Die idhrliche Feier des Namenstages der heil. Cecilia, welche die Legende als Erfinderin der Orgel angiebt, durch ein großes musikalisches Concert, bat in England vornehms lich zu Anfange des jeßigen Jahrhunderts mehrere, für die Musik beftimmte, Oden veranlasst, deren man viele in den von Dryden bei Tonton herausgegebenen Miscellanies findet, deren Werth aber sehr ungleich ist. Die drei besten theile ich hier mit

William Congreve (geb. 1672, geft. 1728.) fchrieb die reinige im Jahre 1701, und fie wurde von John Lccles in Mufik gefest. Eine glückliche deutsche uebers retung dieser Dde, und der beiden folgenden von Dryden und Pope, findet man in Hrn. Weifens Lyrischen Gedichs ten, B. III. S. 187.

O
Harmony, to thee we fing,

To thee the grateful Tribute bring
Of sacred Verfe, and tweet resounding Lays:
Thy Aid invoking while thy Pow'r we praise.

All Hail to thee

All - pow'rful Harmony!
Wife Nature owns thy undisputed Sway,
Her wond'rous Works resigning to thy Care:
The Planetary Orbs thy Rule obey,
And tuneful roll, unerring in their way,
Thy voice informing each melodious Sphere.,

CHORUS

Congreve.

CHORUS

All Hail to thee
All-pow'rful Harmony!

IL

Thy Voice, o Harmony, with awful Sound

Could penetrate th Abyss profound,

Explore the Realms of ancient Night,
And search the living Source of unborn Light,

Confusion leard thy Voice and fed,
And Chaos deeper plung'd his vanquish'd Head,

Then didst thou, Harmony, give Birth
To this fair Form of Heav'n and Earth;
Then all those shining Worlds above

In Mystick Dance began to move
Around the radiant Sphere of Central Fire,
A never cealing, never filent Choir.

CHORUS.

Confusion heard thy Voice and fled,
And Chaos deeper plung'd his vanquish'd Heads

III.

Thou only, Goddess, first cou'dít tell
The mighty Charins in Numbers found;
And didst to heav'nly Minds reveal
The secret force of tuneful Sound.
When first Cyllenius form'd the Lyre,

Thou didst the God inspire;
When first the vocal Shell he strung,

To which the Muses sung:
Then first the Muses fung; melodious Strains

Apollo plaid,
And Musick first begun by thy auspicious Aid.

Hark, hark, again Urania fings!
Again Apollo strikes the trembling Strings!

And

And fee, the list'ning Deities around
Attend insatiate, and devour the Sound.

Congreve.

CHORUS.

Hark, hark, again Urania fing?!
Again Apollo strikes the trembling Strings !
And see,. the list’ning Deities around
Attend insatiate, and devour the Sound.

IV.

Descend Urania, heav'nly Fair!
To the Relief of this afflicted World repair;

See, how with various Woes opprest,
The wretched Race of Men is worn;
Consum'd with Cares, with Doubts diftreft,
Or by conflicting Passions torn.
Reason in vain employs her Aid,

The furious Will on Fancy waits ;
While Reason still by Hopes or Fears betray'd,
Too late advances, or too soon retreats.
Musick alone with sudden Charms can bind
The wandring Sense, and calıu the troubled Mind.

CHORUS

Musick alone with sudden Charms can bind
The wandring Senfe, and calm the troubled Mind.

Congreve. With balmy Sounds his boiling Blood assuage,

And melt to mild Remorse his burning Rage.
'Ti& done; and now tumultuous Passions cease;

And all is husht, and all is Peace.
The weary World with welcome Ease is bleft,

By Musick lulld to pleasing Rest.

CHORUS

'Tis done; and now tumultuous Passions cease;

And all is husht, and all is Peace.
The weary World with welcome Ease is bleft,

By Musick lulled to pleasing Reft.

VI.

Ah, sweet Repose, too soon expiring!
Ah! foolish Man, new Toils requiring!
Curs'd Ambition, Strife pursuing,
Wakes the World to War and Ruin.
See, fèe the Battel is prepar'd!

Behold the Hero comes!
Loud Trumpets with shrill Fifes are heard;

And hoarse resounding Drums.
War, with discordant Notes and jarring Noise,

The Harmony of Peace destroys.

CHORUS

War, with discordant Notes and jarring Noise,

The Harmony of Peace destroys.

VII.

See the forlaken Fair with streaming Eyes

Her parting Lover' mourn;
She weeps, she fighs, despairs and dies,
And watchful wastes the lonely livelong Nights,

Bewailing past Delights
Tliat may no more, no never more return.

O footh