I Am A Courtier Grave and Serious Lyrics

Duke. I am a courtier grave and serious
Who is about to kiss your hand :
Try to combine a pose imperious
With a demeanour nobly bland.
Mar. & Giii. Let us combine a pose imperious
With a demeanour nobly bland.
[MARCO and GIUSEPPE endeavour to carry out his
instructions.
Duke. That 's, if anything, too unbending
Too aggressively stiff and grand ;
[They suddenly modify their attitudes.
Now to the other extreme you're tending
Don't be so deucedly condescending!
Duch. & Cas. Now to the other extreme you're tending
Don't be so dreadfully condescending!
Mar. & Giu.
Duke.
Oh, hard to please some noblemen seem!
At first, if anything, too unbending;
Off we go to the other extreme
Too confoundedly condescending!
Now a gavotte perform sedately
Offer your hand with conscious pride;
Take an attitude not too stately,
Still sufficiently dignified.
Mar. & Giu.
Duke.
[Beating time. ]
Now for an attitude not too stately,
Still sufficiently dignified.
[They endeavour to carry out his instructions.
Oncely, twicely oncely, twicely
Bow impressively ere you glide. [They do so.
Capital both you've caught it nicely!
That is the sort of thing precisely!