114 HAIL! MASONRY DIVINE. HAIL! Masonry divine Long may'st thou hold; Great fabrics still arise, Thy noble orders are Hiram, the architect, How they should build From The Universal Songster. GOD SAVE THE RIGHTS OF MAN. GOD save the Rights of Man, Give him a heart to scan Blessings so dear: Let them be spread around, Where ever man is found, And with the welcome sound Ravish his ear. See, from the universe, Darkness and clouds disperse; Reason and Truth appear, O'er the Germanic Powers Let the rude savage host, Let us with Spain agree, Let tyrants all conspire, Freedom shall sway. Fame let thy trumpet sound, Tell each degree; Tell ribbons, crowns, and stars, God save the Rights of Man, Let them be spread around, Wherever man is found, And with the welcome sound Ravish his ear. From The Wreath of Freedom, or Patriot's Song Book. (J. Marshall, Newcastle. 1820.) SAVE YOURselves. IN 1871, Mr. Gladstone addressed a large meeting of the electors of Greenwich on Blackheath. In the course of his speech he referred to the number of reforms that had been carried out during his political career; but, he added, that whilst much remained to be done, we must not flatter ourselves that all the evils of humanity could be cured by legislation. He then quoted the first verse of the following parody, stating that he had met with it in a "questionable book. The "questionable book " was The Secula,ist's Manual of Songs and Ceremonies. Edited by Austin Holyoake and Charles Watts, with a Preface by Charles Bradlaugh. There was a loud outcry against Mr. Gladstone for quoting from such a source. PEOPLE throughout the land, If you would happy be, And save yourselves. Why will you always toil, Let them who live so high To keep themselves. To save yourselves. Down with their lofty seats, Down with their vain conceits, Down with the Lords! Confound their false pretence, Confound their want of sense, Confound their impudence, Down with the Lords! Down with their arrogant, Commons of England, yet Make then our hearts rejoice, May peace her power extend, Foe be transformed to friend, And Britain's power depend On war no more. Thro' every changing scene Her throne maintain. May just and prudent laws And bless our Isle ; And not this land alone, That men should brothers be, The wide world o'er. parodies of some of the favourite songs contained in them : Thespis; or, The Gods grown old. Trial by Jury. A novel and original dramatic Cantata. Opera Comique Theatre. 1876. The Sorcerer. A modern Comic opera 1877. It was in this opera that the inimitable actor, Mr. George Grossmith, made his first appearance on the stage in the part of "John Wellington Wells, a dealer in magic and spells." H.M.S. Pinafore: or, The Lass that loved a Sailor. An entirely original Nautical Comic opera. Opera Comique Theatre. May 25, 1878. The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty. An original Melo-Dramatic opera. Opera Comique Theatre. An Esthetic opera. 1880. Patience; or, Bunthorne's Bride. Opera Comique Theatre. April 23, 1881. Iolanthe; or, The Peer and the Peri. An entirely original Fairy opera. Savoy Theatre, November 25, 1882. Princess Ida; or, Castle Adamant. January 5, 1884. Savoy Theatre The Mikado; or, The Town of Titipu. An entirely original Japanese opera. Savoy Theatre. March 14, 1885. Ruddygore; or, The Witch's Curse. An entirely original Supernatural opera. (The leading word in the title was afterwards altered to Ruddigore.) Savoy Theatre. January 22, 1887. .:0: THE SONGS OF Mr. W. S. GILBERT. Although Mr. W. S. Gilbert has long been before the public as a dramatist and humorous author, his chief title to fame rests upon the long series of successful comic operas produced either at the Opera Comique, or the Savoy Theatre. In all of these the quaint fancies and humorous dialogues of Mr. Gilbert, were supplemented by the brilliant and tuneful music of Sir Arthur Sullivan. Their creations, placed upon the stage with attention to every detail, and interpreted by a powerful company, have, for the last ten years, been the chief theatrical attraction, of a lighter sort, in the metropolis. The following is a list of these operas, with TRIAL BY JURY. THE JUDGE'S SONG. WHEN I, good friends, was called to the Bar, I'd an appetite fresh and hearty, But I was, as many young barristers are, An impecunious party. I'd a swallow-tail coat of a beautiful blue A brief which I bought of a booby A couple of shirts and a collar or two, Chorus.-A couple of shirts, &c. In Westminster Hall I danced a dance, Chorus. So he fell in love, &c. The rich attorney he jumped with joy, And replied to my fond professions : "You shall reap the reward of your pluck, my oy "At the Bailey and Middlesex Sessions. "You'll soon get used to her looks," said he, "And a very nice girl you'll find her! "She may very well pass for forty-three "In the dusk, with a light behind her!" Chorus. She may very well, &c. The rich attorney was good as his word; At the Sessions or Ancient Bailey. To his friends and his relations. Chorus. And many a burglar, &c. At length I became as rich as the Gurneys- So I threw over that rich attorney's Elderly, ugly daughter. The rich attorney my character high, And now, if you please, I'm ready to try Chorus. And now, if you please, &c. W. S. GILBert. BREACH OF PROMISE OF MARRIAGE. 'Mr. Herschel's motion for the abolition of actions for breach of promise of marriage, excepting where actual pecuniary loss had been incurred, was carried in the House of Commons by a substantial majority. He thus addresses an aspiring youth of the Temple :— WHEN you, my friend, are called to the Bar, You may be, as many young barristers are, A somewhat jocular party. But you won't, in the course of your legal journeys, Be required to cross the water To plead, as advised by 'cute attorneys, For somebody's jilted daughter. A 'cute attorney jumps with joy When he hears a maid's confession, And chuckles to think how he'll bully the boy, In revenge for his retrogression. "You'll get big damages, sure," he'll say, That her mother should bring her to court on the day, CaptainAll- All Captain All Captain HARDLY ever! Hardly ever does it with a big, big D—— Then give three cheers and one cheer more For the well-bred captain of the Home Rule Corps. For he is the captain of this Home Rule Corps; And a right good captain too! I've had many a sore fall, Ere made captain of you all, But you're a promising crew! He's had many a sore fall, And we're a promising crew. I'll hit upon a plan, To please the Parnell clan, Yet keep united Nations Three; Nor brick-bat Constabul❜ry! LORD BEACONSFIELD'S SONG. WHEN I was a lad I served a term As clerk to a decent attorney's firm; But the trammels of the office were so vile a bore, As novel-writer I made such a mark, I grew so trusted that I was sent To the Congress, Britain for to represent. I cut up Turkey and insulted Greece; But you know I collared Cyprus, and I "brought back peace." For a " 'peace with honour" they rewarded me Now, statesmen all, whoever you may be, If your souls are not fettered to the Lower House, Be careful to be guided by the rule of nous: Stick close to the Crown, and never chop down trees, And you all may be noblemen, and all K, G.'s. Funny Folks. September 7, 1878. GIANT LANDLORD. I'M the curse of my country, the terror of all, I'm a grabber of land, and the people know me Yes, I am a J. of the big, big P., And a very funny J. I'm too ; For I never, never saw any practice in the law, And I never know what to do. But the clerk to whom I look, finds the law out in a book, PRESIDENT GARFIELD. WHEN he was a lad he served a term |