DOI issue:
May 20, 1865
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16875#0214
206
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
[May 20, 1865.
L’AFRICAINE.
This is the Libretto of the grand new old Opera. Evolved from the depths
of our own moral consciousness, with slight aid from the entirely con-
tradictory accounts furnished by critics, none of whom were present at
the performance.
N.B.—Copyright and, right of Translation reserved.
ACT I.
Council Chamber of some King of Portugal.
Bishops, Grand Inquisitors, inquisitive Courtiers, Members of the Royal
Lisbon Geographical Society, and others.
First Bishop. Yasco de Gama was a great discoverer, but we await
bis return in vain, because be is drowned.
Enter Vasco de Gama.
Vasco. Subject to correction by your Reverence’s superior knowledge,
I venture to remark—nothing of the kind.
ACT II.
Deepest Dungeons of the Inquisition, comfortably furnished with books,
maps, quadrants, sextants, septettes, octoroons, the last new globe
from Stanford's, and a copy of the “ Globe Shakespeare ” from
Macmillan’s.
Vasco {turning globe). But it still moves. Stop, I ought not to say
that. I am not Galileo. [Studies Map.
Enter Selica.
Selica. If you loved I as I loved you, I’d show you where the ships
go through.
| Vasco.. I love you to distraction, but do you understand the use of
maps, fair savage ?
Selica. Intimately. When only four years of age, I was taken by
cruel parents to England, and sold to Sir Roderick Murchison,
President of the Geographical Society. I escaped by the submarine
telegraph. See, false man (shows him a Map), that is the way to double
the Cape.
Vasco. You are an angel, and if the devotion of a life-
Enter Inez.
I hope you are quite well.
Inez. Not in the least. You are free.
Vasco. You are an angel, and if the devotion of a life-
Inez. But it will not. In fact, I have made other arrangements. To
save you, I have consented to marry Don Pedro, and we are going out
to discover the passage to India.
Vasco. I am astonished. [He is astonished until Curtain falls.
ACT III.
A great Ship at Sea. The footlights represent the stern. Cabins seen.
Nautical incidents. Inquisition band plays, “ Oh, the roast Jews of
old Portugal.”
Enter Inez.
Inez. Alas, poor Yasco !
Enter Yasco, through a porthole.
Vasco. Believe me true.
Inez. You must also be very wet.
Vasco. It is so. I love you.
Grand Chorus.
He is not drowned,
In fact, he’s found.
Vasco. I love Donna Inez, and there exist very large countries which
have never been discovered.
Don Pedro. You must not love Donna Inez, because she is engaged
to me.
Bishops and Inquisitors. And you must not say that there are any j
other countries than those mentioned in the Scriptures.
Vasco. Call in Selica and Nelusko. {They enter.) Answer, my
dear, and you. Sir. Are there not vast countries yet undiscovered F
Selica and Nelusko. We decline to make any statements.
Vasco. It is true, though.
Bishops and Grand Inquisitors. Go to prison for life.
[He goes to prison for life. [
Enter Don Pedro.
Pedro. I cannot allow such an observation to be made to my wife.
V\ hat ho, menials !
Enter many nautical menials.
Pedro. Put this slave into a cask. Head it up. Bung the bung-
l.ole. Throw it into the sea. [A tremendous Storm arises.
Grand Chorus.
Behold our tears and groans,
We go to David Jones.
[The Ship begins to go to Davy Jones, when thousands of Madagas-
carites swim round her, come on board, and draw swords, daggers.
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
[May 20, 1865.
L’AFRICAINE.
This is the Libretto of the grand new old Opera. Evolved from the depths
of our own moral consciousness, with slight aid from the entirely con-
tradictory accounts furnished by critics, none of whom were present at
the performance.
N.B.—Copyright and, right of Translation reserved.
ACT I.
Council Chamber of some King of Portugal.
Bishops, Grand Inquisitors, inquisitive Courtiers, Members of the Royal
Lisbon Geographical Society, and others.
First Bishop. Yasco de Gama was a great discoverer, but we await
bis return in vain, because be is drowned.
Enter Vasco de Gama.
Vasco. Subject to correction by your Reverence’s superior knowledge,
I venture to remark—nothing of the kind.
ACT II.
Deepest Dungeons of the Inquisition, comfortably furnished with books,
maps, quadrants, sextants, septettes, octoroons, the last new globe
from Stanford's, and a copy of the “ Globe Shakespeare ” from
Macmillan’s.
Vasco {turning globe). But it still moves. Stop, I ought not to say
that. I am not Galileo. [Studies Map.
Enter Selica.
Selica. If you loved I as I loved you, I’d show you where the ships
go through.
| Vasco.. I love you to distraction, but do you understand the use of
maps, fair savage ?
Selica. Intimately. When only four years of age, I was taken by
cruel parents to England, and sold to Sir Roderick Murchison,
President of the Geographical Society. I escaped by the submarine
telegraph. See, false man (shows him a Map), that is the way to double
the Cape.
Vasco. You are an angel, and if the devotion of a life-
Enter Inez.
I hope you are quite well.
Inez. Not in the least. You are free.
Vasco. You are an angel, and if the devotion of a life-
Inez. But it will not. In fact, I have made other arrangements. To
save you, I have consented to marry Don Pedro, and we are going out
to discover the passage to India.
Vasco. I am astonished. [He is astonished until Curtain falls.
ACT III.
A great Ship at Sea. The footlights represent the stern. Cabins seen.
Nautical incidents. Inquisition band plays, “ Oh, the roast Jews of
old Portugal.”
Enter Inez.
Inez. Alas, poor Yasco !
Enter Yasco, through a porthole.
Vasco. Believe me true.
Inez. You must also be very wet.
Vasco. It is so. I love you.
Grand Chorus.
He is not drowned,
In fact, he’s found.
Vasco. I love Donna Inez, and there exist very large countries which
have never been discovered.
Don Pedro. You must not love Donna Inez, because she is engaged
to me.
Bishops and Inquisitors. And you must not say that there are any j
other countries than those mentioned in the Scriptures.
Vasco. Call in Selica and Nelusko. {They enter.) Answer, my
dear, and you. Sir. Are there not vast countries yet undiscovered F
Selica and Nelusko. We decline to make any statements.
Vasco. It is true, though.
Bishops and Grand Inquisitors. Go to prison for life.
[He goes to prison for life. [
Enter Don Pedro.
Pedro. I cannot allow such an observation to be made to my wife.
V\ hat ho, menials !
Enter many nautical menials.
Pedro. Put this slave into a cask. Head it up. Bung the bung-
l.ole. Throw it into the sea. [A tremendous Storm arises.
Grand Chorus.
Behold our tears and groans,
We go to David Jones.
[The Ship begins to go to Davy Jones, when thousands of Madagas-
carites swim round her, come on board, and draw swords, daggers.