Meanwhile, how were the librettists to be affected? Clearly, they would have to give more opportunities than usual for musical and saltatory illustration; and accordingly we find the book of "Little Jack Sheppard" full of lyrics—solos, duets, quartets and choruses, all of them set to new airs by competent composers. At the same time, the authors took care not to omit the element of punning dialogue. In this respect the old traditions were to be maintained. Byron, for instance, might very well have written the lines which follow, in which the interlocutors strive to outdo one another in the recklessness of their jeux de mots:—
Thames Darrell. Wild and Uncle Roland trapped me,
They caught this poor kid napping, and kidnapped me;
Put me on board a ship in half a crack.
Winifred. A ship! Oh, what a blow!
Thames. It was—a smack!
When out at sea the crew set me, Thames Darrell,
Afloat upon the waves within a barrel.
Win. In hopes the barrel would turn out your bier.
Thames. But I'm stout-hearted and I didn't fear.
I nearly died of thirst.
Win.Poor boy! Alas!
Thames. Until I caught a fish——
Win. What sort?
Thames.A bass.
Then came the worst, which nearly proved my ruin—
A storm, a thing I can't a-bear, a brewin'.