Mister Bosphorus and the Muses: Or, A Short History of Poetry in Britain, Variety Entertainment in Four Acts |
Common terms and phrases
1st Semi-chorus 2nd Semi-chorus 2nd Tri-chorus Abbey arbour ARLEQUIN arms ATHIS audience barrel-organ basket birken Bloomsbury CERBERUS cinematograph CLARISSA Clerkenwell CLOSE-UP CLOWN-CRITIC-BULFIN Clytemnestra crêpe DEAN dear Muse door DUCHESS eleven dollars eyes faint feet fore-stage Ga-ga Glaucis Gods gold hand HARLEQUINADE head HERCULES immense immortal improbable Inmates INTELLIGENTSIA LABOUR MASTER ladies lecture Legend lips Lord Tennyson lyric Male manuscripts MISTER BOSPHORUS moon never NINE YOUNG GENTLEMEN Nonesuch Orthodox Intelligentsia PANTALOON-BOSPHORUS Patmore PAUPER BULFIN PAWNBROKER pawnbroker's picture Picture-Bosphorus poem Poet's Corner poetry poets POLICEMAN POOR NORTHERN MUSE PROSE AGE public-house Queen rhymes Rolls-Royce Rotten Films sand screen exhibits shadows sing sleep sordid SOUTHERN MUSE stage sweet ten-bob Tennyson thee There's thought trousers undertaker's verse VOICE OF BOSPHORUS VOICE OF SOUTHERN warm WESTMINSTER WESTMINSTER ABBEY what's whispering Widow words workhouse write writin Wuck yews
Popular passages
Page 100 - Up and down the City Road, In and out the Eagle, That's the way the money goes, Pop goes the...
Page 48 - There is no man doth walk upon this earth But lives and dies by the poet ; sees the grass As the poet lets him see it ; so hears birds, Wind in the trees ; the frost drip in the sun-rise And the whisperings of love. We do command In the very heart of circumstance and glory ; We direct Renown ; decree to heroes marble bodies ; To others crapulous and frightful shades. P.
Page 42 - A London street in an obviously poor quarter. Old, small houses. Shops beneath. Two shops shown, preternaturally large. One is a pawnbroker's, the three golden balls protruding; the other an undertaker's, coffinlids standing outside. The film shifts; pawnbroking establishment vanishing, the undertaker's seems to jump, rather unsteadily, at the spectator.) P.
Page 46 - ... exhibits signs of anguish. Rushes into arms of PictureBosphorus, who consoles him. They talk.) At the piano Mr. B. vamps : " Pack up your troubles." B. (singing) : Poets who cannot sell their manuscripts Must Hope ! Hope ! Hope ! Poisons are costly and to hang yourself Needs rope ! Expensive rope ! Summer flow'rs are coming and for rhyme they give much scope ! So ! If there's no money in sham Tennyson Try Pope ! Pope ! Pope ! P. BULFIN : That isn't Poetry. That's modern. . . . Here ! What's wrong...
Page 43 - But, you've seen life from the cradle to the grave. My cradle came from the pawnshop; my obsequies Perforce will be inexpensive; public-houses I never entered much; at times; at times! My mother used to get my pre-natal Stout From that establishment, which lends it interest. She had a quart a day; and gin at threepence! The short and simple annals . . . P. BULFIN: Stop that talkin And tell me what it says . . . (The screen displays the words: Touching Meeting With Erstwhile Humble Retainer.
Page 70 - I can't get near the spades, Master. In the arbour, Master. Long of your dog, Master. Bossy — 34241 — Master, e usually fetches the spades. BOSPHORUS: "The possession of unusual gifts, whether of the intellect, the imagination, or even of physique, subjected those to whom they were attributed to grave suspicion on the part of the authorities.
Page 45 - Pour out liquid amethysts in wine ; and charm, Charm, charm, charm me where the air breathes warm ! (The screen exhibits legend: A HARD PURCHASER. WIDOW TRIES TO SAVE HOME BY PARTING WITH VALUED TREASURES. Within pawnbroker's shop Gentleman behind counter is seen to receive paper scroll from hands of widow. Gentleman unfolds scroll and reads.
Page 77 - MASTER: Your Grace, I desire nothing else. But whilst the State exists, I, its servant, am its loyal servant. I therefore do my best to have all lecturers — and in particular this 34241 — interrupted to the point of inaudibility. When the interrupters, worn out, can no longer continue to mask the lecturer's voice, I announce Half Time. (He blows whistle.) Half Time! Half Time there! (He goes up Stage and mingles with Pauper Audience, who begin talking to him.) CLARISSA: Be...
Page 43 - The same old street ! (On screen : Street, after preliminary stutterings, reappears. Hurried passengers with improbable gift of speed. A policeman's back ; improbably white-gloved hands folded behind him. An eminently, even improbably respectable Widow, crepe bonnet, white apron, passes alone across picture.
Page 100 - He carries by strap over shoulder a one-legged barrel-organ; the top covered with antique green baize. VOICE OF BOSPHORUS: This, this is what they offer us To versify. VOICE OF SOUTHERN MUSE: My Bosphorus...