Punch (10.1846)

236

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

FASHIONS FOR ADVERTISERS,

A practice has lately sprung up among advertisers, of sending out '
persons li made up" in such a style as to represent the article it is i
intended to advertise. We have seen a series of men converted into
gigantic hats, and we have observed other contrivances of equal inge-
nuity. We think, however, the principle might be still farther carried
out, in a manner that would combine wondrous effect with startling I
novelty. Iu advertising a pill, for instance, what could be more striking
thau a human being rolling along the street in the shape of a tremen-
dous bolus ? Or in advertising a boot-jack, could anything be better
than to send an individual into the Strand, folded up, or made out into
the form of that most useful implement ? The " gentleman's real head
of hair," might also be placed on castors, with a boy inside the wig, and
it could thus perambulate the streets with a certainty of acquiring

that notoriety which is the acknowledged object of all advertisements.
We saw, a day or two ago, in the Strand, a number of individuals
" got up " in the conventional clothing of British tars, with belts round
their waists, to save them from drowning, and carrying huge placards,
announcing some contrivance that was to be purchased somewhere of
somebody. This was all very well, but it struck us that it would have
been much more effective if the bearers of the placards had been float-
ing about the Thames, with their bill-boards raised above them to act
as sails, while the belts, by keeping their wearers above water, would
give ocular demonstration of the value of the principle.

In making this suggestion, we hope to get rid of the monster-vans
and other advertising nuisances, which are so very objectionable in the
streets of the Metropolis.

A DOG OF DOGS

Mr. Jesse is a book-maker of an industrious turn. He has made
books about trees and natural history—very readable, chatty books,
but by no means so deep that the reader may drown himself in them.
Jesse, in fact, wields the scissors with a judicious hand—applies the
wafer with a delicate finger. His last-made book is called Anecdotes
of Dogs; a very pretty book, worthy of the proverbial magnificence
and taste of his publisher. Now, Punch has a deep affection for Dogs ;
indeed, so large a love for them, that there are a few statues—yea, even
royal ones—in London, that Punch, could he have his will, would
take down ; elevating to their pedestals the vera effigies of some Dog of
great moral beauty,—some Dog of incorruptible fidelity,—some Dog of
mingled benevolence and sagacity. We could get all these Dogs from
the pages of Jesse : but the Dog of Dogs is Jesse's Irish Wolf-dog.
What a nose has he for the descendants of the Irish Kiogs ! Let the
following veracious story, chronicled by the guileless Jesse, attest the
loyalty of the Irish bow-wow !—

" A gentleman of an ancient family, whose name it is unnecessary to mention, from
his having been engaged in the troubles which agitated Ireland about forty years since,
went into a coffee-room at Dublin, during that period, accompanied by a noble wolf-dog,
supposed to be one of the last of the breed. There was only one other gentleman in the
coffee-room, who, on seeing the dog, went up to him, and*began to notice him. The
owner, in considerable alarm, begged him to desist, as the dog was fierce, and would
never allow a stranger to touch him. The gentleman resumed his seat, when the dog
same to him, showed the greatest pleasure at being noticed, and allowed himself to be
fondled. His owner could not disguise his astonishment. ' You are the only person,'
he said, ' whom that dog would ever allow to touch him without showing resentment.
May I beg the favour of you to tell me your name ? '—mentioning his own at the same time.
The stranger announced it (he was the last of his race, one of the most ancient and noble
in Ireland, and descended from onr of its kings). ' I do not wonder,' said the owner
of the dog, ' at the homage this animal has paid you. He recognises in you the descendant
of one of our most ancient race of gentlemen to whom this breed of dogs almost exclusively
belonged, and the peculiar instinct he possesses has now been shown in a manner which
cannot be mistaken by me, who am so well acquainted with the ferocity this dog has hither-
to shown to all strangers.' "

There, reader, if you can swallow that, you can of course bolt the i
whole Book of Jesse without wincing. Punch, however, must ask one
question:—Is the race of Irish wolf-dogs extinct ?—and. if not. where

can a specimen be obtained ? By means of such a treasure, we could
immediately settle the long-debated question, whether O'Connell is
descended from King Brian Borohjee—or Smith O'Brien comes
in a right line from King Solomon (it having been proved by Milesian
historians that Solomon did once visit Tipperary). Indeed, as all the
Irish Members claim to come of Irish Kings, such an heraldic anti-
quarian as the noble wolf-dog above named, would at once settle their
pretensions to the blood-royal. " To go to the dogs " would then be
received as a phrase of most honourable interpretation. Certainly, if
the Irish wolf-dog be the dog that Jesse avouches, we can only say
that no Heralds' College " is complete without him."

Musical Intelligence.

The Court Circular of a few days ago gave a touching instance of the
high estimation in which English music is held at the Palace ; for it
is a pleasing and undoubted fact, that amongst the many pieces
executed, there was one by an English composer—

Introduction and Trio, . " Yes, time will show." (Mountain Svlph).—Babnett.

The good people of Cheltenham have, we understand, voted an address
of congratulation to the composer on his extraordinary good luck.

SOMETHING "NEW UNDER THE SUN."

We know one recent instance in which Mr. Beard so admirably
drew the photographic portrait of a beautiful lady, that—strange as
it may appear—her husband absolutely preferred it to the original.

A SAFE ADJOURNMENT.
Mr. Brotherton has been rather quiet this session. The Protec-
tionists speaking so much have generally saved him the trouble of
adjourning the House.

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Satifrdat, Mat 23. 1S46.