a grotesque
exaggeration of the attitudes adopted by BUNTHORNE and the
young LADIES in Act I.]

[Enter DUKE... enter MAJOR... enter COLONEL, Attitude. They walk
to C.]

No. 16. It's clear that mediaeval art
(Trio)
Duke, Major, and Colonel

ALL 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 Aesthetic tastes, like trousers, ready
made.
True views on Medieavalism 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].

[Attitudes change in time to the music.]

COLONEL [attitude] Yes, it's quite clear that our only chance of
making a lasting impression on these young ladies is to become as
aesthetic as they are.

MAJOR [attitude] No doubt. The only question is how far we've
succeeded in doing so. I don't know why, but I've an idea that
this is not quite right.

DUKE [attitude] I don't like it. I never did. I don't see what
it means. I do it, but I don't like it.

COLONEL My good friend, the question is not whether we like it,
but whether they do. They understand these things -- we don't.
Now I shouldn't be surprised if this is effective enough -- at a
distance.

MAJOR I can't help thinking we're a little stiff at it. It
would be extremely awkw