At last divine Cecilia came, Inventress of the vocal frame; The sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, And added length to solemn sounds, With nature's mother-wit, and arts unknown before. Or both divide the crown; She drew an angel down. GRAND CHORUS. At last divine Cecilia came, And added length to solemn sounds, With nature's mother-wit and arts unknown before. Or both divide the crown; He raised a mortal to the skies, She drew an angel down. JOHN DRYDEN. I Edwin of the Green. A FAIRY TALE, IN THE ANCIENT ENGLISH STYLE. N Britain's isle, and Arthur's days, When midnight fairies danced the maze, Edwin, I wis, a gentle youth, Endowed with courage, sense, and truth, Though badly shaped he'd been. His mountain back mote well be said, Yet, spite of all that Nature did He felt the charms of Edith's eyes, But one Sir Topaz dressed with art, Edwin, if right I read my song, 'Twas near an old enchanted court, His heart was drear, his hope was crossed, 'I was late, 'twas far, the path was lost That reached the neighbor-town; With weary steps he quits the shades, Resolved, the darkling dome he treads, And drops his limbs adown. But scant he lays him on the floor, And trembling rocks the ground: Now sounding tongues assail his ear, And from the corner where he lay Come pranking o'er the place. But (trust me, gentles !) never yet The country lent the sweet perfumes, Now whilst he gazed, a gallant drest With awful accent cried; "What mortal of a wretched mind, Whose sighs infect the balmy wind, Has here presumed to hide ?" At this the swain, whose venturous soul No fears of magic art control, Advanced in open sight; "Nor have I cause of dreed," he said, "Who view, by no presumption led, Your revels of the night. "'Twas grief, for scorn of faithful love, Which made my steps unweeting rove Amid the nightly dew." ""Tis well," the gallant cries again, "We fairies never injure men Who dare to tell us true. "Exalt thy love-dejected heart, Be mine the task, or ere we part, To make thee grief resign; Now take the pleasure of thy chaunce ; Whilst I with Mab, my partner, daunce, Be little Mable thine." He spoke, and all a sudden there The monarch leads the queen : The dauncing past, the board was laid, But now, to please the fairy king, Some wind and tumble like an ape, Till one at last, that Robin hight, Has bent him up aloof: And full against the beam he flung, From thence, "Reverse my charm," he cries, "And let it fairly now suffice The gambol has been shown.". But Oberon answers with a smile, "Content thee, Edwin, for a while, The vantage is thine own." Here ended all the phantom-play; They smelt the fresh approach of day, And heard a cock to crow; The whirling wind that bore the crowd Has clapped the door, and whistled loud, To warn them all to go. Then, screaming, all at once they fly, Poor Edwin falls to floor; Forlorn his state, and dark the place; But soon as Dan Apollo rose, With lusty livelyhed he talks, The story told Sir Topaz moved, At close of eve he leaves his home, As there he bides, it so befell, Up spring the tapers as before, |