_Aug._ Were I not bound by fate For ever, ever here, My walls I would translate To some more happy sphere, Removed from servile fear. _Tham._ Removed from servile fear. Would I could disappear, And sink below the main; For commonwealth's a load, My old imperial flood Shall never, never bear again. A commonwealth's a load, } THAMES. _and_ Our old imperial flood, } AUG. _together._ Shall never, never, never, bear again. } _Dem._ Pull down her gates, expose her bare; I must enjoy the proud disdainful fair. Haste, Archon, haste To lay her waste[1]! _Zeal._ I'll hold her fast To be embraced! _Dem._ And she shall see A thousand tyrants are in thee, A thousand thousand more in me! _Archon._ to _Aug._ From the Caledonian shore Hither am I come to save thee, Not to force or to enslave thee, But thy Albion to restore: Hark! the peals the people ring, Peace, and freedom, and a king. _Chorus._ Hark! the peals the people ring, Peace, and freedom, and a king. _Aug._ and _Tham._ To arms! to arms! _Archon._ I lead the way! _Merc._ Cease your alarms! And stay, brave Archon, stay! 'Tis doomed by fate's decree, 'Tis doomed that Albion's dwelling, All other isles excelling, By peace shall happy be. _Archon._ What then remains for me? _Merc._ Take my caduceus! Take this awful wand, With this the infernal ghosts I can command, And strike a terror through the Stygian land. Commonwealth will want pretences, Sleep will creep on all his senses; Zeal that lent him her assistance, Stand amazed without resistance. [ARCHON _touches_ DEMOCRACY _with a Wand._ _Dem._ I feel a lazy slumber lays me down: Let Albion, let him take the crown. Happy let him reign, Till I wake again. [_Falls asleep._ _Zeal._ In vain I rage, in vain I rouse my powers; But I shall wake again, I shall, to better hours. Even in slumber will I vex him; Still perplex him, Still incumber: Know, you that have adored him, And sovereign power afford him, We'll reap the gains Of all your pains, And seem to have restored him. [ZEAL _falls asleep._ _Aug._ and _Tham._ A stupifying sadness Leaves her without motion; But sleep will cure her madness, And cool her to devotion. _A double Pedestal rises: on the Front of it is painted, in Stone-colour, two Women; one holding a double-faced Vizor; the other a Book, representing_ HYPOCRISY _and_ FANATICISM; _when_ ARCHON _has charmed_ DEMOCRACY _and_ ZEAL _with the Caduceus of_ MERCURY, _they fall asleep on the Pedestal, and it sinks with them._ _Merc._ Cease, Augusta! cease thy mourning, Happy days appear; God-like Albion is returning Loyal hearts to chear. Every grace his youth adorning, Glorious as the star of morning, Or the planet of the year. _Chor._ Godlike Albion is returning, &c. _Merc._ to _Arch._ Haste away, loyal chief, haste away, No delay, but obey; To receive thy loved lord, haste away. [_Ex._ ARCH.