Punch (10.1846)

8S

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

THE BROOK GREEN VOLUNTEER.

Tiie Militia ItXan having been drunk and disorderly, is ordered by bis " Sashing- White Serjeant " to do

Double Duty.

EXTRAORDINARY MEETING OF THE DUKES.

(From our own Reporter.)

Understanding that a meeting of several of the Dukes -was to
take place last night in Palace Yard, I was early on the ground.
There were, however, no signs of the gathering until about two this
morning, when carriages—coming from various points—drove up
near to Canning's statue. Several parties then alighted ; some of
them carrying very handsome lanterns. Footmen spread various
turkey carpets on the stones ; and a van driving up, a table and easy
chairs were taken from it for the convenience of the distinguished i
noblemen assembled. These preparations being completed, the
footmen took a ': seDtinel ground" and the police—having assured
themselves that the Dukes contemplated no breach of the peace—
made no attempt to interrupt the proceedings.

The Duke of Norfolk, being unanimously called to the chair,
said he would not trespass long upon the time of his roble brethren.
They all knew the cause of their meeting. They were—many of
them—in the direst state of intellectual destitution. (Cries of
" You're right—toe are") He himself had heard of such a thing as
the History of England,—but he had never read it. (Cries of " Wc
believe it") He had heard of inductive philosophy, and Bacon too ; i
hut he had never known what Bacon was in all his life. (Cries oj
"shame!") For his own part, he did not care what Parliament did
for them ; as it was impossible that their condition could be worse.

The Duke of Richmond declared that in all his days he had
never heard of Delolme on the English Constitution. If it hadn't been
that bis brother, Lord William Lennox, had once read him a
littie bit of BLackstone, (it was in one of his Lordship's novels,) he
should not have known that a Peer was not allowed to make Mem- j
bers of Parliament.

The Duke of Buckingham assured the meeting that his condition
was no bit better than that of the last speaker. He knew something
of arithmetic, and was not ashamed to say that he knew a little of
poetry,—in proof of which his Grace immediately recited,—

" But a bold peasantry, a country's pride.
When once destroyed, can never be supplied."

The Duke of Marlborough said that, in all his life, he had
never read a book upon political economy. He had heard of Ri-
cardo and Maculloch, and had once gone through half of one of
Cobbett's Registers, but that was all. His cry, therefore, to the
Queen was " Free knowledge for the Dukes."

The Duke of Rutland addressed the meeting in the like strain ;
declaring that he had never read anything but the Game Laws,
which he bad by heart—(his Grace repeated many of his apparently
favourite clauses). He also knew the price of game at London
poulterers', but nothing more. And his Grace spoke with such a
touching earnestness of manner, it was impossible not to believe
him.

After a few other speeches of similar purport, a petition was agreed
upon to the Queen, praying that Her Majesty would do something,
as, in the expressive terms of the prayer, they (the Dukes) come
what might, "could not be worse."

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

Among the railways that have complied with the standing orders, is
the " John o'Groat and Land's End Junction, with Branches to Ben
Lomond and Battersea, and an Extension from Pannyer Alley to Peterloo
Direct " The standing orders consisted of an order to stand anything that
the Chairman liked to call for at the bar of the house where the
company holds its meetings

We understand that the secretary of one of the new lines was upset in
a cab with all the plans, which were accordingly thrown out, and the
papers are in the position of dropped notices.

The traffic on the Kensington railway, as taken from the bed-room
window of the house opposite, has consisted of a ton-and-a-half of coals
and a load of gravel. The pedestrian traffic of boys up and down the
line is somewhat increasing. A dividend has just been declared of the
cabbages grown on the bank. The policeman took one half, and the
secretary the other. We are happy to see that there is to be an
extension of the line of lettuces, which will be carried further north till
they join the trunk of the old beech-tree at the corner.