Sir Barnaby Bampton Boo by William Schwenck Gilbert — Stanza

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Sir Barnaby Bampton Boo

by William Schwenck Gilbert

This is SIR BARNABY BAMPTON BOO,

Last of a noble race,

BARNABY BAMPTON, coming to woo,

All at a deuce of a pace.

BARNABY BAMPTON BOO,

Here is a health to you:

Here is wishing you luck, you elderly buck

BARNABY BAMPTON BOO!

The excellent women of Tuptonvee

Knew SIR BARNABY BOO;

One of them surely his bride would be,

But dickens a soul knew who.

Women of Tuptonvee,

Here is a health to ye

For a Baronet, dears, you would cut off your ears,

Women of Tuptonvee!

Here are old MR. and MRS. DE PLOW

(PETER his Christian name),

They kept seven oxen, a pig, and a cow

Farming it was their game.

Worthy old PETER DE PLOW,

Here is a health to thou:

Your race isn't run, though you're seventy-one,

Worthy old PETER DE PLOW!

To excellent MR. and MRS. DE PLOW

Came SIR BARNABY BOO,

He asked for their daughter, and told 'em as how

He was as rich as a Jew.

BARNABY BAMPTON'S wealth,

Here is your jolly good health:

I'd never repine if you came to be mine,

BARNABY BAMPTON'S wealth!

"O great SIR BARNABY BAMPTON BOO"

(Said PLOW to that titled swell),

"My missus has given me daughters two

AMELIA and VOLATILE NELL!"

AMELIA and VOLATILE NELL,

I hope you're uncommonly well:

You two pretty pearls you extremely nice girls

AMELIA and VOLATILE NELL!

"AMELIA is passable only, in face,

But, oh! she's a worthy girl;

Superior morals like hers would grace

The home of a belted Earl."

Morality, heavenly link!

To you I'll eternally drink:

I'm awfully fond of that heavenly bond,

Morality, heavenly link!

"Now NELLY'S the prettier, p'raps, of my gals,

But, oh! she's a wayward chit;

She dresses herself in her showy fal-lals,

And doesn't read TUPPER a bit!"

O TUPPER, philosopher true,

How do you happen to do?

A publisher looks with respect on your books,

For they DO sell, philosopher true!

The Bart. (I'll be hanged if I drink him again,

Or care if he's ill or well),

He sneered at the goodness of MILLY THE PLAIN,

And cottoned to VOLATILE NELL!

O VOLATILE NELLY DE P.!

Be hanged if I'll empty to thee:

I like worthy maids, not mere frivolous jades,

VOLATILE NELLY DE P.!

They bolted, the Bart. and his frivolous dear,

And MILLY was left to pout;

For years they've got on very well, as I hear,

But soon he will rue it, no doubt.

O excellent MILLY DE PLOW,

I really can't drink to you now;

My head isn't strong, and the song has been long,

Excellent MILLY DE PLOW!