Languages & literature > Alfred: a masque

*2. ALFRED:
A lonely horror fpreads—but foft : the breeze
Is dumb ! and more than midnight filence reigns !
■Why beats my bofom ?—mufic i Shield me, heaven !
Whence fhould it comei—Hark!—now the meafur’d
In awful fweetnefs warbling, ffrike my fenfe, [drains).
As if fome wing’d mufician of the Iky
Touch’d his ethereal harp.
SCENE V.
Solemn mufic is beard at a diftance. It comes nearer in a
full fymphwy : after which a fingle trumpet founds a
high and awakening air. Then the following flanzas
are fung by two aereal fpirits.
Firf Spi rit.
Hear, Alfred, father of the fate,
Thy genius heaven's high will declare /
What proves the hero truly great.
Is never, never to defpair.
Both Spirits.
Is never to defpair.
Second Spirit.
Thy hope awake, thy heart expand
With all its vigour, all its fires :
Arife, and fave a finking land !
Thy country calls and heaven infpires.
Both Spirits.
Earth calls and heaven infpires.
SCENE VI.
Alfred.
Am I awake ! and is it no illufion
That heaven thus.deigns to look with mercy on me ?
Thus, by his minifters, to chear my heart.
And warm it into hope ? But lo ! he comes.
Whom angels deign to vifit and infpire.
The holy fage, defcending from his cell
In yon hill’s cavern’d fide: fweet fylvan fce&e
Whe*e lhade and filence dwell t