Punch (8.1845)

^02 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

PARLIAMENTARY MARE'S NEST.

O72 readers probably are not aware of the fact, that there exists in the I the Queen's band, stationed in the vicinity. They then enter the vault
■vaults underneath the House of Lords that singular natural curiosity, a I which Mr. Pulsion explores with his lantern. During this proceeding, it

Mare's Nest, a regular search after which is made with much pomp and
eeremony at the opening of each session. The object of quest is a magazine
of gunpowder which Guy Fa wkes annually deposits in the place in question,
with the diabolical view of blowing up the illustrious House, the Queen,
and all her Ministers ; that is, at least, which he would deposit there for
that execrable purpose, if he had not been hanged, drawn and quartered
two hundred and forty years ago. The Mare's-nesting is managed by the
yeomen of the guard, led by Mr. Pulsion, the Yeoman Usher of the
Black Rod ; and, we are informed, is thus effected. The yeomen, all in
uniform, with Mr. Pulsion at the head of them, carrying his rod in one
hand and a dark-lantern in the other, march with a succession of long
strides, pausing between each, to the entrance of the vault. Their move-

is customary for Mr. Pulsion to stumble and go heels-overhead, and, on
getting up again, to hit the nearest yeoman on the nose. The mare's-
nest having been discovered, that is to say, do gunpowder having been
found, but only a heap of rubbish mistaken for it, the explorers emerge in
order such as they entered in. and Mr. Pulmon communicates his
discovery confidentially to Peel. The Queen, Ministers, Lords and
Commons, then mutually congi-atulate one another on the danger they
have escaped, and proceed with the business of the nation. Now, as
Gut Fawkes has just as good an opportunity of blowing up Her Majesty
and the Parliament at the end as he has at the beginning of the Session,
it is strange that on the latter occasion no search should be instituted ;
for, if it were, the result no doubt would be the discovery of just as large

ments are regulated by characteristic and descriptive music, played by | a mare's-nest as that above mentioned.

THE NEW TARIFF,

By the new Customs resolutions 430 articles are to be henceforth i duty free : but if we were to see a lot of stuff in a. window, marked

duty free. This sounds exceedingly well, but when we ask the child's
question, whether Sir R Peel's boon comprises "anything good to
eat," we are bitterly disappointed at the reply which the list presents
to us.

Among the articles that may henceforth be had cheap, there are
at least half, that we, in our innocence, never heard of. The second
g upon the list is A/ganobilli, which we shall be glad if any of
our correspondents will favour us with a bit of—or a drop of—as the
case may be, that we may ascertain how far the public will be likely
to benefit by its coming in free of duty. The first really intelligible
article we come to is Arsenic, of which there is already more
than enough in this country ; but as arsenic seems to be all the rage,
the Premier perhaps thought a spice of it would be well-timed at
the present moment

" Divi Did," two-pence a pound, or a placard inscribed " New Tariff,
the Duty off dnnabans Natim," we should be puzzled to know what
to make of it. Fustic and Ginseng will doubtless be a boon to those
who are fond of such things, though we confess we should not like to
venture to take any ; while our objections to Eupkerbwm and
Tragacanth are equally insuperable.

The Premier is particularly favourable to the poisoning interests,
for he releases Hellebore as well as Arsenic; and Ipecacuanha, Senna,
and Jalap, will also be let in : so that Sir R. Peel may exclaim
literally, " Here's medicine for thy grief," when the poor man asks
what the Tariff will do for him.

We are to have iron in the pig, but whether a live pig with a ring
run through his nose will be let in is doubtful. The leaves of roses

c pico^riiu luuiurn b.---~— ~-------- . . 1/2 1 ' ±1 *

Betf-vood is a promising title, but we fear that beefsteaks, even *V also to come in free ; but perhaps there ts some se fistoess mth^

as hard as a hoard, will not he let in free by the abandonment of the <«* the Premier would no doubt like to h»« a bed of them Our eye

duty on beef-wood. If we cannot have the meat, however, we may wm caught by the words, goose undressed ; but on looking turtner

be allowed the bones, for these are to be henceforth untaxed ; and ^ <V>,uul *t is the skin only ot the foolish bird that we are to be

as .he hoofs of cattle are also to be let in, an attempt may be made Seated to exempt from duty. In conclusion, we defvthemost

to get calfVfoot jelly for the million out of them. ingenious cook to hash up a dinner out of the whole 430 articles

Canel/a Alba, Cinnabaris Natim, and Dim Dim, are also to come in After exercising our culinary sagacity to the utmost extent, we find