The Exhibition Drama: Comprising Drama, Comedy, and Farce, Together with Dramatic and Musical EntertainmentsBaker, George M. (George Melville)
History
The Exhibition Drama: Comprising Drama, Comedy, and Farce, Together with Dramatic and Musical Entertainments
Baker, George M. (George Melville)
Amateur plays; Drama
_Enter_ JUSTICIA, R.
_Justicia._ Hold, rash Primeva! not to gain applause
Should wild ambition overstep our laws.—
What thou hast heard, fair mortal, ponder long,
For hasty action often strengthens wrong;
Another suitor comes; give willing ear;
Weigh well all doubts; then let the truth appear.
[_Exit_, R.
_Chorus_: "_The Fairy's Revel._"
The armies of Genius outpour in their might,
Fair Science is marching her clans to the fight.
At the call of its mistress Art's realms are alive,
For thee, lovely Genia, in tourney to strive.
(_During the chorus, all upon the platform move
round back of_ POESIE, _and form in line_. _Enter_ L. GENIA,
BLENDA, _and_ CLASSICA.)
_Poesie._ Another brilliant throng, so fair and bright,
My spirit quickens with a new delight.
Welcome, sweet friends: if me you come to greet,
Such glowing honors lay me at your feet.
_Genia._ Kneel not to me; I come to win thy heart.
The suitor here should choose the lowly part.
Fair mortal, listen. Genia is my name:
Art's chosen goddess, mighty is my fame.
Thou art the offspring of that sovereign Thought,
Under whose sway the universe is brought;
And I, the guiding genius of mankind,
In bonds submissive, Nature's realms to bind.
Before my birth, the world was filled with strife,
And all the squalor of barbaric life;
The human race in ignorance sunk deep,
Content to live and die in sloth and sleep.
But, with my coming, energy awoke,
And reason through the deadening chaos broke;
Awakened Thought, in wonder, sought by lore
Creation's mystic riddle to explore;
And, as she strove, the world's great change was wrought,
With purer joys from deeper delvings brought.
Beneath my sway, all's wonderful and grand
Where taste and culture deck what Nature planned.
Give me thy heart, and with all-conquering might
I'll guide thy steps through life to realms of light.
I bring three sisters in my regal train,
Who high in Art's supreme dominion reign.—
Blenda, approach. Thy skill to Poesie show,
And let rare colors on thy canvas glow.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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