The First Song
Genius.
Raise from these rocky cliffs your heads,
Brave sons, and see where Glory spreads
Her glittering wings; where Majesty,
Crown'd with sweet smiles, shoots from her eye
Diffusive joy! where Good and Fair
United sit in Honour's chair.
Call forth your aged priests, and crystal streams,
To warm their hearts and waves in these bright beams!
Kingdoms.
1.From your consecrated woods,
Holy Druids; 2. Silver floods,
From your channels fringed with flowers,
3.Hither move; forsake your bowers,
1.Strew'd with hallowed oaken leaves,
Deck'd with flags and sedgy sheaves,
2.And behold a wonder. 3. Say,
What do your duller eyes survey?
Chorus of Druids and Rivers.
We see at once in dead of night,
A sun appear, and yet a bright
Noon-day springing from star-light.
Genius.
Look up, and see the darkened sphere
Deprived of light! her eyes shine there.
Chorus.
These are more sparkling than those were.
Kingdoms.
1.These shed a nobler influence;
2.These by a pure intelligence
Of more transcendent virtue move;
3.These first feel, then kindle love;
1, 2.From the bosoms they inspire,
These receive a mutual fire:
1, 2, 3.And where their flames impure return,
These can quench, as well as burn.
Genius.
Here the fair victorious eyes
Make worth only Beauty's prize;
Here the hand of Virtue ties
'Bout the heart Love's amorous chain:
Captives triumph, vassals reign,
And none live here but the slain.
Chorus.
These are th' Hesperian bowers, whose fair trees bear
Rich golden fruit, and yet no dragon near.
Genius.
Then from your impris'ning womb,
Which is the cradle and the tomb
Of British worthies, fair sons, send
A troop of heroes, that may lend
Their hands to ease this laden grove,
And gather the ripe fruits of Love.
Kingdoms.
1, 2, 3.Open thy stony entrails wide,
And break, old Atlas, that the pride
Of three famed kingdoms may be spied.
Chorus.
Pace forth, thou mighty British Hercules,
With thy choice band, for only thou and these
May revel here in Love's Hesperides. At this, the under-part of the rock opens, and out of a cave are seen to come the masquers, richly attired like ancient heroes, the colours yellow, embroidered with silver, their antique helms curiously wrought, and great plumes on the top; before them a troop of young lords and noblemen's sons, bearing torches of virgin-wax; these were apparelled after the old British fashion in white coats, embroidered with silver, girt and full gathered, cut square-collared, and round caps on their heads, with a white feather wreathen about them. First these dance with their lights in their hands, after which the masquers descend into the room, and dance their entry. The dance being past, there appears in the further part of the heaven coming down a pleasant cloud, bright and transparent; which, coming softly downwards before the upper part of the mountain, embraceth the Genius, but so as through it all his body is seen; and then rising again with a gentle motion, bears up the Genius of the three kingdoms, and being past the airy region, pierceth the heavens, and is no more seen; at that instant, the rock with the three kingdoms on it sinks, and is hidden in the earth. This strange spectacle gave great cause of admiration, but especially how so huge a machine, and of that great height, could come from under the stage, which was but six foot high.
Raise from these rocky cliffs your heads,
Brave sons, and see where Glory spreads
Her glittering wings; where Majesty,
Crown'd with sweet smiles, shoots from her eye
Diffusive joy! where Good and Fair
United sit in Honour's chair.
Call forth your aged priests, and crystal streams,
To warm their hearts and waves in these bright beams!
Kingdoms.
1.From your consecrated woods,
Holy Druids; 2. Silver floods,
From your channels fringed with flowers,
3.Hither move; forsake your bowers,
1.Strew'd with hallowed oaken leaves,
Deck'd with flags and sedgy sheaves,
2.And behold a wonder. 3. Say,
What do your duller eyes survey?
Chorus of Druids and Rivers.
We see at once in dead of night,
A sun appear, and yet a bright
Noon-day springing from star-light.
Genius.
Look up, and see the darkened sphere
Deprived of light! her eyes shine there.
Chorus.
These are more sparkling than those were.
Kingdoms.
1.These shed a nobler influence;
2.These by a pure intelligence
Of more transcendent virtue move;
3.These first feel, then kindle love;
1, 2.From the bosoms they inspire,
These receive a mutual fire:
1, 2, 3.And where their flames impure return,
These can quench, as well as burn.
Genius.
Here the fair victorious eyes
Make worth only Beauty's prize;
Here the hand of Virtue ties
'Bout the heart Love's amorous chain:
Captives triumph, vassals reign,
And none live here but the slain.
Chorus.
These are th' Hesperian bowers, whose fair trees bear
Rich golden fruit, and yet no dragon near.
Genius.
Then from your impris'ning womb,
Which is the cradle and the tomb
Of British worthies, fair sons, send
A troop of heroes, that may lend
Their hands to ease this laden grove,
And gather the ripe fruits of Love.
Kingdoms.
1, 2, 3.Open thy stony entrails wide,
And break, old Atlas, that the pride
Of three famed kingdoms may be spied.
Chorus.
Pace forth, thou mighty British Hercules,
With thy choice band, for only thou and these
May revel here in Love's Hesperides. At this, the under-part of the rock opens, and out of a cave are seen to come the masquers, richly attired like ancient heroes, the colours yellow, embroidered with silver, their antique helms curiously wrought, and great plumes on the top; before them a troop of young lords and noblemen's sons, bearing torches of virgin-wax; these were apparelled after the old British fashion in white coats, embroidered with silver, girt and full gathered, cut square-collared, and round caps on their heads, with a white feather wreathen about them. First these dance with their lights in their hands, after which the masquers descend into the room, and dance their entry. The dance being past, there appears in the further part of the heaven coming down a pleasant cloud, bright and transparent; which, coming softly downwards before the upper part of the mountain, embraceth the Genius, but so as through it all his body is seen; and then rising again with a gentle motion, bears up the Genius of the three kingdoms, and being past the airy region, pierceth the heavens, and is no more seen; at that instant, the rock with the three kingdoms on it sinks, and is hidden in the earth. This strange spectacle gave great cause of admiration, but especially how so huge a machine, and of that great height, could come from under the stage, which was but six foot high.
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