PUFF.
Very well, indeed!—See, gentlemen, there’s a river for you!—This is blending a little of the masque with my tragedy—a new fancy, you know—and very useful in my case; for as there must be a procession, I suppose Thames, and all his tributary rivers, to compliment Britannia with a fête in honour of the victory.
SNEER.
But pray, who are these gentlemen in green with him?
PUFF.
Those?—those are his banks.
SNEER.
His banks?
PUFF.
Yes, one crowned with alders, and the other with a villa!—you take the allusions?—But hey! what the plague!—you have got both your banks on one side.—Here, sir, come round.—Ever while you live, Thames, go between your banks.—[Bell rings.] There; so! now for’t!—Stand aside, my dear friends!—Away, Thames! [Exit THAMES between his banks.] [Flourish of drums, trumpets, cannon, &c., &c. Scene changes to the sea—the fleets engage—the music plays—Britons strike home.—Spanish fleet destroyed by fire-ships, &c.—English fleet advances—music plays, Rule Britannia.—The procession of all the English rivers, and their tributaries, with their emblems, &c., begins with Handel’s water music, ends with a chorus to the march in Judas’ Maccabaeus.—During this scene, PUFF directs and applauds everything—then
PUFF.
Well, pretty well—but not quite perfect. So, ladies and gentlemen, if you please, we’ll rehearse this piece again tomorrow. [Curtain drops.]