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No. 16: Trio (Duke, Major & Colonel)

"It's clear that mediæval art alone retains its zest"

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Enter Duke, Colonel, and Major. They have abandoned their uniforms, and are dressed and made up in imitation of Aesthetics. They have long hair, and other signs of attachment to the brotherhood. As they sing they walk in stiff, constrained, and angular attitudes — a grotesque exaggeration of the attitudes adopted by Bunthorne and the Maidens in Act I.

Duke, Major, and Colonel.
It's clear that medieval art alone retains its zest, To charm and please its devotees we've done our little best. We're not quite sure if all we do has the Early English ring; But, as far as we can judge, it's something like this sort of thing: You hold yourself like this, (attitude) You hold yourself like that, (attitude) By hook and crook you try to look both angular and flat. (attitude) We venture to expect That what we recollect, Though but a part of true High Art, will have its due effect.

If this is not exactly right, we hope you won't upbraid; You can't get high Æsthetic tastes, like trousers, ready made. True views on Mediævalism Time alone will bring, But, as far as we can judge, it's something like this sort of thing: You hold yourself like this, (attitude) You hold yourself like that, (attitude) By hook and crook you try to look both angular and flat. (attitude) To cultivate the trim Rigidity of limb, You ought to get a Marionette, and form your style on him. (attitude)

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