Part 3

Interludes
a) Entrée
b) Entrée des Songes agréables
c) Entrée des Songes funestes
d) Entrée des Songes agréables effrayées
e) Le Combat des Songes funestes et agréables

Accompagnato
Nabal
Ah! Whence this sudden sread?
The shivering blood creeps cold along the veins;
the mind confus’d suffers unutterable conflict.
What? Or where am I?
All is dark as night.
My head a whirlwind and my heart a stone.

Aria
Nabal
Oh! Who can tell the terrors,
the terrors, that sorround me;
opprest with wrath divine
sorrow shame and guilt confound me,
I faint, I die!

No, none can tell the terrors,
oprest with wrath divine,
sorrow shame and guilt,
a thousand, thousand horrors,
combine all against me.
I faint, I die!

My Life a span appears,
A cypher sums my years.

Recitative
Shepherd
How soon the scene is chang’d!
He, who but now breath’d nought but mirth and gaiety,
defied the god of heaven, and most ungrateful stopp’d his ears to David’s just request, now lies unpitied, unbewail’d, a breathless corse.

Chorus
By slow degrees the wrath of God
to it’s meridian hight ascends;
kind mercy long the dreadful bolt suspends,
ere it offending man annoy.

Long patient for Repentance waits, reluctant to destroy;
at length the Wretch Obdurate grown,
infatuated makes his Ruin all his own.

And ev’ry step, he takes on his devoted head,
precipitates the thunder down.

Recitative
Asaph
A messenger, my Lord, relates the death of churlish Nabal,
by a stroke from heav’n.
So transient is the laughter of a fool and mirth deceitful. –
Soon his relief comes with humble suit to claim my Lord’s protection.

David
Protection! Yes, much more such merit claims. –
Blessed be the woman that disarm’d my wrath;
and with uncommon prudence and address bade me recall an impious vow: –
the while bright beams of beauty stream’d from sorrows eye,
and on her cheek sat maiden modesty.

Aria
Asaph
When beauty sorrows livery wears,
our passions takes the fair one’s part.
Love dips his arrows in her tears
and sends them pointed to the heart.

Recitative
David
True is your observation! –
Beauty’s a pleasing tyranny, my friend, that laughs at the reluctance of the will,
and humbles to her lure the hearts of kings.

Aria
David
Lovely Beauty, ever inviting,
still delighting, perfect feature,
pride of nature are the charms,
when thy pow’r the heart alarms.

Fancy viewing, joys ensuing,
rapturous pleasure, boundless treasure,
plays around the captive heart,
fixing deeper still the dart.

Recitative
Abigail
Behold! Thine handmaid, prostrate on the earth,
implores the favour of my lord, the king;
proud ev’n to wash his servants’ feet.

David
Rise! Well assur’d, no honour is too great,
that David can bestow on Abigail;
be it, to make her partner of this throne.

Abigail
Accept, if heav’n so wills, my grateful heart, my duteous vows,
and more than loyal love.

Aria
Abigail
Come ye smiling hours,
with your joyful train returning,
chase the gloomy shades of mourning
with the splendour of delight.

Come ye smiling hours,
Blissful pow’rs, smiling hours,
with your joyful train returning,
chase the gloomy shades of mourning
with the splendour of delight.

Come ye blissfull pow’rs,
banish sorrow, banish woe,
as the ebbing streams reunited flow,
and glad day succeeds the night.
Banish sorrow, banish woe,
as glad day succeeds the night.

Accompagnato
Shepherd
Guardian angels, as ye fly,
crown them with triumphant joy,
let soft quiet, peace and love
still each happier hour improve.

Duet
Shepherd & Asaph
Happy! Happy!
Thrice happy, happy pair,
whose mutual deeds declare
one pure and constant aim.

Where both in soul unite,
with candour and delight
to feed the holy flame.

Solo and Chorus
Shepherd
Still caressing and caress’d,
ever blessing ever bless’d
live the hero and the fair.

Chorus
Still caressing and caress’d,
ever blessing ever bless’d
live the hero and the fair.

Shepherd
This is, valour, thy reward,
this, O beauty, thy regard,
kind heav’n pays the virtous pair.

Shepherd & Chorus
This is, valour, thy reward,
this, O beauty, thy regard,
kind heav’n pays the virtous pair.

Recitative
Abigail
In Praise, to great Jehovah and to thee, O king,
my soul its thankful tribute pays.

Duet
Abigail & David
Thoughts sublime my soul still exciting,
Shall our ardent praise employ;
While our grateful hearts uniting
triumph in harmonious joy.

Chorus
O glorious prince, thrice happy they,
born to enjoy thy future sway.

To all like thee were scepters giv’n,
Kings were like gods and earth like heav’n.

Subjection free, unforc’d would prove,
Obedience is the child of love.

The jars of nations soon would cease,
Sweet liberty, beatific peace
would stretch their reign from shore to shore,
and war and slav’ry be no more.

Finis.

+

ATHYS

Le theatre change et represente un antre
entouré de pavots et de ruisseaux, où le
dieu du sommeil se vient rendre accompagné
des songes agreables et funestes.
Atys dormant. Le sommeil, Morphée, Phobetor,
Phantase, les songes agreables. Les songes
funestes.
Le sommeil.
Morphée.
Phobetor.
Phantase.
Deux songes joüants de la violle.
Deux songes joüants du theorbe.
Six songes joüants de la flutte.
Douze songes funestes chantants.
Seize songes agreables et funestes dançans.
Huit songes agreables dançants.
Huit songes funestes dançants.