Songs of a Savoyard | Page 5

that unparalleled musico -?Wit of MACAULAY, who wrote of QUEEN ANNE -?The pathos of PADDY, as rendered by BOUCICAULT -?Style of the BISHOP OF SODOR AND MAN -?The dash of a D'ORSAY, divested of quackery -?Narrative powers of DICKENS and THACKERAY -?VICTOR EMMANUEL - peak-haunting PEVERIL -?THOMAS AQUINAS, and DOCTOR SACHEVERELL -?TUPPER and TENNYSON - DANIEL DEFOE -?ANTHONY TROLLOPE and MISTER GUIZOT!?Take of these elements all that is fusible,?Melt 'em all down in a pipkin or crucible,?Set 'em to simmer and take off the scum,?And a Heavy Dragoon is the residuum!
If you want a receipt for this soldierlike paragon,?Get at the wealth of the CZAR (if you can) -?The family pride of a Spaniard from Arragon -?Force of MEPHISTO pronouncing a ban -?A smack of LORD WATERFORD, reckless and rollicky -?Swagger of RODERICK, heading his clan -?The keen penetration of PADDINGTON POLLAKY -?Grace of an Odalisque on a divan -?The genius strategic of CAESAR or HANNIBAL -?Skill of LORD WOLSELEY in thrashing a cannibal -?Flavour of HAMLET - the STRANGER, a touch of him -?Little of MANFRED (but not very much of him) -?Beadle of Burlington - RICHARDSON'S show -?MR. MICAWBER and MADAME TUSSAUD!?Take of these elements all that is fusible -?Melt 'em all down in a pipkin or crucible -?Set 'em to simmer and take off the scum,?And a Heavy Dragoon is the residuum!
Ballad: Proper Pride
The Sun, whose rays?Are all ablaze?With ever-living glory,?Will not deny?His majesty -?He scorns to tell a story:?He won't exclaim,?"I blush for shame,?So kindly be indulgent,"?But, fierce and bold,?In fiery gold,?He glories all effulgent!
I mean to rule the earth,?As he the sky -?We really know our worth,?The Sun and I!
Observe his flame,?That placid dame,?The Moon's Celestial Highness;?There's not a trace?Upon her face?Of diffidence or shyness:?She borrows light?That, through the night,?Mankind may all acclaim her!?And, truth to tell,?She lights up well,?So I, for one, don't blame her!
Ah, pray make no mistake,?We are not shy;?We're very wide awake,?The Moon and I!
Ballad: The Policeman's Lot
When a felon's not engaged in his employment,?Or maturing his felonious little plans,?His capacity for innocent enjoyment?Is just as great as any honest man's.?Our feelings we with difficulty smother?When constabulary duty's to be done:?Ah, take one consideration with another,?A policeman's lot is not a happy one!
When the enterprising burglar isn't burgling,?When the cut-throat isn't occupied in crime,?He loves to hear the little brook a-gurgling,?And listen to the merry village chime.?When the coster's finished jumping on his mother,?He loves to lie a-basking in the sun:?Ah, take one consideration with another,?The policeman's lot is not a happy one!
Ballad: The Baffled Grumbler
Whene'er I poke?Sarcastic joke?Replete with malice spiteful,?The people vile?Politely smile?And vote me quite delightful!?Now, when a wight?Sits up all night?Ill-natured jokes devising,?And all his wiles?Are met with smiles,?It's hard, there's no disguising!?Oh, don't the days seem lank and long?When all goes right and nothing goes wrong,?And isn't your life extremely flat?With nothing whatever to grumble at!
When German bands,?From music stands?Play Wagner imperFECTly -?I bid them go -?They don't say no,?But off they trot directly!?The organ boys?They stop their noise?With readiness surprising,?And grinning herds?Of hurdy-gurds?Retire apologising!?Oh, don't the days seem lank and long?When all goes right and nothing goes wrong,?And isn't your life extremely flat?With nothing whatever to grumble at!
I've offered gold,?In sums untold,?To all who'd contradict me -?I've said I'd pay?A pound a day?To any one who kicked me -?I've bribed with toys?Great vulgar boys?To utter something spiteful,?But, bless you, no!?They WILL be so?Confoundedly politeful!?In short, these aggravating lads,?They tickle my tastes, they feed my fads,?They give me this and they give me that,?And I've nothing whatever to grumble at!
Ballad: The House Of Peers
When Britain really ruled the waves -?(In good Queen Bess's time)?The House of Peers made no pretence?To intellectual eminence,?Or scholarship sublime;?Yet Britain won her proudest bays?In good Queen Bess's glorious days!
When Wellington thrashed Bonaparte,?As every child can tell,?The House of Peers, throughout the war,?Did nothing in particular,?And did it very well;?Yet Britain set the world ablaze?In good King George's glorious days!
And while the House of Peers withholds?Its legislative hand,?And noble statesmen do not itch?To interfere with matters which?They do not understand,?As bright will shine Great Britain's rays,?As in King George's glorious days!
Ballad: A Merry Madrigal
Brightly dawns our wedding day;?Joyous hour, we give thee greeting!?Whither, whither art thou fleeting??Fickle moment, prithee stay!?What though mortal joys be hollow??Pleasures come, if sorrows follow.?Though the tocsin sound, ere long,?Ding dong! Ding dong!?Yet until the shadows fall?Over one and over all,?Sing a merry madrigal -?Fal la!
Let us dry the ready tear;?Though the hours are surely creeping,?Little need for woeful weeping?Till the sad sundown is near.?All must sip the cup of sorrow,?I to-day and thou to-morrow:?This the close of every song -?Ding dong! Ding dong!?What though solemn shadows fall,?Sooner, later, over all??Sing a merry madrigal -?Fal la!
Ballad: The Duke And The Duchess
[THE DUKE.]?Small titles and orders?For Mayors and Recorders?I