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Show 594" T HE State (INNOCENCE: A N D FALL of MAN, A N OPERA. Thefirfel Scene reprefents a Cha0S,t*r a con fit id Mafs of Matter 3 the Stage if almoft wholly dark\. A Symphony of Warlike Mufick\ is heard for fome time^ then from the Heav'ns, (which arc opend ) fall the Rebellions Angels, wheeling in the Air, and feeming transfixd with Thunderbolts. The bottom of the Stairs being opend, receives the Angels, who fall out of Sight. Tunes ofVitfory are play d, and an Hymn Sumr. Angels difcovered above, brandifinng tlmr Swords. The Mufick\ ccafeng, and the Hcavns being do fed, the Scene fed ft s, and on a fuddain reprefents Hell. Part of the Scene is a Lake of Brimftone, or fowling Fire 5 the Earth of a burnt Colour. The fall'n Angels appear on the Lake, lying profirate 3 a Tune of Borrow and Lamentation is heard. A C T I. S C E N E I. Lucifer raifing himfelf on the Lakf. Lucifer. "W S this the Seat our Conquerour has given ? And this the Climate we muft change for Heaven .<? J_ Thefe Regions and this Realm m y Wars have got- This mournful Empire is the Lofer's Lot. In Liquid Burnings, or on Dry to dwell, Is all the fad variety of Hell. But fee the Viftor has recall'd from far, Th'avenging Storms, his Miniffers of W a r $ His Shafts are fpent, and his tir'd Thunders fleep, Nor longer bellow through the boundlefs deep. Beft take th'occafion, and thefe Waves forfake, While time is given. Ho, Afmoday, awake, If thou art he : But, ah ! How chang'd from him, Companion of m y Arms! H o w W a n ! H o w Dim'' How faded all thy Glories are 1 1 fee M y felf too well, and mine own Change in thee T i t % h y \ P^n.c e I o f t h e T h r o n c s'whoin the fieldsof Light, Led ft forth the imbattei'd Seraphims to Fi^ht W h o fhook the Pow'r of Heav'ns Eternal State Had broke it too, if not upheld by Fate ^ But now thofe Hopes are fled : Thus low we I K Shut from this Day, and that contented Skip s And loft, as far as Heav'nly Forms can Die : Yet not all pcrilh'd, we defie him ftill, And yet wage W a r with our unconquer'd Will. Ltu if. FALL of MJN. 595 Lucif. Strength m a y return. Afm. Already of thy Virtue I partake, Erefted by thy voice. Lucif. . See on the Lake Our Troops, like fcatter'd Leaves in Autumn , lie 3 Firft, let us raife our felves, and feek the dry, Perhaps more eafie Dwelling. Afm. From the Beach, Thy well-known Voice, the fleeping Gods will reach, And wake th'immortal Senfe, which Thunder's noife Had quell'd, and Ligbt'ning deep had driven within 'em. Lucif. With Wings expanded wide, our felves we'll rear, And fly incumbent on the dusky Air. Hell, thy new Lord receive 5 Heav'n cannot envy m e an Empire here. [Both fy to dry Land. Afm. Thus far we have prevail'd 3 if that be gain Which is but change of Place, not change of Pain. N o w fummon we the reft Lucif. Dominions, Pow'rs, ye Chiefs of Heav'ns bright Hot, (O Heav'ns, once yours ^ but now, in Battel loft!) W a k e from your llnmbers: Are your Beds of D o w n > Sleep you fo eafie there 3 or fear the frown Of him who threw you thence, and joys to fee Your abjeft State confefs his Victory r* Rife, rife, e'er from his Battlements he view Your proftrate Poftures, and his Bolts renew, To ftrike you deeper down. Afm. . They W a k e , they Hear, Shake off their Slumber firft, and next their Fear. And only for th'appointed Signal ftay. Lucif. Rife from the Flood, and higher wing your w ay Mol.from the Lakg.l Thine to C o m m a n d ,our part 'tis to Obey. _ J [The reft ofthe Devils rife up, and fly to the Land. Lucif. So n o w w e are our felves again, an Hoft, Fit to tempt Fate, once more, for what w e loft. T* o'er-leap the ^Etherial Fence 5 or if fo high W e cannot climb, to undermine his Skie, And blow him him up, w h o juftly rules us n o w, Becaufe more ftrong: Should he be fore d to bow, The Right were ours again : 'Tis juft to win The higheft place 3 t'attempt, and fail, is Sin. Mol. Chang'd as w e are, we'er yet from Homage free; W e have, by Hell, at leaft gain'd Liberty : That's worth our Fall 3 thus low tho' w e are driven, Better to Rule in Hell, than Serve in Heaven. Lucif. There fpoke the better half of Lucifer ! Afm. 'Tis fit in frequent Senate w e confer, And then determine h o w to fteer our courfe ^ T o wage new W a r by Fraud, or open Force. The Doom's n o w paft 3 Submiflion were in vain. Mol. And, were it not, fuch bafenefs I difdain. I would not ftoop to purchafe all above ; A n d fhould contemn a Pow'r w h o m Pray'r could move, As one unworthy to have Conquer'd me. Beelzebub. Moloch, in that, all are Refolv'd like thee, The means are unpropos'd ; but 'tis not fit Our dark Divan in publick view fhould fit • Or what w e plot againft the Thunderer, Th'i<moblc crowd of vulgar Devils hear. Lucif. A Golden Palace let be rais'd on higfK To imitate > N o , to out-fhine the Sky ! All Mines are ours, and Gold above the reft 5 'twas Let this be done, and quick tpreft A Palace Rifes, where fit, as in Council, Lueifer, Afmcday, Moloch, Belial, Beelzebub, and Satan. Gggg 2 AH |