Would I were free from this restraint,
Or elfe had hopes to win her!
Would he could make of me a faint,

Or I of her a finner!

A HYMN TO HARMONY,

IN HONOUR OF

T. CECILIA'S DAY, M DCCI.

Set to MUSIC by Mr. JOHN ECCLES.

I.

Harmony, to thee we fing,

To thee the grateful tribute bring
Of facred verfe, and fweet refounding lays;
Thy aid invoking while thy Power we praise.
All hail to thee,

All powerful Harmony!

Wife Nature owns thy undisputed sway,
Her wondrous works refigning to thy care:
The planetary orbs thy rule obey,

And tuneful roll, unerring in their way,

Thy voice informing each melodious sphere.

CHORUS.

All hail to thee,

All-powerful Harmony!

II.

Thy voice, O Harmony, with awful found
Could penetrate th' abyfs profound,

Explore the realms of ancient night,
And fearch the living fource of unborn light.
Confufion heard thy voice, and fled,
And Chaos deeper plung'd his vanquish'd head.
Then didit thou, Harmony, give birth
To this fair form of heaven and earth;
Then all thofe fhining worlds above
In myftic dance began to move
Around the radiant fphere of central fire,
A never-ceafing, never-filent choir.

CHORU S.

Confufion heard thy voice, and fled,

And Chaos deeper plung'd his vanquish'd head.

III.

Thou only, goddess, first could'st tell
The mighty charms in numbers found;
And didit to heavenly minds reveal
The fecret force of tuneful found.

When

When first Cyllenius form'd the lyre,
Thou didst the god inspire;

When first the vocal fhell he ftrung,

To which the Mufes fung:

Then firft the Mufes fung; melodious strains Apoll❤ play'd,

And Mufic firft began by thy aufpicious aid.
Hark, hark! again Urania fings!

Again Apollo ftrikes the trembling strings!
And fee, the liftening deities around
Attend infatiate, and devour the found.

CHORUS.

Hark, hark, again Urania fings!

Again Apollo ftrikes the trembling strings !"
And fee, the liftening deities around
Attend infatiate, and devour the found.

IV.

Defcend, Urania, heavenly fair!

To the relief of this afflicted world repair;
See how, with various woes oppreft,
The wretched race of men is worn;
Confum'd with cares, with doubts diftreft,
Or by conflicting paffions torn.

Reafon in vain employs her aid,
The furious will on fancy waits ;

While reafon ftill by hopes or fears betray'd,
Too late advances, or too foon retreats.
Mufic alone with fudden charms can bind

The wandering fenfe, and calm the troubled mind.

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CHORUS.

Mufic alone with fudden charms can bind

The wandering fenfe, and calm the troubled mind.

V.

Begin the powerful fong, ye facred Nine,
Your inftruments and voices join;
Harmony, peace, and fweet defire,
In every breast inspire.

Revive the melancholy drooping heart,
And foft repofe to reftlefs thoughts impart.
Appeafe the wrathful mind,

To dire revenge and death inclin'd:
With balmy founds his boiling blood affuage,
And melt to mild remorfe his burning rage.
'Tis done; and now tumultuous paffions ceafe;
And all is hufh'd, and all is peace.
weary world with welcome cafe is bleft,
By mufic lull'd to pleafing reft.

The

CHORU S.

'Tis done; and now tumultuous paffions cease;
And all is hufh'd, and all is peace.

The weary world with welcome eafe is bleft,
By mufic lull'd to pleafing reft.

VI.

Ah, fweet repofe, too foon expiring!
Ah, foolish man, new toils requiring!
Curs'd ambition, ftrife pursuing,

Wakes the world to war and ruin.

See,

See, fee, the battle is prepar❜d!

Behold, the hero comes !

Loud trumpets with fhrill fifes are heard ;
And hoarfe refounding drums.

War, with difcordant notes and jarring noise,
The harmony of peace destroys.

CHORUS.

War, with difcordant notes and jarring noise,
The harmony of peace destroys.

VII.

See the forfaken fair, with ftreaming eyes
Her parting lover mourn;

She weeps, fhe fighs, defpairs, and dies,
And watchful wastes the lonely livelong nights,
Bewailing paft delights

That may no more, no never more return.
O footh her cares

With fofteft, fweetest airs,

Till victory and peace restore

Her faithful lover to her tender breast,
Within her folding arms to reft,
Thence never to be parted more,
No never to be parted more.

CHORUS.

Let victory and peace restore

Her faithful lover to her tender breast,
Within her folding arms to reft,
Thence never to be parted more,
No never to be parted more.

Enough,