Oh, Monsieur Perrot! oh, Monsieur Perrot!
Whatever on earth could have made you do so?
Put the Judgment of Paris all into dumb-show!
Bring the Gods and the Goddesses down from _en haut_!
Paris—Mercury—Venus—Minerva—Juno—
To trip "on the light fantastic toe!"
For who ever heard of a Fandango—
A Gavotte—a Cotillion—a Bolero—
Balancez—avancez—chaine des dames—dos-à-dos,
Or indeed any _pas_ (excepting a "_faux_")
Perform'd by a Goddess, I'd like to know?
Whate'er in the name, too, of Lemprière and Co.,
Could have made it come into your head to bestow
On the Goddess of Wisdom, so _comme il faut_,
And who Keightley informs us was "chaste as snow,"
A petticoat scarcely, Sir, reaching below
The knees of the lady—and looking as though
'Twas a kilt of book-muslin or calico!
Whereas every classical cameo
Assures us she usen't her legs to show—
Perhaps they were bandy and form'd like a bow—
Or her ankles were gummy—but whether or no
Sure the Goddess half-naked objected to go.
Now it wouldn't have been such a dreadful blow,
And to Mamselle Minerva much more _à propos_,
Had you comb'd back the hair of the Virago—
Dress'd it _à la Chinoise_ 'stead of _en Bandeau_—
While a pair of "blue specs" would have served to throw
Round the Goddess of Wisdom a learned halo!
But short Petticoats surely are rather _de trop_
For the Sapient Minerva and Stately Juno!!
Then Oh, Mister Lumley! Oh, Monsieur Perrot!
And Oh, Lucille Grahn! and Oh, Cerito!
Whatever on earth could have made you do so?
[Illustration:
The Gods and Goddesses behind the Scenes at the Italian Opera.
]
[Illustration: