Flibberty gibberty

Flibbertigibbet is an ancient name for a fiend, dating back at least as far as 1603. Shakespeare used it in King Lear. It has also been used as a synonym for Puck (54). The OED (229) defines flibberty gibbet as flighty, frivolous, or senseless. This is getting close to what Gilbert must have had in mind. The term, we might add, is from a song that is left out of many editions. See Allen (3).

And so we come to the final curtain of the Savoy operas. To appease your prolonged applause and shouts of "Encore!" we obligingly append the two final chapters immediately following. Enjoy!