Recitative. DARK is the night, and deep and lowering | |
Hang its shadows oer the main; | |
On the billow awful towering, | |
Yonder glide the warrior train. | |
Not a star betrays their motions, | 5 |
Hushd, unseen, they hold their way | |
Sullen as the calm of ocean, | |
At the lurid close of day. | |
Lo! the fleet with valour teeming, | |
Dimly skirts the westward sky; | 10 |
Hope and doubt alternate beaming | |
From the war-instructed eye. | |
Preble there, serene, presiding, | |
Distant marks the floating death, | |
Toward the castle darkly gliding, | 15 |
Aided by the breezes breath. | |
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Air. Chief of daring! thine is glory | |
Far beyond the reach of Fate: | |
Slainimmortalized in story, | |
Livingvalorous and great. | 20 |
Thine the calm, heroic spirit, | |
Firm to act, and bold to dare, | |
Or to grasp the meed of merit, | |
Or the heros grave to share! | |
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Recitative. Now the bark, in distance fading, | 25 |
Glooms beneath the turret-steep, | |
Not a sound the ear invading, | |
Save the murmur of the deep. | |
Surely she has gaind her station, | |
Lost in distance and in gloom: | 30 |
Tis the pause of expectation | |
Tis the silence of the tomb. | |
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Air. Warriors! rue the gale that bore them: | |
Rue the gloom that wrappd the skies: | |
Never shall the sun restore them | 35 |
To your valour-weeping eyes! | |
Shield them, Heaven, amid the explosion: | |
Quickly waft them from the shore. | |
Who can bear the swift concussion? | |
Who can list the sudden roar? | 40 |
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Recitative. See, the flash! one moment shining, | |
Ocean, earth, and heaven illume! | |
Now, again, tis lostresigning | |
Heaven, and earth, and sea to gloom. | |
Horror all, and wild commotion | 45 |
Shrieks of millions from the shore | |
Gleaming on the sulphurous ocean, | |
Cannons burst with rapid roar: | |
Atlas, trembling, hears the thunder | |
Bellow through his shores below; | 50 |
Sees his tawny sons of plunder, | |
Frighted, fly without a foe. | |
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Air, (by the Turks.) Allah! whence this dire undoing | |
Rushing through the troubled air? | |
Save, O save thy race from ruin! | 55 |
Shield the faithful from despair! | |
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Recitative. Oer the scene, at length, reposing, | |
Wrappd in desolations reign, | |
Morn, reluctantly disclosing, | |
Faintly gilds the eastward plain. | 60 |
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Chorus, (by the Crew.) Rise in haste, O God of splendour! | |
Valour bids thee swiftly rise: | |
Triumph to the deeds well render | |
Veild by midnight from our eyes. | |
Hail, the wave that, to our wishes, | 65 |
Proudly wafts the daring few! | |
Hail, the dawn that bears, propitious, | |
Fame and Somers to his crew! | |
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Recitative. Morning breaksbut, ah, to languish! | |
Lurid was the light it shed | 70 |
Oer the inquiring eye of anguish; | |
For the warrior train are fled. | |
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Air, First. Gallant warriors! well attended | |
Rushd your valour to its grave; | |
Many a foe, convulsive rended, | 75 |
Grimly sank beneath the wave. | |
Well avengd, ere long, youll number | |
Victims, weltering pale and low: | |
Many a Turk, in icy slumbers, | |
Soon shall knit the savage brow. | 80 |
Generous youths your story telling, | |
Though a sigh suspend the breath; | |
Every nerve to frenzy swelling, | |
Claims a victory from death. | |
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Air, Second. Heralds of your countrys glory, | 85 |
Dawning on the path of time, | |
Age shall kindle at your story, | |
Cherishd oft in future rhyme. | |
For, the bard on Fame attending, | |
Shall, enraptured by the tale, | 90 |
Oer his harp of legends bending, | |
Give your glories to the gale. | |
Beauty too, a wreath bestowing, | |
Bids it flourish round your bier | |
Ever in remembrance glowing, | 95 |
Ever waterd by her tear. | |
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Air, Third. Often shall the Arab wander | |
From his hills of sunny sand, | |
On your deeds of fame to ponder, | |
Circled by his listening band | 100 |
Perishd here, hell say, the stranger, | |
When the star of night was high: | |
Like thee, Christian, braving danger, | |
Be it mine like thee to die! | |
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