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Enter JANUS. Janus. Chronos, Chronos, 1 mend thy Pace: | |
| An hundred Times the rowling Sun | |
| Around the Radiant Belt has run | |
| In his revolving Race. | |
| Behold, behold, the Goal in sight; | 5 |
| Spread thy Fans, and wing thy flight. | |
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Enter CHRONOS, with a Scythe in his Hand and a great Globe on his Back, which he sets 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, | 10 |
| Another Year, | |
| The Load of Human-kind. | |
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Enter MOMUS, Laughing. Momus. Ha! ha! ha! Ha! ha! ha! well hast thou done | |
| To lay down thy Pack, | |
| And lighten thy Back. | 15 |
| The World was a Fool, e’er since it begun, | |
| And since neither Janus, nor Chronos, nor I | |
| Can hinder the Crimes | |
| Or mend the bad Times, | |
| ’Tis better to Laugh than to Cry. | 20 |
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| Co. of all 3. ’Tis better to Laugh than to Cry. | |
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| Janus. Since Momus comes to laugh below, | |
| Old Time begin the Show, | |
| That he may see, in every Scene, | |
| What Changes in this Age have been. | 25 |
| Chronos. Then Goddess of the Silver Bow begin. Horns, or Hunting-Musique within. | |
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Enter DIANA. Diana. With Horns and with Hounds I waken the Day, | |
| And hye to my Woodland walks away: | |
| I tuck up my Robe, and am buskined soon, | |
| And tye to my Forehead a wexing Moon. | 30 |
| I course the fleet Stagg, unkennel the Fox, | |
| And chase the wild Goats or’e summets of Rocks, | |
| With shouting and hooting we pierce thro’ the Sky; | |
| And Eccho turns Hunter, and doubles the Cry. | |
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| Cho. of all. With shouting and hooting we pierce through the Skie, | 35 |
| And Eccho turns Hunter, and doubles the Cry. | |
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| Janus. Then our Age was in it’s Prime: | |
Chronos. Free from Rage.
Diana. And free from Crime. | |
| Momus. A very Merry, Dancing, Drinking, | |
| Laughing, Quaffing, and unthinking Time. | 40 |
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| Cho. of all. Then our Age was in it’s Prime, | |
| Free from Rage, and free from Crime, | |
| A very Merry, Dancing, Drinking, | |
| Laughing, Quaffing, and unthinking Time. [Dance of Diana’s attendants. | |
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Enter MARS. Mars. Inspire the Vocal Brass, Inspire; | 45 |
| The World is past its Infant Age: | |
| Arms and Honour, | |
| Arms and Honour, | |
| Set the Martial Mind on Fire, | |
| And kindle Manly Rage. | 50 |
| Mars has lookt the Sky to Red; | |
| And Peace, the Lazy Good, is fled. | |
| Plenty, Peace, and Pleasure fly; | |
| The Sprightly Green | |
| In Woodland-Walks 2 no more is seen; | 55 |
| The Sprightly Green has drunk the Tyrian Dye. | |
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| Cho. of all. Plenty, Peace, &c. | |
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| Mars. Sound the Trumpet, Beat the Drum; | |
| Through all the World around, | |
| Sound a Reveille, Sound, Sound, | 60 |
| The Warrior God is come. | |
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| Cho. of all. Sound the Trumpet, &c. | |
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| Momus. Thy Sword within the Scabbard keep, | |
| And let Mankind agree; | |
| Better the World were fast asleep, | 65 |
| Than kept awake by Thee. | |
| The Fools are only thinner, | |
| With all our Cost and Care; | |
| But neither side a winner, | |
| For Things are as they were. | 70 |
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| Cho. of all. The Fools are only, &c. | |
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Enter VENUS. Venus. Calms appear, when Storms are past; | |
| Love will have his Hour at last: | |
| Nature is my kindly Care; | |
| Mars destroys, and I repair; | 75 |
| Take me, take me, while you may, | |
| Venus comes not ev’ry Day. | |
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| Cho. of all. Take her, take her, &c. | |
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| Chronos. The World was then so light, | |
| I scarcely felt the Weight; | 80 |
| Joy rul’d the Day, and Love the Night. | |
| But since the Queen of Pleasure left the Ground, | |
| I faint, I lag, | |
| And feebly drag | |
| The pond’rous Orb around. | 85 |
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| Momus. All, all of a piece throughout: | |
| Pointing to Diana. Thy Chase had a Beast in View; | |
| Pointing to Mars. Thy Wars brought nothing about; | |
| Pointing to Venus. Thy Lovers were all untrue. | |
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| Janus. ’Tis well an Old Age is out. | 90 |
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| Chro. And time to begin a New. | |
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| Cho. of all. All, all of a piece throughout: | |
| Thy Chase had a Beast in View; | |
| Thy Wars brought nothing about; | |
| Thy Lovers were all untrue. | 95 |
| ’Tis well an Old Age is out, | |
| And time to begin a New. Dance of Huntsmen, Nymphs, Warriours, and Lovers.
FINIS | |
