no process
necessary to make them our own. We, therefore, thought we would keep it
in unpublished form, and make more profit from the sale of the
pianoforte score and the words of the songs at the theatres and at the
music publishers.

We imagined that the allusions in the piece were so purely British in
their character, so insular in fact, that they would be of no interest
on this side; but events have shown that in that conclusion we were
mistaken. At all events, we have also arrived at the conclusion that we
have nobody to blame but ourselves. As it is, we have realized by the
sale of the book and the piano score in London about $7,500 apiece, and
under those circumstances I do not think we need to be pitied.
[Laughter.] For myself, I certainly do not pose as an object of
compassion. [Laughter.]

We propose to open here on the first of December at the Fifth Avenue
Theatre with a performance of "Pinafore." I will not add the prefixing
initials, because I have no desire to offend your republican sympathies.
[Laughter.] I may say, however, that I have read in some journals that
we have come over here to show you how that piece should be played, but
that I disclaim, both for myself and my collaborateur. We came here to
teach nothing--we have nothing to teach--and perhaps we should have no
pupils if we did. [Laughter.] But apart from the fact that we have no
copyright, and are not yet managers in the United States, we see no
reason why we should be the only ones who are not to be permitted to
play this piece here. [Laughter and applause.]

I think you will admit that we have a legitimate object in opening with
it. We have no means of knowing how it has been played in this country,
but we are informed that it has been played more broadly than in the old
country--and you know that may be better or worse. [Laughter.]

Afterward we propose to produce another piece, and in the fulness of
time the longer it is delayed perhaps the better for us [laughter], and
we propose to present it to an audience [laughter] in the same spirit in
which we presented "Pinafore"--in a most serious spirit--not to permit
the audience to see by anything that occurs on the stage that the actors
are conscious of the really absurd things they are doing. Whether right
or not, that is the way in which it was presented in London. We open
with "Pinafore," not to show how that ought to be played, but to show
how the piece that succeeds is about to be p