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ODE for MUSIC

ON

ST. CECILIA's DAY:

I.

Efcend, ye Nine! defcend and fing›
The breathing inftruments inspire,

DE

Wake into voice each filent string,

And sweep the founding lyre!

In a fadly-pleasing strain

Let the warbling lute complain :
Let the loud trumpet found,
'Till the roofs all around

The fhrill echos rebound:

NOTES.

Ode for Mufic] This is one of the most artful as well as fublime of our Poet's fmaller compofitions. The firft ftanza expreffes the various tones and measures in mufic. The fecond describes their power over the feveral paffions in general. The third explains their use in infpiring the Heroic paffions in particular. The fourth, fifth, and fixth, their power over all nature in the fable of Orpheus's expedition to hell; which fubject of illustration arofe naturally out of the preceding men

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While in more lengthen'd notes and flow,

The deep, majeftic, folemn organs blow.

Hark! the numbers foft and clear
the ear;

Gently steal upon

Now louder, and yet louder rise,

ΙΟ

And fill with spreading founds the skies; 15 Exulting in triumph now fwell the bold notes, In broken air, trembling, the wild mufic floats ; "Till, by degrees, remote and small, The ftrains decay,

And melt away,

In a dying, dying fall.

II.

By Mufic, minds an equal temper know,
Nor fwell too high, nor fink too low.
If in the breaft tumultuous joys arise,
Mufic her foft, affuafive voice applies;

NOTES.

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25

tion of the Argonautic expedition, where Orpheus gives the example of the ufe of Mufic to infpire the heroic paffions. The feventh and last conclude in praise of Mufic, and the advantages of the facred above the prophane.

VER. 7. Let the loud trumpet found, etc.] Our Author, in his rules for good writing, had faid, that the found should be an echo to the fenfe. The graces it adds to the harmony are obvious. But we should never have feen all the advantages arifing from this rule, had this ode not been written. In which, one may venture to fay, is found all the harmony that poetic found, when it comes in aid of fenfe, is capable of producing.

Or, when the soul is press'd with cares,
Exalts her in enliv'ning airs.

Warriors the fires with animated founds;

Pours balm into the bleeding lover's wounds:
Melancholy lifts her head,

30

Morpheus rouzes from his bed,

Sloth unfolds her arms and wakes,
Lift'ning Envy drops her fnakes;

Intestine war no more our Paffions wage,
And giddy Factions hear

away their rage.

35

III.

But when our Country's caufe provokes to Arms, How martial mufic ev'ry bofom warms!

So when the firft bold veffel dar'd the feas, High on the stern the Thracian rais'd his ftrain,

While Argo faw her kindred trees

Defcend from Pelion to the main.

Transported demi-gods ftood round,
And men grew heroes at the found,

Enflam'd with glory's charms :

40

Each chief his fev'nfold fhield difplay'd, 45 And half unsheath'd the shining blade:

And feas, and rocks, and fkies rebound

To arms, to arms, to arms!

IV.

But when thro' all th' infernal bounds,
Which flaming Phlegeton furrounds,

Love, strong as Death, the Poet led
To the pale nations of the dead,

What founds were heard,

What scenes appear'd,

O'er all the dreary coasts!

Dreadful gleams,

Difmal fcreams,

Fires that glow,

Shrieks of woe,

Sullen moans,

Hollow groans,

5.

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And cries of tortur'd ghosts!

But hark! he strikes the golden lyre;

And fee! the tortur'd ghosts refpire,

See, fhady forms advance!

Thy ftone, O Sifyphus, ftands ftill,

Ixion refts upon his wheel,

And the pale spectres dance!

The Furies fink upon their iron beds,

65

And fnakes uncurl'd hang lift'ning round their heads.

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