GENERAL INTRODUCTION.

Drydens two great Odes, or Songs for St. Cecilia's Day, appear in this division among smaller and inferior pieces, inter viburna cupressi. It is the same in Scott's edition. In the Aldine edition, lately reproduced by Messrs. Bell and Daldy, a fra songs are added from Dryden's Plays,—a small selection from the Songs of the Plays. The lascivious nature of many of the Songs of the Plays, and the connexion many others with the stories, probably reduced the Aldine edition to a selection. has been thought better to restrict the Songs published in this edition to those ne belonging to the Plays: the others may be read by any one who wishes in collectd editions of Dryden's Plays. The "Secular Masque" and the Song composed le Dryden for insertion in Beaumont and Fletcher's "Pilgrim," on the occasion of a performance of the "Pilgrim" for Dryden's benefit a few weeks before his death are inserted in this division.

A note by Dryden in his copy of Spenser, which is in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge, shows that he had had an idea of a Song for St. Cecilia's Day, founded on a stanza of the Fairy Queen, which after all was not used by him. H has written the words, Groundwork for a Song on St. Cecilia's Day," before the 13th stanza of the 7th canto of the fragmentary (seventh) Book

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Was never so great joyance since the day
That all the gods whilom assembled here
On Hamus hill in their divine array,
To celebrate the solemn bridal cheer

'Twixt Peleus and Dame Thetis pointed there:
Where Phabus' self, that god of poets hight,
They say, did sing the spousal hymn full clear
That all the gods were ravished with delight

Of his celestial song and music's wondrous might.

The dates of composition of several of the Songs cannot be fixed; and in such caser the order of publication has been followed.

SONGS, ODES, AND LYRICAL PIECES.

SONG.

FAREWELL, FAIR ARMIDA.*

FAREWELL, fair Armida, my joy and my grief!
In vain I have loved you, and hope no relief,
Undone by your virtue, too strict and severe,
Your eyes gave me love, and you gave me despair.
Now called by my honour, I seek with content
The fate which in pity you would not prevent.
To languish in love were to find by delay

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A death that's more welcome the speediest way.

On seas and in battles, in bullets and fire,
The danger is less than in hopeless desire.

My death's wound you give me, though far off I bear
My fall from your sight, not to cost you a tear;
But if the kind flood on a wave should convey,
And under your window my body should lay,
The wound on my breast when you happen to see,
You'll say with a sigh-it was given by me.

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SONG,

IN ANSWER TO THE PRECEDING.

BLAME not your Armida, nor call her your grief;
'Twas honour, not she, that denied you relief.

Abuse not her virtue nor call it severe;

Who loves without honour must meet with despair.

*This song was assigned to Dryden by Malone, on account of a parody of the second stanza in "The Rehearsal" (act 3, scene 1) put into the mouth of Mr. Bayes; and Scott has inserted it in his edition. The song is printed in a collection called "Covent Garden Drollery," published in 1672, and with it is printed another song in reply, which is as likely to be Dryden's as the above. Both poems are therefore here printed. Malone, and Scott following him, say that the song was composed on the death of Captain Digby, a younger son of the Earl of Bristol, who was killed in the naval engagement with the Dutch, May 28, 1672, and that the lady of whom he was enamoured was the beautiful Duchess of Richmond, Frances Stuart, whom Charles II. had vainly endeavoured to win, and whose marriage with the Duke of Richmond incensed the king, The Rehearsal" was first acted in December 1671; but the parody did not appear in the first copy of the play, and chronology is not violated by the story that the songs were composed after Digby's death in battle. The Covent Garden Drollery" contains several of Dryden's Prologues and Epilogues, and a song from his play of "Marriage à la Mode," produced in the winter of 1672. His name is never given, and it is likely that other pieces of this collection may be Dryden's. Mr. Bolton Corney called attention in "Notes and Queries" (First Series, ix. 95) to a remarkable Prologue to Shakespeare's "Julius Cæsar," contending that it must be Dryden's; and a song addressed to "Dear Revecchia," Mrs. Reeve, is probably his. These two songs were also printed in another Miscellany of 1672, "New Court Songs and Poems, by R. V., Gent.".

Now prompted by pity, I truly lament

And mourn for your fall which I could not prevent;
I languish to think that your blood should defray
The expense of a fall, though so noble a way.

In seas and in battles that you did expire
Was the effect of your valour, not hopeless desire;
Of the fame you acquired I greedily hear,
And grieve when I think that it cost you so dear.
And when dismal fate did your body convey
By my window your funeral rites for to pay,

I sigh that your fate I could not reverse,

And all my kind wishes I show on your hearse.

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THE TEARS OF AMYNTA FOR THE DEATH OF DAMON*

* This song was printed in Dryden's first volume of "Miscellany Poems," published in 1684

SONG.*

SYLVIA the fair, in the bloom of fifteen

Felt an innocent warmth, as she lay on the green.
She had heard of a pleasure, and something she guest
By the towzing and tumbling and touching her breast:
She saw the men eager, but was at a loss,

What they meant by their sighing and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining,

And clasping and twining,
And panting and wishing,
And sighing and kissing,

And sighing and kissing so close.

Ah! she cried, ah! for a languishing maid

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In a country of Christians to die without aid!

Not a Whig, or a Tory, or Trimmer at least,
Or a Protestant parson or Catholic priest,

To instruct a young virgin that is at a loss

What they meant by their sighing and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining, &c.

Cupid in shape of a swain did appear,

He saw the sad wound, and in pity drew near,
Then showed her his arrow, and bid her not fear,

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For the pain was no more than a maiden may bear;
When the balm was infused, she was not at a loss
What they meant by their sighing and kissing so close;
By their praying and whining, &c.

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* This song was printed with the name of "A New Song" in Dryden's second volume of "Miscellany Poems," published in 1685.

This ode was composed for the festival of St. Cecilia's day, November 22, 1687, very shortly after the publication of "The Hind and the Panther." It was set to music by Draghi, an Italian composer. St. Cecilia was, according to the legend, a Roman virgin of rank, who embraced Christianity in the reign of Antoninus, and whose virtue and devoutness obtained for her the honour of visits from an angel. She is said to have invented the organ, and she was canonized as the guardian saint of Music A musical society was formed in London for the celebration of St. Cecilia's day in the year 1683. From that time a festival was annually held on the 22nd of November, in Stationers' Hall, and an ode, composed for the occasion, was sung. In 1684, Oldham had composed the ode.

Then cold and hot and moist and dry
In order to their stations leap,
And Music's power obey.

From harmony, from heavenly harmony
This universal frame began:

From harmony to harmony

Through all the compass of the notes it ran,
The diapason closing full in Man.

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What passion cannot Music raise and quell?
When Jubal struck the chorded shell,

His listening brethren stood around,

And, wondering, on their faces fell

To worship that celestial sound:

Less than a god they thought there could not dwell
Within the hollow of that shell,

That spoke so sweetly, and so well.

What passion cannot Music raise and quell?

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* Jubal, “the father of all such as handle the harp and organ." (Genesis iv. 21.)

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