Alas! how changed! With cold demeanour. And looks estranged, With ghostly tread,-- All hope is fled, Yes, fled for ever. The lightnings quiver, Each palace falls; The godlike halls, Each joyous hour Of spirit-power, With love's sweet day All fade away! CHORUS. Yes, fade away! SEMI-CHORUS. Already are heard The prayers of the pious. Why longer deny us? The favouring zephyr Forbids all delay. CHORUS. Away, then! away! RINALDO. With heart sadly stirr'd, Your command I receive; Ye force me to leave. Unkind is the zephyr,-- Oh, wherefore not stay? CHORUS. Away, then! away! 1811. ----- THE FIRST WALPURGIS-NIGHT. A DRUID. SWEET smiles the May! The forest gay From frost and ice is freed; No snow is found, Glad songs resound Across the verdant mead. Upon the height The snow lies light, Yet thither now we go, There to extol our Father's name, Whom we for ages know. Amid the smoke shall gleam the flame; Thus pure the heart will grow. THE DRUIDS. Amid the smoke shall gleam the flame; Extol we now our Father's name, Whom we for ages know! Up, up, then, let us go! ONE OF THE PEOPLE. Would ye, then, so rashly act? Would ye instant death attract? Know ye not the cruel threats Of the victors we obey? Round about are placed their nets In the sinful heathen's way. Ah! upon the lofty wall Wife and children slaughter they; And we all Hasten to a certain fall. CHORUS OF WOMEN. Ay, upon the camp's high wall All our children loved they slay. Ah, what cruel victors they! And we all Hasten to a certain fall. A DRUID. Who fears to-day His rites to pay, Deserves his chains to wear. The forest's free! This wood take we, And straight a pile prepare! Yet in the wood To stay 'tis good By day, till all is still, With watchers all around us plac'd Protecting you from ill. With courage fresh, then let us haste Our duties to fulfil. CHORUS OF WATCHERS. Ye valiant watchers, now divide Your numbers through the forest wide, And see that all is still, While they their rites fulfil. A WATCHER. Let us in a cunning wise, Yon dull Christian priests surprise With the devil of their talk We'll those very priests confound. Come with prong, and come with fork. Raise a wild and rattling sound Through the livelong night, and prowl All the rocky passes round. Screechowl, owl, Join in chorus with our howl! CHORUS OF WATCHERS. Come with prong, and come with fork, Like the devil of their talk, And with wildly rattling sound, Prowl the desert rocks around! Screechowl, owl, Join in chorus with our howl! A DRUID. Thus far 'tis right. That we by night Our Father's praises sing; Yet when 'tis day, To Thee we may A heart unsullied bring. 'Tis true that now, And often, Thou Fav'rest the foe in fight. As from the smoke is freed the blaze, So let our faith burn bright! And if they crush our golden ways, Who e'er can crush Thy light? A CHRISTIAN WATCHER.