Ladies, both fair and gracious

Libretto/Lyrics/Text/Testo:

Recitative

SELLEM
Ladies, both fair and gracious, gentlemen:
Be al I welcome to this miracle of,
this most widely heralded of,
this, I am sure you follow me,
"nec plus ultra" of auctions.
Truly there is a divine balance in nature.
A thousand lose
that a thousand may gain.
And you, who are the fortunate,
are not so only in yourselves,
but also in being nature's missionaries.
You are her instruments
for the restoration of that order
we al I so worship.
And it is granted to,
ah, so few of us, to serve.

(Applause)

Let us proceed at once.
Lots one and two:
al I objects in the categories
animal, vegetable, and mineral.