A Maiden Fair To See

Ralph.
A maiden fair to see,
The pearl of minstrelsy,
A bud of blushing beauty;
For whom proud nobles sigh,
And with each other vie
To do her menial's duty.

Chorus.
To do her menial's duty.

Ralph.
A suitor, lowly born,
With hopeless passion torn,
And poor, beyond denying,
Has dared for her to pine
At whose exalted shrine
A world of wealth is sighing.

Chorus.
A world of wealth is sighing.

Ralph.
Unlearned he in aught
Save that which love has taught
(For love had been his tutor);
Oh, pity, pity me —
Our captain's daughter she,
And I that lowly suitor!

Ralph.
Oh, pity, pity me —
Our captain's daughter she,
And I that lowly suitor!

DIALOGUE

Boatswain.
Ah, my poor lad, you've climbed too high: our worthy
captain's child won't have nothin' to say to a poor chap like you.
Will she, lads?

All.
No, no.

Dick.
No, no, captains' daughters don't marry foremast hands.

All. (recoiling from him)
Shame! shame!

Boatswain.
Dick Deadeye, them sentiments o' yourn are a disgrace to
our common natur'.

Ralph.
But it's a strange anomaly, that the daughter of a man who
hails from the quarter-deck may not love another who lays
out on the fore-yard arm. For a man is but a man, whether
he hoists his flag at the main-truck or his slacks on the main-deck.

Dick.
Ah, it's a queer world!

Ralph.
Dick Deadeye, I have no desire to press hardly on you, but such
a revolutionary sentiment is enough to make an honest sailor shudder.

Boatswain. My lads, our gallant captain has come on deck; let
us greet him as so brave an officer and so gallant a seaman deserves.