WILLIAM SCHWENCK GILBERT. WILLIAM SCHWENCK GILBERT, an English humorist and playwright, born in London, Nov. 18, 1836. He was educated at Great Ealing School and at the University of London, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1864. His first play was "Dulcamara," (1866). Among his subsequent dramatic productions are: "An Old Score" and "Pygmalion and Galatea" (1871); "The Wicked World, a Fairy Comedy" (1873); "Charity" and "Sweethearts" (1874); "Broken Heart" (1876); "Pinafore" and "The Sorcerer" (1877); "The Pirates of Penzance" (1879); "Patience, or Bunthorne's Bride" (1881); "Iolanthe " (1882); "Princess Ida " (1883); "The Mikado" (1885); "Ruddigore" (1887); "Yeoman of the Guard" (1888); "The Gondoliers" (1889), and "Utopia" (Limited) (1893). In most of his comic operas he collaborated with Sir Arthur Sullivan. In 1877 he published a volume of humorous verse entitled "Bab Ballads." He is now a magistrate with a jurisdiction near London, and writes for law journals more or less regularly. CAPTAIN REECE. Or all the ships upon the blue, He was adored by all his men, If ever they were dull or sad, Their captain danced to them like mad, A feather-bed had every man, VOL. X.-4 Brown windsor from the captain's store; Did they with thirst in summer burn, Lo! seltzogenes at every turn; Cream ices handed round on trays. Then, currant wine and ginger pops New volumes came across the sea Kind-hearted Captain Reece, R. N., One summer eve, at half-past ten, "By any reasonable plan Then up and answered William Lee "You have a daughter, Captain Reece, "Now, somehow, sir, it seems to me, Unmarried members of the crew. "If you'd ameliorate our life, Good Captain Reece, that worthy man, "My daughter, that enchanting gurl, To peers of various degree. "But what are dukes and viscounts to The happiness of all my crew? The word I gave you I'll fulfill; "As you desire it shall befall; The boatswain of the Mantelpiece, He blushed and spoke to Captain Reece:- "I have a widowed mother who The captain saw the dame that day- "Well, well, the chaplain I will seek, The sisters, cousins, aunts, and niece, THE YARN OF THE NANCY BELL. 'Twas on the shores that round our coast That I found alone on a piece of stone His hair was weedy, his beard was long, And I heard this wight on the shore recite, "Oh, I am a cook, and a captain bold, And he shook his fists and he tore his hair, Till I really felt afraid, For I couldn't help thinking the man had been drinking, "O elderly man, it's little I know "At once a cook, and a captain bold, And he gave a hitch to his trousers, which And having got rid of a thumping quid, ""Twas in the good ship Nancy Bell That we sailed to the Indian Sea, And there on a reef we come to grief, Which has often occurred to me. "And pretty nigh all the crew was drowned (There was seventy-seven o' soul), And only ten of the Nancy's men Said Here!' to the muster-roll. "There was me and the cook and the captain bold, And the mate of the Nancy brig, And the bo'sun tight, and a midshipmite, "For a month we'd neither wittles nor drink, Till a-hungry we did feel; So we drawed a lot, and accordin', shot "The next lot fell to the Nancy's mate, Then our appetite with the midshipmite And then we murdered the bo'sun tight, Then we wittled free, did the cook and me, "Then only the cook and me was left, "For I loved that cook as a brother, I did, And the cook he worshiped me; But we'd both be blowed if we'd either be stowed In the other chap's hold, you see. "I'll be eat if you dines off me,' says Tom; "So he boils the water, and takes the salt And the pepper in portions true (Which he never forgot), and some chopped shalot, And some sage and parsley too. "Come here,' says he, with a proper pride, Which his smiling features tell; "Twill soothing be if I let you see How extremely nice you'll smell.' |