Punch: Punch (36.1859)

JUNE 18, 1859.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 251

IMPERATRICE DE LA FRANCE ET DE LA MODE.

T is to the wife of Louis
Napoleon that the
fashionable world is in-
debted for the elegant
invention of crinoline.
Again, it is to the same
imperial inspiration that
the ladies have reason to
be grateful for the endow-
ment of that sumptuous
and becoming colour,
which modistes and Man-
tallinis delight in calling
Mauve. How many more
tasteful creations have
sprung from that imagi-
native brain, our milliners
and Jenkinses know in-
finitely better than we can
tell; but we think we have
said amply sufficient to
warrant us in placing the
jewelled crown of Fashion
on the fair head of the
accomplished daughter

of the CoMTESSE de

Montijo, and whom Scotland is not too proud to own as one of her loveliest
children. In grace and conception, in beauty and imagination, it must be willingly
acknowledged that the real Empress of Fashion is Eugenie. Her power is abso-
lute, for her rule is one of love, expressed in the prettiest forms by all, from the
viscountess to the washerwoman. We ask the ladies, the most impartial judges in
the difficult art of personal adornment, if they can point their little finger to any
other Empress, whose edicts are more cheerfully followed by her millions^ upon
millions of admiring subjects. It is said that there is the love of Fashion in the
heart of every woman. Taking this to be truth, and not satire, it is therefore
perfectly clear—much clearer than the Koh-i-Noor diamond—that Eugenie, as
the undisputed "Empress of Fashion," must live in the hearts of all those whose
greatest happiness it is on this earth to pay loving obedience, even to a matter of
slaverv, to her.

Companion Heroes.

The Zouaves have unanimously elected King Victor Emmanuel as Corporal
in their brave regiment. He will be spoken of as Le Grand Caporal, and will
figure as an historical pendant to the Emperor, who was known in the first Italian
campaign as Le Petit Caporal.

OUR RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.
& ?peace Song,

composed and volunteered by mr. punch.

Some talk of an invasion

As a thing whereat to sneeze,
And say we have no occasion

To guard our shores and seas :
Now, Punch is no alarmist,

Nor is moved by idle fears,
But he sees no harm that we all should arm

As Rifle Volunteers!

Lest sudden foes assail us,

'Tis well we be prepared ;
Our Fleet—who knows ?—may fail us,

Nor serve our shores to guard.
For self-defence then, purely,

Good reason there appears,
To have, on land, a force at hand

Of Rifle Volunteers!

To show no wish for fighting,

Our forces we 'd increase ;
But 'tis our foes by frighting

We best may keep at peace.
For who will dare molest us

When, to buzz about their ears,
All along our coast there swarms a host

Of Rifle Volunteers ?

Abroad ill winds are blowing,

Abroad war's vermin swarm ;
What may hap there's no knowing,

We may not 'scape the storm.
Athirst for blood, the Eagles

May draw our dove's-nest near ;
But we '11 scare away all birds of prey

With our Rifle Volunteers !

No menace we 're intending,

Offence to none we mean,
We arm but for defending

Our country and our Queen !
To British hearts 'tis loyalty

'Tis love her name endears :
Up ! then, and form! shield her from harm!

Ye Rifle Volunteers!

MORE VOLUNTEERS.

" Dear Mr. Punch,

" Your suggestion for the formation of a Ladies' Corps d'Armee
is delightful! Caroline and Julia and I have been talking it over
to-day, and we have determined at the next meeting of the Heartly
Ladies' Toxophilite Society, to propose the immediate formation of a
Volunteer Corps. We have already seen several of the members who
live near us, and they are charmed with the idea! The time has cer-
tainly arrived when 'England expects every woman to do her duty,'
and all who have a spark of patriotism in their breasts will see the
necessity of at once discarding all female restraints and incumbrances
—of laying aside the hoop petticoat and getting up a war-whoop
instead.

" We have had a little conversation about the uniform. Of course
it will be desirable to have ' a swashing and a martial outside,' as
Rosalind says—and the dress you have sketched seems likely to be
serviceable, and by no means unbecoming. In the picture of my
Grandfather, which hangs in the hall, he is represented in his uniform
as Colonel of the Volunteers, in 1804, and he wears what I believe was
then called a gorget, a very pretty-looking piece of gold armour for pro-
tecting the throat—don't you think we could have something of that
sort with advantage ? It might be of gold in the form of a heart, and
studded with small rubies, emblematic of the drops we are ready to shed
in defence of our country. Any suggestions you can send us before the
meeting, which will be on the 18th of June {Waterloo Pay), will
be acceptable. Much has been said against our Hoops, but they will
rise in every one's estimation when applied to the obviously useful and
necessary purpose for which they are exactly adapted, I mean, of
course, Bell Tents for the Campaign. Julia and I find we can lie
quite comfortably under one.

" I would suggest a design for a silk standard—a burning heart,
engraved with the Arms of England, and surrounded with the white

and red roses and tulips which we have, and branches of the laurels
we mean to reap. Believe me, dear Mr. Punch,

" Yours very cordially,

" Georgina Bowyer."

" P.S. What were those weapons made of that they called Match-
locks ? Did they make a bang ? "

A MASS OF ERROR.
A Telegram from Vienna, dated June 4, announced that—

" This morning a great religious solemnity, with procession and public prayers,
took place here, imploring Heaven to bless our arms with victory. All the Members
of the Imperial family and the Ministers were present. The Mass was read by
Monseiqneur Lucca, the Nuncio to the Pope."

Another telegram of the same date from Novara, conveyed the
following intelligence:—

" THE EMPEROR TO THE EMPRESS.

" At 11 '30 a great victory was won at the bridge of Magenta ; 5,000 prisoners aie
taken, and 15,000 of the enemy are killed or wounded."

Parodying a well-known free translation of a celebrated Latin verse,
we may observe that—

" Heaven and the Pontiff did in this divide,
It chose the conquering, he the conquered side."

It is quite clear that papal infallibililfy does not extend to the' know-
ledge of which is the right side to pray for, or the Pope never would
have suffered his Nuncio to say mass for the Austrians at the very
time that they were being soundly licked by the French.

Approaching Marriage in High Life.—The Achilles in Hyde
Park, to the "Angelic" Lady in Apsley House Gardens.