THE SECULAR MASQUE. Enter Janus. Janus. Can hundred times the rolling fun Hronos, Chronos, mend thy pace, An Around the radiant belt has run In his revolving race. Behold, behold, the goal in fight, Spread thy fans, and wing thy flight. Enter Chronos, with a fcythe in his hand, and a globe on his back; which he fets down at his entrance. Chronos. Weary, weary of my weight, Let me, let me drop my freight, And leave the world behind. I could not bear, Another year, The load of human-kind. Enter Momus laughing. Momus. Ha! ha! ha!ha 'ha! ha! wellhaft thou don To lay down thy pack, And lighten thy back, The world was a fool, e'er fince it begun, And fince neither Janus nor Chronos, nor I, Or mend the bad times, 'Tis better to laugh than to cry. Cho. of all three. 'Tis better to laugh than to cry. Janus. Since Momus comes to laugh below, That he may fee, in every scene, What changes in this age have been. Chronos. Then goddess of the filver bow begin. [Horns, or bunting-mufic within.] Enter Diana. Di. With horns and with hounds, Iwaken the day; I tuck up my robe, and am buskin'd soon, With shouting and hooting we pierce thro the fky, : And Ecchoturns hunter, and doubles the cry. Cho. of all. With fhouting and hooting we pierce thro the sky, And Eccho turns hunter, and doubles the cry. Janus. Then our age was in in't's prime : Chronos. Free from rage: Diana. And free from crime. Momus. A very merry, dancing, drinking, Laughing, quaffing, and unthinking time. Cho. of all. Then our age was in't's prime, Free from rage, and free from crime, Mars. Infpire the vocal brafs, infpire; The world is past its infant age: Arms and honor, Arms and honor, Set the martial mind on fire, And kindle manly rage. Mars has look'd the sky to red; And Peace, the lazy good, is fled. Plenty, peace, and pleasure fly; In woodland-walks, no more is feen; Cho. of all. Plenty, peace, &c. Mars. Sound the trumpet, beat the drum; Sound a reveille, found, found, The warrior god is come. Cho, of all, Sound the trumpet, &c, Momus. Thy fword within the scabbard keep, Better the world were fast afleep, With all our coft and care; Cho, of all. The fools are only, &c. Enter Venus. Venus. Calms appear, when forms are past; Nature is my kindly care; Mars deftroys, and I repair ; Take me, take me, while you may, Cho. of all. Take her, take her, &c. Chronos. The world was then fo light, Joy rul'd the day, and Love the night. I faint, I lag, And feebly drag The pondrous orb around. Momus. All, all of a piece throughout; ing to Thy chace had a beast in view; [To Mars] Thy wars brought nothing about; Chronos. And time to begin a new. Cho. of all. All, all of a piece throughout ; Thy chace had a beaft in view: Thy wars brought nothing about ; Thy lovers were all untrue. 'Tis well an old age is out, And time to begin a new. Dance of huntsmen, nymphs, warriors, and lovers. |