And if I may viewA blessing-fraught land,The heaven's clear blue,And the plain's verdant hue,Alone I'll rejoice,Undisturbed by man's voice.
And there I'll pay homageTo womanly merit,Observe it in spirit,In spirit pay homage;To echo aloneShall my secret be known.
CHORUS.
[Faintly mingling with Damon's song in the distance.]
To echo--alone--Shall my secret--be known.--MENALCAS.
My friend, why meet I here with thee?
Thou hast'nest not to join the festal throng?
No longer stay, but come with me,And mingle in the dance and song.
DAMON.
Thou'rt welcome, friend! but suffer me to roamWhere these old beeches hide me from man's view:
Love seeks in solitude a home,And homage may retreat there too.
MENALCAS.
Thou seekest here a spurious fame,And hast a mind to-day to grieve me.
Love as thy portion thou mayst claimBut homage thou must share with all, believe me!
When their voices thousands raise, And the dawn of morning praise,Rapture bringing,Blithely singingOn before us, Heart and ear in pleasure vie;And when thousands join in chorus,With the feelings brightly glowing,And the wishes overflowing, Forcibly they'll bear thee high.
[The Chorus gradually approaches, from the distance.]
DAMON.
Distant strains are hither wending,And I'm gladden'd by the throng;Yes, they're coming,--yes, descendingTo the valley from the height,MENALCAS.
Let us haste, our footsteps blendingWith the rhythm of the song!
Yes, they come; their course they're bendingTow'rd the wood's green sward so bright.
CHORUS.
[Gradually becoming louder.]
Yes, we hither come, attendingWith the harmony of song, As the hours their race are endingOn this day of blest delight.
ALL.
Let none reveal The thoughts we feel, The aims we own!
Let joy aloneDisclose the story!
She'll prove it right And her delightIncludes the glory, Includes the bliss Of days like this!
1813.
RINALDO.
[This Cantata was written for Prince Frederick of Gotha, and set to music by Winter, the Prince singing the part of Rinaldo.--See the Annalen.]
( See Tasso's Gerusalemme Liberata, Canto XVI.)CHORUS.
To the strand! quick, mount the bark!
If no favouring zephyrs blow,Ply the oar and nimbly row, And with zeal your prowess mark!
O'er the sea we thus career.
RINALDO.
Oh, let me linger one short moment here!
'Tis heaven's decree, I may not hence away.
The rugged cliffs, the wood-encircled bay, Hold me a prisoner, and my flight delay.
Ye were so fair, but now that dream is o'er;The charms of earth, the charms of heaven are nought.
What keeps me in this spot so terror-fraught?
My only joy is fled for evermore.
Let me taste those days so sweet,Heav'n-descended, once again!
Heart, dear heart! ay, warmly beat!
Spirit true, recall those daysFreeborn breath thy gentle laysMingled are with joy and pain.
Round the beds, so richly gleaming,Rises up a palace fair;All with rosy fragrance teeming,As in dream thou saw'st it ne'er.
And this spacious garden round,Far extend the galleries;Roses blossom near the ground,High in air, too, bloom the trees.
Wat'ry flakes and jets are falling.
Sweet and silv'ry strains arise;
While the turtle-dove is calling,And the nightingale replies.
CHORUS.
Gently come! feel no alarm,On a noble duty bent;Vanish'd now is ev'ry charmThat by magic power was lent.
Friendly words and greetings calm On his wounds will pour soft balm.
Fill his mind with sweet content.
RINALDO.
Hark! the turtle-dove is calling,And the nightingale replies;Wat'ry flakes and jets are falling,Mingling with their melodies.
But all of them say:
Her only we mean;
But all fly away,As soon as she's seen,--The beauteous young maiden,With graces so rife,Then lily and roseIn wreaths are entwining;In dancing combining, Each zephyr that blowsIts brother is greeting,All flying and meeting, With balsam full laden,When waken'd to life.
CHORUS.
No! no longer may we wait;
Rouse him from his vision straight!
Show the adamantine shield!
RINALDO.
Woe! what form is here reveal'd!
CHORUS.
'Twill disclose the cheat to thee.
RINALDO.
Am I doom'd myself to see Thus degraded evermore?
CHORUS.
Courage take, and all is o'er.
RINALDO.
Be it so! I'll take fresh heart, From the spot beloved depart, Leave Armida once again,--Come then! here no more remain.
CHORUS.
Yes, 'tis well! no more remain.
SEMI-CHORUS.
Away then! let's flyO'er the zephyr-kiss'd ocean!
The soul-lighted eyeSees armies in motion, See proud banners waveO'er the dust-sprinkled course.
CHORUS.
From his forefathers braveDraws the hero new force.
RINALDO.
With sorrow laden,Within this valley'sAll-silent alleys The fairest maidenAgain I see.
Twice can this be?
What! shall I hear it, And not have spirit To ease her pains?
CHORUS.
Unworthy chains?
RINALDO.
And now I've see her,Alas! how changed!
With cold demeanour.
And looks estranged, With ghostly tread,--All hope is fled, Yes, fled for ever.
The lightnings quiver, Each palace falls;The godlike halls, Each joyous hour Of spirit-power, With love's sweet day All fade away!
CHORUS.
Yes, fade away!
SEMI-CHORUS.
Already are heardThe prayers of the pious.
Why longer deny us?
The favouring zephyrForbids all delay.
CHORUS.
Away, then! away!
RINALDO.
With heart sadly stirr'd,Your command I receive;Ye force me to leave.
Unkind is the zephyr,--Oh, wherefore not stay?
CHORUS.
Away, then! away!
1811.
THE FIRST WALPURGIS-NIGHT.
A DRUID.
SWEET smiles the May!
The forest gayFrom frost and ice is freed;No snow is found,Glad songs resoundAcross the verdant mead.
Upon the heightThe snow lies light,Yet thither now we go, There to extol our Father's name,Whom we for ages know.
Amid the smoke shall gleam the flame;
Thus pure the heart will grow.
THE DRUIDS.
Amid the smoke shall gleam the flame;
Extol we now our Father's name,Whom we for ages know!
Up, up, then, let us go!
ONE OF THE PEOPLE.
Would ye, then, so rashly act?
Would ye instant death attract?
Know ye not the cruel threatsOf the victors we obey?
Round about are placed their netsIn the sinful heathen's way.
