| Citation |
IL.779.008
1 Feb 1779:41,42,43 (1/34)
From the London General Advertiser, &c. To the Printer,
sir, To commemorate the last Naval Review at Portsmouth, the
Oratorio of Alexander's Feast is to be performed at the
Theatre Royal in Drury-lane, by command of his ---, next
Lent season, with the following alternations, by S-- W---,
Esq; Poet L---t.
ALEXANDER'S FEAST, PARODIES; or, The Grand Portsmouth
Puppet-Shew.
Act the first.
Recitative.
'Twas at the royal show, and grand display
Of all the navy which at Portsmouth lay;
Aloft in laughing state,
Britain's monarch sat,
And look'd serenely gay.
Goldstick, and other peers were plac'd around,
Their hair in bags or silken ribbons bound;
So should, ye fair, our men of arms be crown'd!
Charlotte smil'd sweetly at his side,
Yet inwardly, alas! she sigh'd
At George's follow, and at Twitcher's Pride.
Air.
Happy, happy, happy pair,
How they rejoice!
How they rejoice!
To see the weather grown so fair!
Chorus, and the same.
Recitative.
Then Sandwich plac'd on high,
Amid the tuneful band;
Struck the loud kettle-drums, with mighty hand;
The deaf'ning notes ascend the sky,
And sound along the strand.
. . . [2 more columns with the following specific musical
references. References to singing passim.]
Air, accompanied by a curious musical clock. . .
Recitative. accompanied.
Softly sweet in Scottish measures,
The bagpipe soothes his soul to pleasure. . .
Recit. accompanied.
Now strike the kettle drums again,
A louder yet--and yet a louder strain! . . .
Recitative.
Let Bute and North divide the block,
Or both at Tyburn swing;
And then, as late in Portsmouth dock,
We'll chaunt, "God save our King!"
. . . [4 more lines]
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