SEARCH
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Prev | Current Page 358 | Next

Dryden, John, 1631-1700

"The works of John Dryden, $c now first collected in eighteen volumes. $p Volume 02"

[_Exit_.

SCENE III.
_A pleasant grotto discovered; in it a fountain spouting;
round about it Vasquez, Pizarro, and other
Spaniards, lying carelessly unarmed, and by them
many Indian women, one of which sings the following
song.

SONG.
Ah fading joy! how quickly art thou past!
Yet we thy ruin haste.
As if the cares of human life were few,
We seek out new:
And follow fate, which would too fast pursue.
See, how on every bough the birds express,
In their sweet notes, their happiness.
They all enjoy, and nothing spare;
But on their mother nature lay their care:
Why then should man, the lord of all below,
Such troubles chuse to know,
As none of all his subjects undergo?
Hark, hark, the waters, fall, fall, fall,
And with a murmuring sound
Dash, dash, upon the ground,
To gentle slumbers call.
_After the song two Spaniards arise, and dance a saraband with
castanietas: At the end of which Guyomar and his Indians enter, and,
ere the Spaniards can recover their swords, seize them_.
_Guy_. Those, whom you took without, in triumph bring;
But see these strait conducted to the king.
_Piz_. Vasquez, what now remains in these extremes?
_Vasq_. Only to wake us from our golden dreams.
_Piz_. Since by our shameful conduct we have lost
Freedom, wealth, honour, which we value most,
I wish they would our lives a period give:
They live too long, who happiness out-live.


Pages:
346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 364 365 366 367 368 369 370