h the lack of human sympathy in the poem, beautiful as it
is, would otherwise have placed in his way. The text, as will be
remembered, has no definite metre, much of it being in blank verse, and
does not readily lend itself to musical expression; but it will be
conceded that the composer has also overcome this difficulty in a very
remarkable manner. The cantata is divided into four parts,--Prologue, the
Renunciation and Temptation, the Return, and Epilogue and Finale.

The first part has nine numbers. A brief prelude leads to the opening
chorus:--

"Below the highest sphere four regents sit,
Who rule the world; and under them are zones
Nearer, but high, where saintliest spirits dead,
Wait thrice ten thousand years, then live again."

It begins with a fugue, opened by the basses, simple in its construction
but stately in theme and very dignified throughout. It is followed by a
bass solo of descriptive character ("The King gave Order that his Town
should keep high Festival"), closing with a few choral measures, _sotto
voce_, relating that the King had ordered a festival in honor of the
advent of Buddha, and how a venerable saint, Asita, recognized the
divinity of the child and "the sacred primal signs," and foretold his
mission. The third number is the description of the young Siddartha, set
in graceful recitative and semi-chorus for female voices, with a charming
accompaniment. The fourth is a spring song ("O come and see the Pleasance
of the Spring"), begun by tenors and basses and then developing into full
chorus with animated descriptive effects for the orchestra, picturing
"the thickets rustling with small life," the rippling waters among the
palms, the blue doves' cooings, the jungles laughing with the
nesting-songs, and the far-off village drums beating for marriage feasts.
A recitative for bass ("Bethink ye, O my Ministers"), in which the King
counsels with his advisers as to the training of the child, leads to a
four-part song for tenors and basses ("Love will cure these thin
Distempers"), in which they urge him to summon a court of pleasure in
which the young prince may award prizes to the fair. Then

"If one or two
Change the fixed sadness of his tender cheek,
So may we choose for love with love's own eye."

The King orders the festival, and in the next number--a march and
animated three-part chorus for female voices--Kapilavastu's maidens flock
to the gate, "each wit