close:--

"Now May again
Breaks winter's chain,
The buds and bloom are springing;
No snow is seen,
The vales are green,
The woodland choirs are singing!
Yon mountain height
Is wintry white;
Upon it we will gather,--
Begin the ancient holy rite;
Praise our Almighty Father."

The next number is an alto solo, the warning of an aged woman of the
people, which is very dramatic in its style:--

"Know ye not a deed so daring
Dooms us all to die despairing?
Know ye not it is forbidden
By the edicts of our foemen?"

The warning is followed by a stately exhortation from the Druid priest
("The man who flies our sacrifice"), leading up to a short chorus of a
very stirring character in which the Druids resolve to go on with their
rites. It is followed by a pianissimo chorus of the guards whispering to
each other to "secure the passes round the glen." One of them suggests
the demon scheme for frightening the enemy, which leads to the chorus:--

"Come with torches brightly flashing;
Rush along with billets clashing;
Through the night-gloom lead and follow,
In and out each rocky hollow.
Owls and ravens,
Howl with us and scare the cravens."

In this chorus the composer has given the freest rein to his fancy, and
presents the weird scene in a grotesque chaos of musical effects, both
vocal and instrumental, which may fairly be called infernal, and yet
preserves form and rhythm throughout. It is followed by an exalted and
impressive hymn for bass solo and chorus, which is a relief after the
diablerie of the preceding number:--

"Restrained by might
We now by night
In secret here adore Thee.
Still it is day
Whene'er we pray,
And humbly bow before Thee.
Thou canst assuage
Our foemen's rage
And shield us from their terrors.
The flame aspires!
The smoke retires!
Thus clear our faith from errors!
Our customs quelled,
Our rights withheld,
Thy light shall shine forever."

Following this impressive hymn comes the terrified warning of the
Christian guard (tenor) and the response of his equally terrified
comrades:--

"Help, my comrades! see a legion
Yonder comes from Satan's region!
See yon group of witches gliding
To and fro in flames advancing;
Some on wolves and dragons riding,
See, ah, see them hither prancing!
What a clattering troop of evil!
Let us,