The Bab Ballads With which are included Songs of a Savoyard: By W. S. Gilbert: With 350 illustrations by the author |
 |
THOMSON GREEN AND HARRIET HALE |
 | The Bab Ballads |  |
171
THOMSON GREEN AND HARRIET HALE
Oh list to this incredible tale
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale;
It's truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale;
It's truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
Oh, Thomson Green was an auctioneer,
And made three hundred pounds a year;
And Harriet Hale, most strange to say,
Gave pianoforte lessons at a sovereign a day.
And made three hundred pounds a year;
And Harriet Hale, most strange to say,
Gave pianoforte lessons at a sovereign a day.
Oh, Thomson Green, I may remark,
Met Harriet Hale in Regent's Park,
Where he, in a casual kind of way,
Spoke of the extraordinary beauty of the day.
Met Harriet Hale in Regent's Park,
Where he, in a casual kind of way,
Spoke of the extraordinary beauty of the day.
172
They met again, and strange, though true,
He courted her for a month or two,
Then to her pa he said, says he,
“Old man, I love your daughter and your daughter worships me!”
He courted her for a month or two,
Then to her pa he said, says he,
“Old man, I love your daughter and your daughter worships me!”
Their names were regularly banned,
The wedding day was settled, and
I've ascertained by dint of search
They were married on the quiet at St. Mary Abbot's Church.
The wedding day was settled, and
I've ascertained by dint of search
They were married on the quiet at St. Mary Abbot's Church.
Oh, list to this incredible tale
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale,
Its truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale,
Its truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
That very self-same afternoon
They started on their honeymoon,
And (oh, astonishment!) took flight
To a pretty little cottage close to Shanklin, Isle of Wight.
They started on their honeymoon,
And (oh, astonishment!) took flight
To a pretty little cottage close to Shanklin, Isle of Wight.
But now—you'll doubt my word, I know—
In a month they both returned, and lo!
Astounding fact! this happy pair
Took a gentlemanly residence in Canonbury Square!
In a month they both returned, and lo!
Astounding fact! this happy pair
Took a gentlemanly residence in Canonbury Square!
They led a weird and reckless life,
They dined each day, this man and wife
(Pray disbelieve it, if you please),
On a joint of meat, a pudding, and a little bit of cheese.
They dined each day, this man and wife
(Pray disbelieve it, if you please),
On a joint of meat, a pudding, and a little bit of cheese.
In time came those maternal joys
Which take the form of girls or boys,
And strange to say of each they'd one—
A tiddy-iddy daughter, and a tiddy-iddy son!
Which take the form of girls or boys,
And strange to say of each they'd one—
A tiddy-iddy daughter, and a tiddy-iddy son!
173
Oh, list to this incredible tale
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale,
Its truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale,
Its truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
My name for truth is gone, I fear,
But, monstrous as it may appear,
They let their drawing-room one day
To an eligible person in the cotton-broking way.
But, monstrous as it may appear,
They let their drawing-room one day
To an eligible person in the cotton-broking way.
Whenever Thomson Green fell sick
His wife called in a doctor, quick,
From whom some words like these would come—
Fiat mist. sumendum haustus, in a cochleyareum.
His wife called in a doctor, quick,
From whom some words like these would come—
Fiat mist. sumendum haustus, in a cochleyareum.
For thirty years this curious pair
Hung out in Canonbury Square,
And somehow, wonderful to say,
They loved each other dearly in a quiet sort of way.
Hung out in Canonbury Square,
And somehow, wonderful to say,
They loved each other dearly in a quiet sort of way.
174
Well, Thomson Green fell ill and died;
For just a year his widow cried,
And then her heart she gave away
To the eligible lodger in the cotton-broking way.
For just a year his widow cried,
And then her heart she gave away
To the eligible lodger in the cotton-broking way.
Oh, list to this incredible tale
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale,
Its truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
Of Thomson Green and Harriet Hale,
Its truth in one remark you'll sum—
“Twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twaddle twum!”
| The Bab Ballads | |