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No. 14: SONG (King Paramount & Flowers of Progress)
"Society has quite forsaken all her wicked courses."
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| King. |
Society has quite forsaken all her wicked courses.
Which empties our police courts, and abolishes divorces. |
| Flowers of Progress. |
| Divorce is nearly obsolete in England. |
| King. |
No tolerance we show to undeserving rank and splendour;
For the higher his position is, the greater the offender. |
| Flowers of Progress. |
| That's a maxim that is prevalent in England. |
| King. |
No peeress at our drawing-room before the Presence passes
Who wouldn't be accepted by the lower middle-classes.
Each shady dame, whatever be her rank, is bowed out neatly. |
| Flowers of Progress. |
In short, this happy country has been Anglicized completely,
Completely, completely!
Is really is surprising
What a thorough Anglicizing
We have brought about — Utopia's quite another land;
In her enterprising movements,
She is England — with improvements,
Which we dutifully offer to our mother-land! |
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Rutland Barrington as King Paramount, 1893
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| King. |
Our city we have beautified — we've done it willy-nilly —
And all that isn't Belgrave Square is Strand and Piccadilly. |
| Flowers of Progress. |
| We haven't any slummeries in England! |
| King. |
We have solved the labour question with discrimination polished
So poverty is obsolete and hunger is abolished. |
| Flowers of Progress. |
| We are going to abolish it in England! |
| King. |
The Chamberlain our native stage has purged beyond a question.
Of "risky" situation and indelicate suggestion;
No piece is tolerated if it's costumed indiscreetly — |
| Flowers of Progress. |
In short, this happy country has been Anglicized completely,
Completely, completely!
Is really is surprising
What a thorough Anglicizing
We have brought about — Utopia's quite another land;
In her enterprising movements,
She is England — with improvements,
Which we dutifully offer to our mother-land! |
The Minstrel scene as performed by D'Oyly Carte's "D" Company which toured the opera 1893-4
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| King. |
Our Peerage we've remodelled on an intellectual basis,
Which certainly is rough on our hereditary races — |
| Flowers of Progress. |
| We are going to remodel it in England. |
| King. |
The Brewers and the Cotton Lords no longer seek admission,
And literary merit meets with proper recognition — |
| Flowers of Progress. |
| As literary merit does in England! |
| King. |
Who knows but we may count among our intellectual chickens
Like you, an Earl of Thackery and p'r'aps a Duke of
Dickens —
Lord Fildes and Viscount Millais (when they come) we'll
welcome sweetly — |
| Flowers of Progress. |
In short, this happy country has been Anglicized completely,
Completely, completely!
Is really is surprising
What a thorough Anglicizing
We have brought about — Utopia's quite another land;
In her enterprising movements,
She is England — with improvements,
Which we dutifully offer to our mother-land! |
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| All. |
It really is surprising
What a thorough Anglicizing
We have brought about — Utopia's quite another land;
In her enterprising movements,
She is England — with improvements,
Which we dutifully offer to our mother-land! |
At the end all rise and replace their chairs.
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Page Created
6 April, 2010
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