Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    WS Gilbert - The Ballads
    WS Gilbert - The Ballads
    WS Gilbert - The Ballads
    Ebook130 pages1 hour

    WS Gilbert - The Ballads

    By W.S. Gilbert

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Sir William Schwenck Gilbert at 17 Southampton Street just off the Strand in London on November 18th 1836. He was a man of a great many talents; dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator. Of course he is better known as the collaborator with Arthur Sullivan of 14 light comic operas under that world famous moniker Gilbert & Sullivan. They continue to be performed and to entertain millions every year from commercial theatres down to amateur dramatic societies and schools. Here we publish his Volume 1 of his Ballads. Gilbert used them as a later source of material for his operas but even in their own right when published they were immensely popular and successful.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCopyright Group
    Release dateJan 27, 2014
    ISBN9781783947928
    WS Gilbert - The Ballads

    Read more from W.S. Gilbert

    Related to WS Gilbert - The Ballads

    Related ebooks

    Poetry For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Lamport Hall

      Mar 7, 2024

      Lamport Hall
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Old Un’s Notes

      Aug 25, 2021

      ✻ How quickly time flies! It is already ten years since the death, on 22nd September 2011, of the much-loved British comic actor Jonathan Cecil (19392011), once described by the Spectator as ‘one of the finest upper-class-twits of his era’. Upper-cla

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Old Un's Notes

      Jan 11, 2023

      Just before Christmas, historian Lady Antonia Fraser composed a verse on confronting that age-old companion to faith – doubt – at Farm Street Church, Mayfair. Nick Downes is one of the most treasured cartoonists at Oldie Towers (see above right for a

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Old Un's Notes

      Oct 18, 2023

      The Old Un's Notes
      4 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Sep 21, 2022

      Readers’ Letters
      6 min read

    • Article

      Spotlight On The Black Country

      Sep 28, 2023

      “BUT LET ME SAY BEFORE IT has to go,” proclaimed Wystan Auden, “it’s the most lovely country that I know.” Which part of England was he describing? Full marks for “the Black Country”. Brought up in Solihull, on the bear-and-ragged-staff side of the s

      3 min read

    • Article

      1920s Notebook

      Mar 2, 2022

      THE Roaring Twenties are often seen as a carefree, fickle era, full of fast men driving faster cars, paired with feisty, newly independent women. It was also, however, the decade that gave birth to cornerstones that hold the British way of life toget

      4 min read

    • Article

      Thirty Years Of Laughs

      Feb 9, 2022

      Thirty Years Of Laughs
      5 min read

    • Article

      Around The World In 100 Plants

      Oct 26, 2022

      Simon Barnes (Simon & Schuster, £30) WE have become used, in recent years, to the convention of 100 short essays as a means of raising the reader’s eyebrows and setting away a never-ending series of big ideas from the starting point of an everyday o

      5 min read

    • Article

      Hello, Grim Reaper

      Dec 15, 2021

      She was a babe. A fully paid-up, card-carrying babe. There was absolutely no doubt about it, and she was heading straight for me. She was almost sprinting towards me across the recently reimagined lobby of Claridge’s. She looked up, her scarlet-anoin

      3 min read

    • Article

      Readersʼ Letters

      Jul 27, 2022

      Readersʼ Letters
      6 min read

    • Article

      Readers’ Letters

      Nov 17, 2021

      SIR: I must applaud William Cook (Who was Blackie the donkey?, October issue) in maintaining the tradition of never allowing the facts to mar a good story. Don Mackay arrived at Jarandilla de la Vera first, not in the wake of Hugh Whittow of the Sun.

      5 min read

    • Article

      For The Love Of Panto

      Dec 17, 2021

      For The Love Of Panto
      7 min read

    • Article

      All Hail The King

      Jan 12, 2022

      All Hail The King
      5 min read

    • Article

      Through The Eyes Of Iris

      Feb 17, 2020

      Through The Eyes Of Iris
      6 min read

    • Article

      Mark Gatiss: ‘I’m Currently Very, Very Ashamed Of Being English’

      Oct 31, 2021

      Mark Gatiss scans the breakfast menu at an east London restaurant with a famished eye. We’re at the hinge moment between the nightlife of an A-lister, who attended the James Bond premiere the previous evening, and the day job as an actor who, by his

      8 min read

    • Article

      Town & Country Notebook

      Jul 6, 2022

      1) How many legs does a crab have? 2) Which monarch bought Buckingham House for his wife? 3) In which Shakespeare play is the line ‘Neither a borrower nor a lender be’ found? 4) Who is the drummer of the Muppets? 5) What is the first prime number wit

      4 min read

    • Article

      A League Of His Own

      Nov 5, 2021

      A League Of His Own
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Old Un’s Notes

      Jul 27, 2022

      The Old Un’s Notes
      4 min read

    • Article

      The Spectacular P. T. Barnum

      Jul 19, 2019

      The Spectacular P. T. Barnum
      5 min read

    • Article

      Emma Peel & Danny Walsh

      Dec 5, 2023

      Emma Peel & Danny Walsh
      5 min read

    • Article

      Sauce For The Goose

      Jan 18, 2023

      Sauce For The Goose
      4 min read

    • Article

      Reader's Letter

      May 31, 2023

      SIR: I was astonished to read (Spring issue) that Hunter Davies believes he may be the only person left in the UK who has milk delivered in glass bottles every morning. Oop ’ere in t’north, we have milk delivered in this way. We also have Ringtons Te

      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for WS Gilbert - The Ballads

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      WS Gilbert - The Ballads - W.S. Gilbert

      W.S. Gilbert – The Ballads – Volume 1

      Sir William Schwenck Gilbert was born at 17 Southampton Street just off the Strand in London on November 18th 1836. He was a man of a great many talents; dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator.  Of course he is better known as the collaborator with Arthur Sullivan of 14 light comic operas under that world famous moniker Gilbert & Sullivan.  They continue to be performed and to entertain millions every year from commercial theatres down to amateur dramatic societies and schools. Here we publish his Volume 1 of his Ballads.  Gilbert used them as a later source of material for his operas but even in their own right when published they were immensely popular and successful. 

      Index Of Ballads

      Ballad: Emily, John, James, and I

      Ballad: The Reverend Simon Magus

      Ballad: Etiquette

      Ballad: Ferdinando and Elvira

      Ballad: First Love

      Ballad: General John

      Ballad: Gentle Alice Brown

      Ballad: Gregory Parable, LL.D.

      Ballad: The Reverend Micah Sowls

      Ballad: Haunted

      Ballad: Hongree and Mahry

      Ballad: The Precocious Baby - A Very True Tale

      Ballad: Joe Golightly - Or, The First Lord's Daughter

      Ballad: John and Freddy

      Ballad: The Phantom Curate

      Ballad: King Borria Bungalee Boo

      Ballad: Lieutenant-Colonel Flare

      Ballad: The Periwinkle Girl

      Ballad: Little Oliver

      Ballad: Lorenzo De Lardy

      Ballad: Lost Mr. Blake

      Ballad: Mister William

      Ballad: The Perils of Invisibility

      Ballad: My Dream

      Ballad: Old Paul and Old Tim

      Ballad: The Pantomime Super to His Mask

      Ballad: Only a Dancing Girl

      Ballad: Pasha Bailey Ben

      Ballad: The Mystic Selvagee

      Ballad: Peter the Wag

      Ballad: Phrenology

      Ballad: Sir Barnaby Bampton Boo

      Ballad: Sir Guy the Crusader

      Ballad: The Modest Couple

      Ballad: The Martinet

      Ballad: The Haughty Actor

      Ballad: The Ghost, the Gallant, the Gael, and the Goblin

      Ballad: The Force of Argument

      Ballad: Emily, John, James, and I

      EMILY JANE was a nursery maid,

      JAMES was a bold Life Guard,

      JOHN was a constable, poorly paid

      (And I am a doggerel bard).

      A very good girl was EMILY JANE,

      JIMMY was good and true,

      JOHN was a very good man in the main

      (And I am a good man too).

      Rivals for EMMIE were JOHNNY and JAMES,

      Though EMILY liked them both;

      She couldn't tell which had the strongest claims

      (And I couldn't take my oath).

      But sooner or later you're certain to find

      Your sentiments can't lie hid

      JANE thought it was time that she made up her mind

      (And I think it was time she did).

      Said JANE, with a smirk, and a blush on her face,

      "I'll promise to wed the boy

      Who takes me to-morrow to Epsom Race!"

      (Which I would have done, with joy).

      From JOHNNY escaped an expression of pain,

      But Jimmy said, "Done with you!

      I'll take you with pleasure, my EMILY JANE!"

      (And I would have said so too).

      JOHN lay on the ground, and he roared like mad

      (For JOHNNY was sore perplexed),

      And he kicked very hard at a very small lad

      (Which I often do, when vexed).

      For JOHN was on duty next day with the Force,

      To punish all Epsom crimes;

      Young people WILL cross when they're clearing the course

      (I do it myself, sometimes).

      The Derby Day sun glittered gaily on cads,

      On maidens with gamboge hair,

      On sharpers and pickpockets, swindlers and pads,

      (For I, with my harp, was there).

      And JIMMY went down with his JANE that day,

      And JOHN by the collar or nape

      Seized everybody who came in his way

      (And I had a narrow escape).

      He noticed his EMILY JANE with JIM,

      And envied the well-made elf;

      And people remarked that he muttered Oh, dim!

      (I often say dim! myself).

      JOHN dogged them all day, without asking their leaves;

      For his sergeant he told, aside,

      That JIMMY and JANE were notorious thieves

      (And I think he was justified).

      But JAMES wouldn't dream of abstracting a fork,

      And JENNY would blush with shame

      At stealing so much as a bottle or cork

      (A bottle I think fair game).

      But, ah! there's another more serious crime!

      They wickedly strayed upon

      The course, at a critical moment of time

      (I pointed them out to JOHN).

      The constable fell on the pair in a crack

      And then, with a demon smile,

      Let JENNY cross over, but sent JIMMY back

      (I played on my harp the while).

      Stern JOHNNY their agony loud derides

      With a very triumphant sneer

      They weep and they wail from the opposite sides

      (And I shed a silent tear).

      And JENNY is crying away like mad,

      And JIMMY is swearing hard;

      And JOHNNY is looking uncommonly glad

      (And I am a doggerel bard).

      But JIMMY he ventured on crossing again

      The scenes of our Isthmian Games

      JOHN caught him, and collared him, giving him pain

      (I felt very much for JAMES).

      JOHN led him away with a victor's hand,

      And JIMMY was shortly seen

      In the station-house under the grand Grand Stand

      (As many a time I'VE been).

      And JIMMY, bad boy, was imprisoned for life,

      Though EMILY pleaded hard;

      And JOHNNY had EMILY JANE to wife

      (And I am a doggerel bard). 

      Ballad: The Reverend Simon Magus

      A rich advowson, highly prized,

      For private sale was advertised;

      And many a parson made a bid;

      The REVEREND SIMON MAGUS did.

      He sought the agent's: "Agent, I

      Have come prepared at once to buy

      (If your demand is not too big)

      The Cure of Otium-cum-Digge."

      Ah! said the agent, "THERE'S a berth

      The snuggest vicarage on earth;

      No sort of duty (so I hear),

      And fifteen hundred pounds a year!

      "If on the price we should agree,

      The living soon will vacant be;

      The good incumbent's ninety five,

      And cannot very long survive.

      See - here's his photograph - you see,

      He's in his dotage. Ah, dear me!

      Poor soul! said SIMON. His decease

      Would be a merciful release!"

      The agent laughed - the agent blinked

      The agent blew his nose and winked

      And poked the parson's ribs in play

      It was that agent's vulgar way.

      The REVEREND SIMON frowned: "I grieve

      This light demeanour to perceive;

      It's scarcely COMME IL FAUT, I think:

      Now - pray oblige me - do not wink.

      "Don't dig my waistcoat into holes

      Your mission is to sell the souls

      Of human sheep and human kids

      To that divine who highest bids.

      "Do well in this, and on your head

      Unnumbered honours will be shed."

      The agent said,

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1