 | The Opera of Operas ; or, Tom Thumb the Great |  |
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ACT III.
SCENE I.
SCENE Arthur's Palace.Ghost solus.
Recitativo.
Ghost.Hail! ye black horrors of mid-night's mid-noon!
You Fairies, Goblins, Bats, and Screech-owls hail!
And on! ye mortal watch-men, whose hoarse throats
Th'immortal ghosts dread croakings counterfeit,
All hail!
King.
What noise is this? what villain dares,
At this dread hour, disturb our royal walls?
Ghost.
One who defies thy empty pow'r to hurt him.
King.
Presumptuous slave! thou diest!
Ghost.
Threat others with that word,
I am a Ghost, and am already dead.
King.
Have at thee Man, or Ghost—
Thou fly'st! 'tis well—
[Ghost retires.]
I thought what was the courage of a Ghost!
Yet dare not walk again within these walls
On pain of the Red-Sea;
For if henceforth I ever find thee here,
Sure as a Gun I'll have thee laid.
Ghost.
Were the Red-Sea, a Sea of Holland's-Gin,
The liquor, when alive, I did detest,
Yet for the sake of Thomas Thumb,
I wou'd be laid therein.
King.
Ha! said you?
Ghost.
Yes, my liege, I said Tom Thumb,
Whose Father's Ghost I am,
Once not unknown to mighty Arthur.
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Once not unknown to mighty Arthur.
AIR XXIV.
I am a civil, friendly sprite,And come not hither to affright:
I throw not topsy-turvy chairs,
Nor tables rumbling down the stairs;
Nor yet behind the Wainscot rap,
Nor sudden make the casement flap:
The doors not jar, nor curtains spread,
Nor peep I in at feet of bed.
King.
'Tis he—it is the honest gaffer Thumb,
Oh! let me press thee in my eager arms,
Thou best of Ghosts! thou something more than Ghost!
But say, thou dearest air! oh! say, what dread
Important business sends the back to earth?
Ghost.
Oh! then prepare to hear—
Thy Subjects are in arms, by Grizzle led,
Intending to besiege thy royal palace.
King.
Thou ly'st, and thy intelligence is false
Hence—or by all the torments of thy Hell,
I'll run thee thro' the body, tho' thou hast none.
Ghost.
Arthur, beware!—I must this moment hence,
Not frighted by thy voice, but by the cocks.
Not frighted by thy voice, but by the cocks.
AIR XXV.
Slight not the warnings of us rambling sprites,Sent, for your good, thro' air, on dismal nights;
Strive to avert thy yet impending Fate;
For kill'd to day, to morrow, care's too late.
King.
Oh! stay! and leave me not 'twixt Hawk and Buzzard.
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Queen.
Oh! what's the cause, my Arthur, that you steal
Thus silently from Dollalolla's breast?
Why dost thou leave me in the dark alone,
When well thou know'st, I'm so afraid of Sprites,
I cannot sleep?
King.
Prithee, Dollalolla, do not blame me;
I hop'd the fumes of last night's punch had laid
Thy lovely eye-lids fast—but on! I find
There is no pow'r in dreams to quiet wives.
Queen.
Think, what must be thy wretched wife's surprise,
When, stretching—out her arms to hold thee fast,
She folds her useless Bolster in her arms.
Think! think on that! oh think! think well on that.
When, stretching—out her arms to hold thee fast,
She folds her useless Bolster in her arms.
Think! think on that! oh think! think well on that.
AIR XXVI.
In bed we often lie awake,We cannot always sleep;
When winds are high, and house does shake,
We gladly closer creep.
We simple women, when alone,
Are nat'rally afraid;
Least motion puts us in a swoon,
Except when dear's in bed.
King.
Oh! didst thou know one quarter what I know,
Then wou'dst thou know—alas! what thou wou'dst know?
Queen.
What can I gather hence? why dost thou speak
Like men who carry Raree-shows about,
Now you shall see, gentlemen, what you shall see?
Oh, tell me more, or thou hast told too much.
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Noodle.
Long life attend your Majesties—
Lord Grizzle, with a bola, rebellious crowd,
Advances to the palace, storming loud,
Unless the princess be deliver'd strait,
And the victorious Thumb, without his pate,
They are resolv'd to batter down the gate.
Enter Huncamunca.
King.
See, where the princess come! where is Tom Thumb?
Hunc.
Oh! Sir, about an hour and a half ago,
He sallied out to fag the Foe,
And swore upon his great, his warlike soul,
He'd make a Grizzle's Head a Nine-pin bowl.
Come, Dollalolla, Huncamunca, come,
Within we'll wait securely for brave Thumb.
Tho' Men and Giants shou'd conspire with Gods,
Yet he alone is equal to those odds.
Queen.
He is indeed a Helmet to us all,
While he supports, we need not fear to fall.
While he supports, we need not fear to fall.
AIR XXVII.
His Life to us is what of yore,Was Pallas to the Trojan Loons;
While that's preserv'd, the State may snore,
And safely we may spend our Crowns.
Best watch-men of a nodding State;
In this a monarch's wisdom lies,
To chuse such servants as are great,
And fit for ev'ry enterprise.
[Exeunt.
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SCENE II.
A Plain.Enter Lord Grizzle, Foodle, and Rebels.
Griz.
Thus far our arms with victory are crown'd;
For tho' we have not fought, yet we have found
No enemy to fight withal.
Food.
And yet, methinks, we'd best avoid this day,
This first of April to engage our foe.
Griz.
This day, of all the days of the year, I'd chuse;
God's? I will make Tom Thumb an April Fool.
Foodle.
I'm glad to find our army is so stout.
Griz.
What friends we have, and how we came so strong,
I'll softly tell you as we march along.
[Exeunt.
Thunder and Lightning.
Enter Tom Thumb, Glumdalca, cum suis.
Thum.
Is this the noise of thunder, or of coaches?
Hark!
[Merlin calls from behind.
Merlin.
Tom Thumb!
Thum.
What voice is this I hear?
Merlin.
Tom Thumb!
Thum.
Again it calls.
Merlin.
Tom Thumb!
Thum.
Thrice I've heard my name.
Appear, whoe'er thou art, I fear thee not.
Enter Merlin.
Merlin.
Thou hast no cause to fear—I am thy friend—
Merlin by name, a conjuror by trade,
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Thum.
How!
Merlin.
Hear then the mystick getting of Tom Thumb.
AIR XXVIII.
His Father was a ploughman plain,
His mother milk'd the cow;
And yet the way to get a Son,
This couple knew not how.
His mother milk'd the cow;
And yet the way to get a Son,
This couple knew not how.
Until such time the good old Man,
To learned Merlin goes,
And there to him in great distress,
In secret manner shews;
To learned Merlin goes,
And there to him in great distress,
In secret manner shews;
How in his heart he wish'd to have
A child, in time to come,
To be his heir, tho' it might be
No bigger than his Thumb.
A child, in time to come,
To be his heir, tho' it might be
No bigger than his Thumb.
Of which old Merlin was foretold,
That he his wish shou'd have;
And so a son of stature small,
The charmes to him gave.
That he his wish shou'd have;
And so a son of stature small,
The charmes to him gave.
Thum.
Ha! my sense is in a wood:
See there, Glumdalca, see another me.
Glum.
O sight of horror! see you are devour'd
By the expanded jaws of a Red Cow.
Merl.
Be not dismay'd; for this heroic Act
Shall gain thee fame immortal;
Ages unborn shall warble this soft theme,
In tunefull Opera,
Exceeding far Hydaspes, Rosamond,
Camilla, or Arsinoe.
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Enough—let ev'ry warlike music sound,
We fall contented it we fall renown'd.
We fall contented it we fall renown'd.
AIR XXIX.
To have my Actions in soft musick told,
What greater renown can I crave?
Oh! the pleasure 'will be, like the hero's of old.
To be ha, ha, ha'd, in my grave!
What greater renown can I crave?
Oh! the pleasure 'will be, like the hero's of old.
To be ha, ha, ha'd, in my grave!
Lords suscribing gold galore;
Oh! what clapping will be there!
Such a thundring loun Encore,
As will make a dead man stare!
Oh! what clapping will be there!
Such a thundring loun Encore,
As will make a dead man stare!
Enter Grizzle, Foodle, Rebels, on the other side of the Stage.
Foodle.
At length, the enemy advances nigh,
I hear them with my ear, and see them with my eye.
Griz.
Draw all your swords—for Liberty we fight,
And Liberty the mustard is of life.
Thum.
Are you the man, whom men fam'd Grizzle call?
Griz.
Are you the much more fam'd Tom Thumb?
Thum.
The same.
Griz.
Come on—for Liberty I fight.
Thum.
And I for Love.
[A bloody engagement between the two armies here drums beating, trumpets sounding, thunder and lightning—they fight off and on several time—some fall—
Grizzle and Glumdalca remain.
Glum.
Turn, coward, turn, nor from a woman fly.
Griz.
Away—thou art not worthy of my arm.
Glum.
Have at thy heart then—
Griz.
Nay, then I thrust at thine.
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Too well you thrust, you've run me thro' the Guts.
Oh! I'm dead, but not with joy—
Griz.
Then, there's an end of one.
Re-enter Thumb, &c.
Thum.
When thou art dead, then there's and end of two.
Villain!
Griz.
Tom Thumb!
Thum.
Rebel!
Griz.
Tom Thumb.
Thum.
Hell!
Griz.
Huncamunca!
Thum.
Thou hast it there.
Griz.
Too sure I have.
Thum.
To hell, thou rebel!
Griz.
Triumph not, Thumb, nor think thou shalt enjoy
Thy Huncamunca undisturb'd—I'll send
My Ghost to fetch her to the other world;
It shall but bait at heav'n, and then return.
But ha! I feel death rummaging my spirits.
Thy Huncamunca undisturb'd—I'll send
My Ghost to fetch her to the other world;
It shall but bait at heav'n, and then return.
But ha! I feel death rummaging my spirits.
AIR XXX.
My body's like a bankrupt's shop,My creditor is cruel death,
Who puts to trade of life a stop
And will be paid with this last breath;
Oh!
[groans and dies.]
Thum.
With those last words he vomited his soul,
Which he hath voided in the devil's close-stool—
Bear off the body, and cut off the head,
For me to lug in triumph to the King—
Rebellion's dead, and now I'll go to break-fast.
Which he hath voided in the devil's close-stool—
Bear off the body, and cut off the head,
For me to lug in triumph to the King—
Rebellion's dead, and now I'll go to break-fast.
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AIR XXXI.
An artist who has overcome,
Antagonist at skittle-ground,
Withdraws unto some private room,
And smokes, and bands the full pot round.
Antagonist at skittle-ground,
Withdraws unto some private room,
And smokes, and bands the full pot round.
We must take breath in all we do,
An interval whets appetite;
Unless we eat and drink, you know,
We cannot either love, or fight.
An interval whets appetite;
Unless we eat and drink, you know,
We cannot either love, or fight.
Enter King, Queen, Huncamunca, and Courtiers.
King.
Open the prisons, set the wretched free,
And bid our Treasurer disburse six pounds
To pay their debts—come, sit we down;
Here seated let us view the dancers sports—
Bid them advance—this is the wedding-day,
Of Princess Huncamunca, and Tom Thumb;
Tom Thumb! who wins two victories to-day,
And this way marches, bearing Grizzle's head.
A Dance here.
Enter Noodle.
Noodle.
Oh! monstrous! dreadful! terrible! oh! oh!
Deaf be my ears, for ever blind my eyes!
Dumb be my tongue! feet lame! all senses lost!
Howl Wolves! grunt Bears! hiss Snakes!
Shriek all ye Ghosts!
King.
What does the blockhead mean?
Noodle.
Only to grace my tale with decent horror.
Whilst from my garret, twice two stories high,
I look abroad to take the air,
I saw Tom Thumb attended by a mob;
Twice twenty shoe-boys, twice two dozen links,
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Aloft he bore the grizly head of Grizzle,
When on a sudden thro' the streets there came
A Cow, much larger than the usual size,
And in a moment—Oh! guess the rest
And in a moment, swallow'd up Tom Thumb
King.
Shut up again the prisons—bid my treasurer
Not give three farthings out—hang all the Culprits,
Guilty, or not,—no matter—ravish virgins—
Go bid the school masters whip all their boys;
Let lawyers, parsons, and physicians loose
To rob, impose on, and to kill the world.
Noodle.
Her Majesty the Queen is in a swoon.
Queen.
Not so much in a swoon, but I have still
Strength to reward the messenger of ill news.
[Stabs him.
Noodle.
Oh! I am slain.
Cleora.
My lover's kill'd, and I revenge him so.
[Stabs the Queen.
Hunc.
My mamma kill'd! vile murtheress! there.
[Stabs Cleora.
Doodle.
This for an old grudge, to thy heart.
[Stabs Huncamunca.
Mustacha.
And this I drive to thine,
O Doodle for a new one.
[Stabs Doodle.
King.
Ha! murdress vile! take that
[Stabs Mustacha.
And take thou this—
[Kills himself and falls.
AIR XXXII.
A monarch, when his people's gone,Wou'd look out aukward on a throne.
With pleasure then resign thy crown,
Since all thy subjects are o'er thrown.
What signifies it to survive,
When only thou art left alive?
Oh!
[Dies.
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Mod.
Well, Sir Crit-Operatical, how like you the
Entertainment so far?
Sir Crit.
Faith, Sir, 'tis as pretty a Banquet of
dead Bodies as a Sexton could wish, and Variety—
but I hope Mr. Modely has a better Opinion of the
Tenderness, as well as Regularity of my musical
Disposition, than to imagine I can see such a stupid,
irregular, bloody, abominable Catastrophe,
without Indignation.
Mod.
Have Patience, till you see the Catastrophe.
Sir Crit.
I would be glad to know who ever saw
an Italian Opera end tragically? By Gad, when
we English imitate any Thing that's foreign, we do
it so aukwardly! There's something of Whim in the
Opera, but split me, this will infallibly damn it in
the Eyes of all good Judges—I could almost
cudgel the Rogue, that committed so unparallel'd
a Blunder.
Mod.
But good Sir Crit, keep your Temper till
you see the Catastrophe.
Sir Crit.
Catastrophe! Why, the Actors are all
dead, and unless the Author can give them a new
Being, he will never be able to give his Opera another
Ending.
Mod.
But I hear they are not really dead.
Sir Crit.
How! not dead?
Mod.
No, Sir; they are only inchanted; for you
must know, Merlin interpos'd in their Fall, and intends,
by Virtue of the same magick Art, to make
them all rise again, in Order to give a happy Conclusion
to the Opera. And see—he comes.
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Recitativo.
Merl.Sweet Goddess of inchanting Strains,
That steal'st, like Drink, into Men's Brains;
Great Trader in soft, melting, Wane;
Thou best of Cradles to our Care,
Lend thy harmonious Aid to free
From magick Spell this Company.
[solemn Music.
And first arise, thou fell—thou hideous Brave—
[waves his wand.
Thou rav'nons Cow!—I do conjure thee to't.
[Curtain drops.
Now by emetick Power, Red Canibal,
[waves his Wand.
Cast up thy Pris'ner, England's Hannibal
Forth from her growling Guts, brave Worthy, come,
And be thyself—the Little Great Tom Thumb.
[he comes out of her Mouth, after which she disappears.
Now King, now Lords, now Commons, all arise;
[waves his Wand over each as he speaks.
Be loose your Tongues, and open all your Eyes;
Be chang'd from what ye were—let Faction cease,
And ev'ry one enjoy his Love in Peace.
[they rise up.
Sir Crit.
Wond'rous, astonishing Plot! more sudden
than the Reprieve in the Beggars Opera—a
Transformation exceeding all Transformation—
even the Comical Transformation, or any in Ovid's
Metamorphosis.
Recitativo.
King.O Dollalolla! O my Queen!
Thou only art my Queen!
Queen.
O Arthur! O my King!
Thou only art my King!
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O Tom Thumb!
Thumb.
O Huncamunca!
Rub well thy Eyes, O Grizzle, to see clear!
Hast thou been in the Moon, or in a Sleep?
That matters not, but this I know,
I've slept myself into a better Mood.
Pardon my late Rebellion, good my Liege—
Tom Thumb, be happy in thy Hunky's Love—
O sweet Glumdalca! could'st thou be so with me,
But half a Giant, yet an able Man.
Glum.
The Offer's kind, and not to be rejected
By one in my sad Case—a Stranger here—
Some hundred thousand Leagues, or more,
From any of my Giant Country-men.
By one in my sad Case—a Stranger here—
Some hundred thousand Leagues, or more,
From any of my Giant Country-men.
AIR XXXIII.
Dimension, in Lovers, takes all knowing Lasses,From twenty to thirty, or more;
But little or great, no matter, he passes
With longing Old Maids of two Score.
For be he short, or be he tall,
One's better, sure, than none at all.
Thumb.
Rebellion's dead, tho' we are all alive;
Cur'd by a Miracle, by giving Life,
While others heal by taking it away—
Inchantment happy! Conjuror most blest!
Among the Faculty of Quacks the best.
Duette.
Thum.Tell me, Hunky, without feigning,
Dost thou longer like abstaining?
Hunc.
View my eyes, and know my meaning.
Thum.
I see the lent of love is past;
Hunc.
And yet I have not broke my fast;
Thum.
But soon you shall—I'm in the fit.—
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For what?
Thum.
To love.
Hunc.
Then, prithee humour it.
Both.
Ay, prithee let us humour it.
Hunc.
But dear Tommy, prithee say,
Wilt thou never go astray?
Thum.
I'll be constant as times go;
I'll sup abroad a night or so.
Hunc.
But what if I should do the same?
Thum.
You'd only do like modish dame.
Hunc.
Pshaw! rather let us faithful prove;
Who shares a lover, does not love.
Both.
Who shares a lover does not love.
Bravo! Bravissimo!
Thrice three! full nine times happy Arthur!
Shew me the King, who is so bless'd as I?
My Subjects now no longer by the ears,
But all shake hands, like friends, with one another.
Chorus.
Let fierce animosities cease,
Let all marry'd couples agree,
Let each his own wife kiss in peace,
And end all their Cavils as we.
FINIS.
| The Opera of Operas ; or, Tom Thumb the Great | |