Young man, despair

Gregory Reinhart, bass, as Pooh-Bah in a live recording of The Mikado
from the New York City Opera. Here are spoken dialogues followed by the
song, "Young man, despair." The photo montage is based on actual
onstage photos of the production, in a diaporama conceived by Caliari
Studios, France.
NANKI: Ko-Ko, the cheap tailor, Lord High Executioner
of Titipu! Why that's the highest rank a citizen can attain! POOH: It is.
Our logical Mikado, seeing no moral difference between the dignified
judge who condemns a criminal to die, and the industrious mechanic who
carries out the sentence, has rolled the two offices into one, and
every judge is now his own executioner.
NANKI: But how good of you (for
I see that you are a nobleman of the highest rank) to condescend to
tell all this to me, a mere strolling minstrel!
POOH: Don't mention it. I
am, in point of fact, a particularly haughty and exclusive person, of
pre-Adamite ancestral descent.
You will understand this when I tell you that I can
trace my ancestry back to a protoplasmal
primordial atomic globule. Consequently,
my family pride is something inconceivable.
I can't help it. I was born sneering. But I struggle
hard to overcome this defect. I mortify my pride
continually. When all the great Officers of the State
resigned in a body because they were too proud to serve under an ex-tailor, did I not unhesitatingly accept
all their posts at once?
PISH: And the salaries attached to them? You did.
POOH: It is consequently my degrading duty to serve this upstart as First Lord of the Treasury, Lord Chief Justice,
Commander-in-Chief, Lord High Admiral, Master of the
Buckhounds, Groom of the Back Stairs, Archbishop of Titipu, and Lord Mayor, both acting and elect,
all rolled into one. And at a salary!
A Pooh-Bah paid for his service! I a salaried minion!
But I do it! It revolts me, but I do it!
NANKI: And it does you credit.
POOH: But I don't stop at that. I go and dine
with middle class people on reasonable terms.
I dance at cheap suburban parties for a moderate fee. I accept refreshment at any hands, however lowly.
I also retail state secrets at a very low figure. For instance, any further information
about Yum-Yum would come under the head of a state
secret. (Nanki-Pooh takes the hint, and gives him money.)
(Aside) Another insult, and I think a light one!
No. 4. "YOUNG MAN, DESPAIR"
POOH:
Young man, despair,
Likewise to go,
Yum-Yum the fair
You must not woo.
It will not do:
I'm sorry for you,
You very imperfect ablutioner!
This very day
From school Yum-Yum
Will wend her way,
And homeward come,
With beat of drum,
And a rum-tum-tum,
To wed the Lord High Executioner!
NANKI and PISH:
And the brass will crash, etc.
POOH:
It's a hopeless case,
As you may see,
And in your place
Away I'd flee;
But don't blame me
I'm sorry to be
Of your pleasure a diminutioner.
They'll vow their pact
Extrememy soon,
In point of fact
this afternoon.
Her honeymoon
With that buffoon
At seven commences,
So you shun her!
ALL:
And the brass will crash, etc.