Thy Voice, o Harmony, with awful Sound
Could penetrate th' Abyfs profound,
Explore the Realms of ancient Night,
And fearch the living Source of unborn Light.
Confufion heard thy Voice and fled,
And Chaos deeper plung'd his vanquifh'd Head.
Then didft thou, Harmony, give Birth
To this fair Form of Heav'n and Earth;
Then all those fhining Worlds above
In Myftick Dance began to move
Around the radiant Sphere of Central Fire,
A never ceafing, never filent Choir.
Confufion heard thy Voice and fled,
And Chaos deeper plung'd his vanquish'd Head.
Thou only, Goddess, firft cou'dft tell
The mighty Charms in Numbers found;
And didft to heav'nly Minds reveal
The fecret force of tuneful Sound.
When firft Cyllenius form'd the Lyre,
Thou didst the God infpire;
When firft the vocal Shell he ftrung,
To which the Mufes fung:
Then firft the Mufes fung; melodious Strains
Apollo plaid,
And Mufick first begun by thy aufpicious Aid.
Hark, hark, again Urania fings!
Again Apollo strikes the trembling Strings!
And fee, the lift'ning Deities around
Attend infatiate, and devour the Sound,
Hark, bark, again Urania fings! Again Apollo ftrikes the trembling Strings! And fee, the lift'ning Deities around Attend infatiate, and devour the Sound.
Defcend Urania, heav'nly Fair!
To the Relief of this afflicted World repair;
See, how with various Woes oppreft,
The wretched Race of Men is worn;
Confum'd with Cares, with Doubts diftreft,
Or by conflicting Paffions torn.
Reafon in vain employs her Aid,
The furious Will on Fancy waits;
While Reason ftill by Hopes or Fears betray'd,
Too late advances, or too foon retreats.
Mufick alone with fudden Charms can bind
The wandring Senfe, and calm the troubled Mind.
Mufick alone with fudden Charms can bind
The wandring Senfe, and calm the troubled Mind.
Begin the pow'rful Song, ye Sacred Nine,
Your Inftruments and Voices join;
Harmony, Peace, and fweet Defire
In ev'ry Breast inspire.
Revive the melancholy drooping Heart,
And foft Repofe to restless Thoughts impart.
Appease the wrathful Mind,
To dire Revenge and Death inclin'd:
Congreve. With balmy Sounds his boiling Blood affuage,
And melt to mild Remorse his burning Rage.
'Tis done; and now tumultuous Paffions ceafe;
And all is hufht, and all is Peace.
The weary World with welcome Eafe is bleft,
By Mufick lull'd to pleafing Reft.
'Tis done; and now tumultuous Paffions ceafe;
And all is hufht, and all is Peace.
The weary World with welcome Eafe is bleft,
By Mufick lull'd to pleasing Rest,
Ah, fweet Repose, too foon expiring!
Ah! foolish Man, new Toils requiring!
Curs'd Ambition, Strife purfuing,
Wakes the World to War and Ruin.
See, fee the Battel is prepar'd!
Behold the Hero comes!
Loud Trumpets with fhrill Fifes are heard;
And hoarse refounding Drums.
War, with difcordant Notes and jarring Noife,
The Harmony of Peace deftroys,
'War, with difcordant Notes and jarring Noife,
The Harmony of Peace deftroys.
See the forfaken Fair with ftreaming Eyes
Her parting Lover mourn;
She weeps, the fighs, despairs and dies,
And watchful waftes the lonely livelong Nights,
Bewailing past Delights
That may no more, no never more return.
O footh her Cares
With fofteft, fweetest Airs,
'Till Victory and Peace reftore Her faithful Lover to her tender Breast, Within her folding Arms to rest, Thence never to be parted more, No never to be parted more.
Let Victory and Peace restore
Her faithful Lover to her tender Breaft,
Within her folding Arms to reft,
Thence never to be parted more,
No never to be parted more,
Enough, Urania, heav'nly Fair!
Now to thy native Skies repair,
And rule again the ftarry Sphere;
Cecilia comes, with holy Rapture fill'd,
To eafe the World of Care.
Cecilia, more than all the Muses skill'd!
Phoebus himself to her muft yield,
And at her Feet lay down
His golden Harp and laurel Crown.
The foft enervate Lyre is drown'd
In the deep Organ's more majestick Sound.
In Peals the fwelling Notes afcend the Skies;
Perpetual Breath the fwelling Notes fupplies,
And lafting as her Name,
Who form'd the tuneful Frame,
Th' immortal Musick never dies.
Cecilia, more than all the Mufes fkill'd,
Phoebus himself to her muft yield,
And at her Feet lay down,
His golden Harp and laurel Crown.-
The foft enervate Lyre is drown'd
In the deep Organ's more majestick Sound.
In Peals the fwelling Notes afcend the skies;
Perpetual Breath the Iwelling Notes iupplies,
And lafting as her Name,
Who form'd the tuneful Frame,
Th' immortal Mufick never dies.
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