Utopia Limited by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan

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No. 7: CHORUS WITH SOLOS (Princess Zara & Captain Fitzbattleaxe)
"Oh, maiden, rich In Girton lore"

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March. Enter all the Court, heralding the arrival of the Princess Zara, who enters, escorted by Captain Fitzbattleaxe and four Troopers, all in the full uniform of the First Life Guards.

Women.

Oh, maiden, rich
In Girton lore
That wisdom which,
We prized before,
We do confess
Is nothingness,
And rather less,
Perhaps, than more.
On each of us
Thy learning shed.
On calculus
May we be fed.
And teach us, please,
To speak with ease,
All languages,
Alive and dead!
On each of us
Thy learning shed.

Princess Zara.

Five years have flown since I took wing —
Time flies, and his footstep ne'er retards —
I'm the eldest daughter of your King.

Troopers.

And we are her escort — First Life Guards!
On the royal yacht,
When the waves were white,
In a helmet hot
And a tunic tight,
And our great big boots,
We defied the storm;
For we're not recruits,
And his uniform
A well drilled trooper ne'er discards —
And we are her escort — First Life Guards!

Princess Zara.

These gentlemen I present to you,
The pride and boast of their barrack-yards;
They've taken, O! such care of me!

Click on picture to enlarge — Nancy McIntosh as Princess Zara, 1893

Troopers.

For we are her escort — First Life Guards!
When the tempest rose,
And the ship went so —
Do you suppose
We were ill? No, no!
Though a qualmish lot
In a tunic tight,
And a helmet hot,
And a breastplate bright
(Which a well-drilled trooper ne'er discards),
We stood as her escort — First Life Guards!

Chorus.

Knightsbridge nursemaids — serving fairies —
Stars of proud Belgravian airies;
At stern duty's call you leave them,
Though you know how that must grieve them!

Princess Zara.

Tantantarara-rara-rara!

Captain Fitzbattleaxe.

Trumpet-call of Princess Zara!

Chorus.

That's trump-call, and they're all trump cards —

Troopers.

And we are her escort — First Life Guards!

Princess Zara & Captain Fitzbattleaxe.	Troopers.	Chorus.
Oh! the hours are gold,	First Life Guards, the First	They're her es-
And the joys untold,	Life Guards! For we	cort the First
When your/my eyes behold	are the escort: First	Life Guards! First
Your/My beloved Princess;	Life Guards! They're	Life Guards! First
And the years will seem	her es-	Life Guards! The First
But a brief day-dream,	cort the First,	Life Guards! The First,
In our happiness!	The First Life Guards!	The First Life Guards!
	Tantantara!	Tantantara!
And the years will seem
But a brief day-dream,	Tantantara!	Tantantara!
In the joy extreme
Of our happiness!	Tantantara!	Tantantara!
In the joy of our happiness!	Tantantara!	Tantantara!
	The First Life Guards! The First Life Guards! The First, The First, The First, The First Life Guards!	The First Life Guards! The First Life Guards! The First, The First, The First, The First Life Guards!

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