his arrows, &c. On each side the Bower walks of cypress trees, and fountains playing. A distant landscape terminates the prospect. Verse for a Shepherdess, with flutes, Nymphs and Shepherds, gently shed re Spices round his sacred head; On his lovely body shower "Leaves of roses, virgin lilies, "Cowslips, violets, daffodilies, "And with garlands dress the bower," 20 Ritornel of flutes after which Cupid rises, and sings with bis bow drawn. "Yield to the god of soft Desires, "Whose gentle influence inspires "Every creature Throughout nature "With sprightly joys and genial fires." CHORUS of the Shepherds and Nymphs. "Hail, thou potent deity! 5 "Every creature "Throughout nature 30 "Owns thy pow'r as well as we.” Enter HYMEN in a saffron-coloured robe, a chaplet of flowers on his head, and in his hand the nuptial torch, attended by priests. "HYM. Behold a greater pow'r than he, "Behold the marriage deity !" CHORUS, by Hymen's Attendants. "Behold the marriage deity! CUP. Smiling. Behold the god of household strife, "That spoils the happy lover's life, "And turns a mistress to a wife! "HYM. Foolish and inconstant boy! "Thine's a transitory joy; "Sudden fits in pleasure's fever; 36 40 "Hymen's blessings last for ever. CUP. Hymen's bondage lasts for ever; "Love's free pleasures failing never. "HYMN. Love's stolen pleasures, insincere, "Purchas'd at a rate too dear; "Shame and sorrow will destroy, "If Hymen license not the joy. "Both together. Then let us join hands and unite." Last CHORUS of the Shepherds and Nymphs. "How happy, how happy, how happy are we, 50 |