The Testament of Freedom

Cantata by Randall Thompson (1899 - 1984)

1.
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time; 
the hand of force may destroy but cannot disjoin them.

Text Authorship:

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Note: this is a prose text. The line break has been added arbitrarily.

Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]

4.
 (Sung text)

Language: English 
I shall not die without a hope that light and liberty 
are on steady advance... And even should the cloud of barbarism 
and despotism again obscure the science and liberties of Europe, 
this country remains to preserve and restore light and liberty to them...
The flames kindled on the 4th of July, 1776, 
have spread over too much of the globe to be 
extinguished by the feeble engines of despotism; 
on the contrary, they will consume these engines 
and all who work them.

Text Authorship:

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Note: ths is from a letter to John Adams from 12 September 1821. Line breaks have been added.

Researcher for this page: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
Total word count: 106