Thomas Love Peacock (Томас Лав Пикок)
Quintetto
[To the tune of “Turning, turning, turning, as wheel goes round.”]RECITATIVE. MR. PAPERSTAMP: Jack Horner's CHRISTMAS PIE my learned nurse Interpreted to mean the public purse. From thence a plum he drew. O happy Horner! Who would not be ensconced in thy snug corner THE FIVE: While round the public board all eagerly we linger, for what we can get we will try, try, try: And we'll all have a finger, a finger, a finger, We'll all have a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. MR. FEATHERNEST: By my own poetic laws, I'm a dealer in applause For those who don't deserve it, but will buy, buy So round the court I linger, and thus I get a finget A finger, finger, finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. THE FIVE: And we'll all have a finger, a finger, a finger, We'll all have a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. MR. VAMP: My share of pie to win, I will dash through thick and thin And philosophy and liberty shall fly, fly, fly: And truth and taste shall know, that their eve Iasting foe Has a finger, finger, finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. THE FIVE: And we'll all have a finger, a finger, a finger, We'll all have a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. MR. KILLTHEDEAD: I'll make my verses rattle with the din of war and battle, For war doth increase sa-la-ry, ry, ry: And I'll shake the public ears with the triumph of Algiers, And thus I ll get a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. THE FIVE: And we'll all have a finger, a finger, a finger, We'll all have a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. MR. PAPERSTAMP: And while you thrive by ranting, I'll try my luck at canting, And scribble verse and prose all so dry, dry, dry: And Mystic's patent smoke public intellect shall choke, Arld we ll all have a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. THE FIVE: We'll all have a finger, a finger, a finger, We'll all have a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. MR. ANYSIDE ANTIJACK: My tailor is so clever, that my coat will turn for ever, And take any colour you can dye, dye, dye: For all my earthly wishes are among the loaves and fishes, And to have my little finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE. THE FIVE: And we'll all have a finger, a finger, a finger, We'll all have a finger in the CHRISTMAS PIE.
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