University of Virginia Library

Scene First.

—The Grotto of Calypso in the Island of Ogygia—Leucothoe and other Nymphs discovered in melancholy attitudes—a lamp and magic book.
Recitative—Eucharis.
Calypso is inconsolable for the departure of Ulysses,
Her grief she cannot master for the man she so much misses;
Where her lover went to sea, every day she goes to stare,
And instead of following her hounds, she has taken to tearing her hair;
E'en night to her brings no repose, for in this grotto mystical
She brews “thick coming fancies” very black and Manfredistical;
Her Nymphs dare not approach her in her solitary rambles,
And here is Chrismas come and we forbid our Christmas gambols.

Chorus
—“Light as Fairy Foot”—“Oberon.”
What a fate on us to fall,
We must have no fun at all,
All too loud she says we play,—too loud!
All too loud she says we sing,—too loud!
Cast your skipping ropes away,
Burn your hoops and cut your swing.
Vainly we to sleep would go,
All night long she sobs and sighs,
Rest she can't herself, and so
She won't let us close our eyes.
O for some pill, to cure her spleen,
Cold pudding can't settle love so keen.

Euch.
She comes, and fain would be alone.

Leuco.
Pray let her.
The sooner we all brush, I'm sure the better.

(Exeunt Omnes)
Enter Calypso; Scena—“Di Piacer.”
Cal.
Deep my share of mortal woe,
For Ulysses still I pine,
He has left his Calypso,
And in vain call lips o' mine!—
In every waving bough,
His farewell bow I see,
Green leaves are hateful now,
Since he has ta'en French leave of me!
I can't abide the cry of “stole away,”
Since o'er the sea his bark did roll away.
To see the hounds throw off can't cheer me,
By him thrown off who once was near me;
My deer has proved a fox to be,
And made a silly goose of me!
(seats herself beside the lamp, and consults her magic book—lights down)
The lamp wants trimming sadly—so does he
Who is the cause of all my misery!
Why should I burn a light? my fate still dark
Must be, for I have lost my latest spark.
My slumbers, if I slumber, are not sleep,
I get the fidgets, tumble, toss, and weep.
I've thought until I think I'm sick of thinking;
I'm half inclined to take at once to drinking.
I will raise spirits, that may raise my own;
(rises)
Come in some forms by which ye may be known,
Ye Ardent Spirits, from the wine vaults near!
I charge ye by the glass, appear! up here!

Music—The back of the grotto opens and discovers the Lake of Geneva, in front of it the Spirit of Gin.
Spirit.
Old Tom is the best of Geneva,
They owned it long ago;
Ask Hodges, the spin-
ner of cordial gin,
Or Thompson, Fearon and Co.
There are palaces built in every street
To the sprite of the juniper tree.
I'm here, if you wish to take me, neat,
Or why did you call for me?

Cal.
I called thee, for I called thee, saucy sprite,
Thou'rt called “blue ruin,” and thou'rt called aright.
Begone, and to the poor thy poison deal,
I will to see a spirit more genteel.

Music—“Drops of Brandy,” at which the Spirit of Gin evaporates, and the Spirit of Brandy floats in upon a cask, the scene changing to the Straits of Dover.
Spirit.
In the dumps art thou, daughter?
Where thy pain? what thy grief?
Can brandy and water
Afford thee relief?
Warm with, if 'tis handy,
If not, without, cold:
To the spirit of brandy
Your wishes unfold.

Cal.
Avaunt! for thy French name is “Eau de Vie,”
And life is now detestable to me!
To drink thee even mixed might be manslaughter,
My lost Ulysses may be in the water.
Hence, nor provoke me to use means severer,
I'm very queer, and would see something queerer.

Music—“Grog time of day, boys.” The Spirit of Brandy goes out, and the Spirit of Rum appears off the coast of a West India Island; a fleet in the distance.
Spirit.
I am the rummest spirit mind
That ever you did see,
The sugar cane I left behind
Where folks drink sangaree;
To ease thy pain, I o'er the main
From old Jamaica jog,
The fleet I met sailed better yet
At the mere sight of grog.

Cal.
A fleet! oh, horrid sound! the thought of ships, O,
Is quite enough to make sea-sick Calypso.
Why cam'st thou hither, with that ugly phiz?
What canst thou say to cheer me?

Spirit.
“Rums is riz.”

Cal.
Down, evil spirit to thy native hell,
And say I sent thee thither.

Spirit.
(sinking)
“Rums is fell.”

Cal.
These spirits cannot teach me to forget,
I must have something far more potent yet.
(waves her sceptre—Music—A gauze to imitate smoke covers the stage)
What rises yonder, 'mid those fumes mysterious?
I fear 'tis something very deleterious.

Voice.
(without)
I am the spirit o' a private still,
Wi' smuggled Highland whiskey what's your will?

Cal.
Forgetfulness.

Voice.
Of what, of whom, and why?

Cal.
Of my own wretched self—my sorrow's dry,
And I would drown it! I feel very choky
And don't much fancy anything so smoky.

Voice.
The still small voice of small still whiskey hear.

Cal.
Why can't you, like the rest, to sight appear?

Voice.
Troth, to do that would argue me no wise man,
I've ne'er paid duty yet to the excise-man.

Cal.
But you to me shall pay it. Let somebody
I love be now inspired by whiskey toddy.

Voice.
Behold!

(music—Gauze rises and discovers the figure of Ulysses leaning on a pedestal)
Cal.
O criminy! I'm hoaxed, for this is
A madness and a mockery. Ulysses!
O speak to me, though but one word in Greek,
If you're a gentleman, I beg you'll speak.

Duet—“By the margin of Zurich's fair waters.”
Cal.
On the margin of Neptune's salt waters,
Calypso!
Has wandered the long summer's day;
On the spot where thy glances last caught hers,
Calypso!
Has cast all her good looks away.
I have called very often on thee,
And in turn thou hast now called on me,
Then speak to me, dearest, I pray.

Ulys.
Calypso!

Cal.
Go on! is that all you can say?

Ulys.
Calypso! Calypso!

Cal.
Alack, well a day!
Calypso! Calypso! is all he can say.

(the figure of Ulysses vanishes)
[Calypso]
Air—Calypso—“Farewell to the Mountain”—“Mountain Sylph.”
(Exit Calypso)