The Bab Ballads
W. S. Gilbert's comic ballads, the seed of the Savoy operas.
Measured across the book
Across its 3,239 lines, 94% of stressed syllables fall on the beat (95% interval 94% to 95%). Alliteration runs at 1.06 times what shuffling the words would give (0.23 observed against 0.21 expected). 25% of the lines have a feminine ending.
Baselines and intervals are described in the methods.
Contents
Captain Reeceiambic tetrameter · AABB · 92 linesThe Rival Curatesiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 92 linesOnly a Dancing Girliambic tetrameter · ABABBCC · 42 linesGeneral Johncommon measure · ABAB · 52 linesTo a Little Maid by a Policemaniambic trimeter · 27 linesJohn and Freddyiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 56 linesSir Guy the Crusaderanapaestic trimeter · ABBAB · 65 linesHauntediambic tetrameter · AAABCCCB · 64 linesThe Bishop and the ’Busmanshort measure · 76 linesThe Troubadouriambic trimeter · ABAB · 87 linesPart Itrochaic octameter · AABB · 28 linesPart IItrochaic octameter · AABB · 36 linesLorenzo De Lardyanapaestic common measure · ABAB · 20 linesAlice Eulalie Coraline, Euphrosine Colombina Thérèse, Juliette Stephanie Celestine, Charlotte Russe De La Sauce Mayonnaiseanapaestic trimeter · ABAB · 53 linesDisillusioned by an Ex-Enthusiastiambic tetrameter · AABCCB · 54 linesBabette’s Loveiambic tetrameter · ABABCC · 84 linesTo My Bride (Whoever She May Be)iambic pentameter · ABABCC · 42 linesThe Folly of Brown by a General Agentiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 80 linesSir Mackliniambic tetrameter · ABAB · 67 linesThe Yarn of the “Nancy Bell”iambic tetrameter · 92 linesThe Bishop of Rum-Ti-Fooiambic tetrameter · AAABCCCB · 96 linesThe Precocious Baby. a Very True Taleanapaestic dimeter · ABBAAAA · 77 linesMoraliambic tetrameter · AABB · 7 linesTo Phœbetrochaic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 16 linesBaines Carew, Gentlemaniambic tetrameter · ABAB · 92 linesThomas Winterbottom Hanceiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 88 linesThe Reverend Micah Sowlsiambic trimeter · AABB · 75 linesA Discontented Sugar Brokeriambic tetrameter · ABABCCDDB · 108 linesMoraliambic tetrameter · AABB · 11 linesThe Pantomime “Super” to His Maskiambic hexameter · 45 linesThe Force of Argumentanapaestic trimeter · ABAB · 84 linesThe Ghost, the Gallant, the Gael, and the Gobliniambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 96 linesThe Phantom Curate. a Fableiambic hexameter · ABABCC · 60 linesThe Sensation Captainiambic tetrameter · AABCCB · 103 linesTempora Mutanturtrochaic tetrameter · ABAAAB · 53 linesAt a Pantomime. by a Bilious Onecommon measure · ABAB · 68 linesKing Borria Bungalee Booanapaestic trimeter · ABABB · 101 linesThe Periwinkle Girliambic tetrameter · ABAB · 84 linesThomson Green and Harriet Haleiambic tetrameter · AABB · 64 linesBob Polteriambic tetrameter · ABAB · 100 linesThe Story of Prince Agibiambic pentameter · AABBA · 85 linesEllen M‘Jones Aberdeenanapaestic tetrameter · AABB · 83 linesPeter the Wagiambic tetrameter · ABABCDCD · 96 linesBen Allah Achmet; Or, the Fatal Tumiambic tetrameter · ABAB · 79 linesThe Three Kings of Chickerabooiambic pentameter · AABB · 71 linesJoe Golightly Or, the First Lord’s Daughteriambic tetrameter · ABAB · 24 linesBalladiambic trimeter · ABAB · 74 linesTo the Terrestrial Globe. by a Miserable Wretch18 linesGentle Alice Browniambic heptameter · AABB · 72 lines
About this text
Public domain. Text from The Bab Ballads, Project Gutenberg ebook #931. Free to read, print, copy and reuse.