Читать книгу Songs of a Savoyard - William Schwenck Gilbert - Страница 9

If you want a receipt for that popular mystery,

Known to the world as a Heavy Dragoon,

Take all the remarkable people in history,

Rattle them off to a popular tune!

The pluck of LORD NELSON on board of the VICTORY -

Genius of BISMARCK devising a plan;

The humour of FIELDING (which sounds contradictory) -

Coolness of PAGET about to trepan -

The grace of MOZART, 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!