How cruel and how hard is my case - Oswald, James

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⌛ Period → Baroque ◈ Genre → Arias ♬ Voicing → solo high ¶ Language → English

Parts 1

Instruments Basso continuo, violin accompaniment

Pages 3

CPDL # 74871

Editor Christopher Shaw

Posted 2023-08-14

License Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike

¶Lyrics / Text

How cruel and hard is my case, Thus rack'd between friendship and love; My Chloe possesses each grace That is shar'd by the angels above. Her beauty an hermit might warm, The swan is excell'd by her mien; She has sense that Minerva might charm, She's enchanting to hear and be seen. Ye gods! what delights I should prove (Since Chloe attends to my strains), If my Strephon, my friend, did not love, And of Chloe chant over the plains: But alas! if my Chloe I wed, My Strephon's poor bosom 'twill rend: His body will mix with the dead, And I must survive my dear friend. Then can I my Strephon destroy? Or purchase my bliss with his Death? Or can I my Chloe enjoy When I've robb'd her adorer of breath? No; rather than murder a friend, To Strephon my love I'll resign; And tho' I'm approaching my end, That I've bless'd them I ne'er shall repine.