77/ A' DAWX OF Jl/STOl!)' 



3U1 



^(_.|; JJ^ Tlic liiillx of' Itdinii. I'lircr xVnufj.S, i-cin-ointlhui riclorji in irai\ the iri'ullli oj'citiex, 

 iiikI the jxiinr nf xciciivc. talk loi/cllicr 



First Angel. The earth iy peopletl l>.v a 



noble race of men, 

 Fair as the gods, endowed with ev'ry gift 

 To niak(> the world anew, and so to lift 

 Mankind above the brutes, and set him up 

 In lordly state to rule the crawling host; 

 To bend all nature to his will, that he may 



boast 

 The world is his, and all the life thereon! 



Second Axgel. I saw this wondrous 



creature in the caves 

 Of France and Spain, and living such a life 

 As beasts that hunt their prey, in constant 



strife 

 With other beasts, to gain the right to live. 

 To struggle through this world, content to 



hold 

 Enough of this world's goods to shelter from 



the cold 

 And keep the flickering flame of life alive. 



First Angel. 'Tis so, and yet the liumble 



race .vou saw- 

 Has brains to rise above its low estate. 

 Has godlike gifts whereby it may create 

 Houses of wonder, filled with ev'ry gift 

 Of art and science, helping men to know 

 The mysteries of nature, ebb and flow 

 Of life and death, and all that comes 



thereof. 

 Second Angel. The lower beasts do live 



their lives in full, 

 But this new creature man is blind indeed, 

 He knows not what he is, nor can he heed 

 The promptings of a higher power within. 

 His godlike gifts mean nothing to him now. 

 In vain did all the heavenly powers endow 

 This being with the power to rule the earth. 



First Angel. Man slowly treads with 



halting feet the way 

 To higher things, and as the flowers that blow 

 In forest glades, from lowly roots must grow 



To later loveliness; so given time 



This creature man will show his native power, 



Will blossom forth in strength as does the 



flower 

 And come unto his very own at last ! 



Second Angel. For fifty thousand years 



this man has trod 

 The same dull path of routine, nor has grown 

 In intellectual stature; nor has shown 

 The i^romise of a better state to come. 

 What hope remains that he will shortly rend 

 The crust of ancient custom, and ascend 

 The throne to which his nature bids him rise? 



Third Angel. Why argue thus about the 



fate of man 

 When we have power to set the matter 



straight, 

 When we, descending, may point out the gate 

 To glory, and in glowing words 

 Describe the gains of progress to the race. 

 Until, now understanding, he will face 

 His future in the happy world to be ! 



First Angel. The plan is good, so we may 



serve 

 Both gods and men ; and as we tell 

 Blind man to see, that he may dwell 

 In power through progress, he will spring 

 Toward the higher goal, and quickly gain 

 The fruits of human knowledge, and attain 

 The conquest of the fertile fields of earth! 



Second Angel. We'll hasten forth, and 



thus will Ijreak 

 The fatal chain of custom and set free 

 The mind and soul of man, that he may see 

 The future spread before his raptured gaze. 

 What joy is his to fully know his power, 

 What rapture comes to him in this glad hour. 

 When we descend to serve his utmost need! 

 [The three angels descend to earth to con- 

 vey their message to manl-ind.] 



Act III. 



Tlie cave; mammoth hunters and otJiers sJeepiny 



Angels. Sleepers, waken, hear our story. 

 How mankind may come at last 

 Into power and endless glory 

 When the ancient night is past. 

 The light of dawn across the sky 

 With radiant beams dispels the night ; 

 We bring a message from on high 

 To put your ignorance to flight ! 



Caate Man. How now, how now, what 



guests are these 

 Intruding in our cavern hall. 

 What mean they by their messages 

 Of future things that may befall .' 



First Angel. We speak of power, when you 



shall know 

 The strength you have to strike a blow. 



Cave Man. The strength we have, we know 



it well, 

 Know you the thing that just befell, 



The angels appear 



How went it with the king of beasts 

 Who fell before our mighty band ; 

 His flesh we have for winter feasts 

 Our fame is spread throughout the land. 



First Angel. One mammoth killed! A 



little thing 

 Compared with future deeds of strength 

 When mighty armies forward fling 

 Their battle lines throughout the length 

 And breadth of all the land ! 



Cave Man. To meet a mammoth multitude! 



To slay a thousand ev'ry day ! 



To raise a mountain height of food! 



Is this your golden way .' 



The mammoths do not thus abound 



Nor could we use the mighty hoard, 



Take note of nature, look around 



And see what gains these lands afford! 



First Angel. Oh, foolish man, I did not 

 mean 



