JOUR. This song seems to me rather dismal; it sends one to sleep;
could you not enliven it a bit here and there?
MUS. MAS. We must, Sir, suit the air to the words.
MR. JOUR. I was taught a very pretty one quite lately; stop a moment ...
ahem ... What is it? How does it begin?
DAN. MAS. Upon my word, Sir, I do not know.
MR. JOUR. There is some lamb in it.
DAN. MAS. Lamb?
MR. JOUR. Yes, ah! I have it. (_He sings._) /
When I had Jenny seen,
I thought her kind as fair,
I thought she'd gentler been
Than lambkin on the green;
But ah! but ah! she's far less mild,
Far sterner, I declare,
Than tigers are in forests wild.
Now, isn't it pretty?
MUS. MAS. The prettiest thing in the world.
DAN. MAS. And you sing it very well.
MR. JOUR. Do I? I have never learnt music.
MUS. MAS. You ought to learn it, Sir, as you do dancing. These are two
arts which are closely bound together.
DAN. MAS. And which open the human mind to the beauty of things.
MR. JOUR. Do people of rank learn music also?
MUS. MAS. Yes, Sir.
MR. JOUR. I will learn it, then; but I hardly know how I shall find
time for it; for, besides the fencing master who teaches me, I have
engaged a professor of philosophy, who is to begin this morning.
MUS. MAS. Philosophy is something, no doubt; but music, Sir, music.
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