TRIO, (Rodolph, Caspar, Kuno,)
Mr. BRAHAM, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mr. BELLAMY,
RODOLPH, CASPAR (a Huntsman, who has sold himself to ZAMIEL the Forest Spirit), and Kuno, the Head Ranger of the Forest.
CHORUS-Huntsmen and Villagers.
Rod. Oh! how dark and dreary
Will to-morrow o'er me rise;
Kuno. Now in thy rifle
Future joy or sorrow lies.
Rod. Ab! with fear I tremble,
Lest my aim should fail.
Kuno. Now, 'tis no time to tremble,
For joy or sorrow now within thy rifle lies.
Cas. Fear thou must dissemble,
Boldness will prevail.
Rod. 'Tis vain to dissemble,
In anguish I tremble,
Crush'd by cruel destiny!
Cho. See how darkly rolls his eye;
Torments fresh increase his sorrow,
Fortune may return to-morrow,
Chase then every fear away.
Rod. Oh! what guilt thus chills me with dismay? How my soul is sunk with sorrow:
Life the loss could never bear. Kuno. Place in Heaven thy firm reliance,
And thou can'st have naught to fear.
Heaven will list' to virtue's prayer!
What! tho' Fortune's wheel may juggle,
Wilt thou stand so calmly there?
Coldly yielding to despair.
Trust in Heaven! and thou hast nought to
fear!
Cas. Then up to the cliffs and the mountains,
To-morrow, ere dawning of day.
Each bird and beast that there wanders,
Our rifles shall give us for prey.
Let merry-ton'd horus then be sounded,
And peal thro' yon hill's rocky side;
To-morrow, ere evening, their echoes
Shall welcome the bridegroom and bride.
DUET, Miss PATON and Miss GOODALL.
(Agnes & Anne.)
Come be gay, and banish sorrow,
Thou wilt be a bride to-morrow,
Let us then the past forget.
But my Rodolph tarries yet.
Come, the time is near,
Banish every fear,
He will quickly now be here,
All thy griefs to cheer.
Agnes. But the hour has long gone by.
Day has scarcely turn'd to night;
But, dear Agnes, why that sigh,
He will come, and bring delight.
Would he now could bless my sight.
Earth for thee is strewn with flowers,
Peace still cheers thy darkest hours;
But what whispers joy to thee,
Only speaks of woe to me.
Hours of pleasure I will measure,
Long as they shine o'er me; when they decline o'er me,
Then sorrow's night must gloom:
Moments of pleasure mortals should treasure,
Sorrow too soon will come.
Agnes. What can sooth my anxious bosom,
What relieve the pains of love?
While o'er Rodolph dangers darken,
How can Agnes pleasure prove?
Pleasure and laughter will conquer love.
A beautiful Specimen of gay and serious Music united.
SONG, (Caspar,) Mr. PHILLIPS.
Haste, haste, nor lose the favouring hour,
Thy victim now is in thy power;
Hell's dark'ning chains at length have found him.
Soon his soul, repenting, will strive to fly;
But struggling is vain,
When bell links the chain,
Oh nought can break the fetters round him-
Revenge! thy triumph is nigh.
Sung by CASPAR on his success in persuading RODOLPH to accompany him to the Wolf's Glen.
SONG, (Anne,) Miss GOODALL.
If a youth should meet a maiden,
Need she run away with fright?
If his looks should win her favour,
Sure the girl may use her sight?
Tho' she must in maiden manner,
Seem her glances to conceal
Where's the harm, if she, unnoticed,
Seek a side-long look to steal?
Should their eyes by chance encounter,
I no guilt therein can find;
Though her cheeks may blush a little,
Sure it will not strike her blind.
Looking hither, looking thither, '
Looks are followed soon by sighs;
Then a little courage taking,
He makes love, and she denies.
But before a twelvemonth passés,
Forth they ramble side by side,
Marriage ends the village scandal—
He the bridegroom-she the bride.
Sung to amuse AGNES while waiting the return of RODOLPH.
GRAND SCENA, (Agnes,) Miss PATON.
Before my eyes beheld him,
Sleep never was my foe!
But hand in hand with sorrow
Love still is wont to go.
The moon displays her silvery light,
Oh, lovely night!
Softly sighs the voice of evening,
Stealing thro' yon willow grove,
While the stars, like guardian spirits,
Set their nightly watch above.
Thro' the dark blue vault of ether
Silence roams with soothing power;
But a storm o'er yonder mountain,
Darkly brooding, seems to lower:
And along yon forest's side,
Clouds of darkness slowly glide.
Oh! what terrors thrill my bosom,
Where, my Rodolph, dost thou rove?
Oh! may heaven's protection shelter
Him my heart must ever love.
Earth hath lull'd her cares to rest,
What delays my loit'ring love;
Fondly beats my anxious breast,
Where, my Rodolph, dost thou rove?
Scarce the night-winds whisper'd vows,
Wake a murmur 'mong the boughs;
While the widow'd nightingale
Softly tells her piteous tale.
Hark! hark! a sound I heard in yonder grove!
Hark! hark it is his step, it is my love!
It is again my heart shall prove
The bliss that springs from anxious love.
The moon-beam is shining bright,
Oh heaven! does it mock my sight?
With flow'ry wreaths his hat is bound,
Success my Rodolph's hopes has crown'd.
Oh, bliss! thine Agnes then shall see
The victor's chaplet given, my love, to thee.
Hope again is waking,
Lulling in my anxious breast
Every doubting care to rest.
Joy once more is o'er me breaking,
Chasing with her heavenly light
Sorrow's dark and dreary night.
Hence then every thought of sorrow,
Joy is now my bosom's guest;
Hope now whispers that to-morrow
Sees
my fondest wishes blest.
This Song, as a descriptive piece, is perhaps the most beautiful in the Opera.
Miss PATON, Miss GOODALL, and Mr. BRAHAM.
(Rodolph, Agnes, Anne.)
Agnes. Where? what! oh terror!
In yonder frightful glen?
Anne. 'Tis there the Dæmon of the forest
At midnight haunts his gloomy den.
Should fables daunt a huntsman's mind?
Agnes. Who prudence scorns, may danger find.
To ev'ry thought of fear a stranger,
It is the hunter's lot to roam;
Through scenes of darkness, toil, and danger,
The earth his bed, the wood his home.
Agnes. Oh! terror fills my bosom,
Then haste not thus away!
See! terror fills her bosom,
Agnes. Oh, then awhile delay!
No, nought can change my purpose,
I must away;
Although the moon as yet unclouded,
Pours around her humid ray,
Too soon by darkness 'twill be shrouded.
Agnes. Can neither love nor duty move thee,
A little moment yet to stay?
Do not these sighs, these tears reprove thee?
Longer I dare not, love, delay-farewell!
But does thy heart forgive me
My hasty words to-night?
Agnes. O yes, my heart forgives thee,
Nor thou my warnings slight.
This is the huntsman's fortune,
No rest nor day nor night.
Agnes. And if thou still wilt leave me,
My warning words obey.
Night now is fast approaching,
Fate calls, I must away!
This Trio discovers the fears of AGNES and ANNE, on learning RODOLPH'S determination to visit the Wolf's Glen.
BALLAD, (Rodolph) Mr. BRAHAM.
Now good night
Round each hill, and tow'r, and tree,
Darkness now her mantle closes ;
While all nature calm reposes,
Darkness brings no rest to me.
Now good night, love,
Now good night,
Still, may no fond thought of me
Thy calm hour of rest encumber,
But good angels watch thy slumber,
Round the pillow press'd by thee.
So good night, love,
So good night.
'Love, good night," is sung to AGNES on departing for the Glen
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