ALEXANDER's FEAST;

OR,

THE POWER OF MUSIC.

A NO DE,

In Honour of St. CECILIA's Day.

a

fine one,

This ode has been more applauded, perhaps, than it has been felt; however, it is

very and gives its beauties rather at a third, or fourth, than at a first, perusal.

I.

'TWA

WAS at the royal feast, for Persia won,

By Philip's warlike fon :
Aloft, in awful state,
The godlike hero fate

On his imperial throne:
His valiant peers were plac'd around;
Their brows with rofes and with myrtles bound.

(So shou'd defert in arms be crown'd :)
The lovely Thais by his fide,
Sate like a blooming eastern bride,
In flower of youth and beauty's pride.

Happy

Happy, happy, happy pair!
None but the brave,
None but the brave,
None but the brave deserve the fair.'

CHORUS.

Happy, happy, happy pair !
None but the brave,
None but the brave,
None but the brave deserves the fair.

II.

Timotheus piac'd on high

Amid the tuneful quire,

With flying fingers touch'd the lyre :
The trembling notes ascend the sky,

And heav'nly joys inspire.
The song began from Jove ;
Who left his blissful seats above,
(Such is the pow'r of mighty love.)
A dragon's fiery form bely'd the god :
Sublime on radiant spires he rode,

When he to fair Olympia pressid :

And while he fought her snowy breast :
Then, round her slender waist he curl'd,
And ftamp'd an image of himself, a sov’reign of the

world.
The liftning crowd admire the lofty found.
A present Deity they shout around:
A present Deity the vaulted roofs rebound:

With ravish'd ears
The monarch hears,
Assumes the god,

Affects to nod,
And seems to shake the spheres.

CH OR US.

With ravish'd ears
The monarch hears,
Afsumes the god,

Affects to nod,
And seems to shake the spheres.

III.

The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician fung;
Of Bacchus, ever fair, and ever young:

The jolly god in triumph comes ;
Sound the trumpets, beat the drums ;

Flush'd with a purple grace,

He shews his honest face; Now gives the hautboys breath; he comes, he comesa

Bacchus, ever fair and young,

Drinking joys did first ordain :
Bacchus' blessings are a treasure,
Drinking is the soldier's pleasure ;

Rich the treasure,

Sweet the pleasure;
Sweet is pleasure after pain.

VOL. I.

CHORUS. CH ORU S.

Bacchus' blessings are a treasure ;
Drinking is the soldier's pleasure;

Rich the treasure,

Sweet the pleasure;
Sweet is pleasure after pain.

IV.
Sooth'd with the found the king grew vain;

Fought all his battles o’er again;
And thrice he routed all his foes; and thrice he flew

the slain.
The master saw the madness rise;
His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes ;
And, while he Heav'n and earth defy'd,
Chang'd his hand, and check'd his pride.

He chose a mournful muse,

Soft pity to infuse :
He sung Darius, great and good,

By too severe a fate,
Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen,

Fallen from his high estate,

And welt'ring in his blood :
Deserted at his utmoft need,
By those his former bounty fed :
On the bare earth expos'd he lies,
With not a friend to close his eyes.

With

With down-cast looks the joyless victor sate,

Revolving in his alter'd foul

The various turns of chance below;
And, now and then, a sigh he stole ;

And tears began to flow.

CHORU S.
Revolving in his alter'd soul

The various turns of chance below;
And, now and then, a sigh he stole;

And tears began to flow.

V.

The mighty master smild, to see
That love was in the next degree:
'Twas but a kindred found to move;
For pity melts the mind to love.

Softly sweet, in Lydian measures,

Soon he footh'd his soul to pleasures. War, he sung, his toil and trouble; Honour, but an empty bubble:

Never ending, ftill beginning, Fighting still, and ftill destroying :

If the world be worth thy winning, Think, O think it worth enjoying.

Lovely Thais fits beside thee,

Take the good the gods provide thee.
The many rend the skies with loud applause;
So Love was crown'd, but Music won the cause.
G2

The.