Punch: Punch (56.1869)

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[April 24, 1869.

PIO NONO'S TWO JUBILEES.

“ On Sunday, April 11, was celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the ordi-
nation of his Holiness Pius tee Ninth.”—News from Borne.

Jubilate ! sing loud, to our brave Pio Nono !

Fifty years on his grey head their winters have strown
Since that head was first tonsured {pro publico bono ?);
Two-and-twenty, since o’er him the pallium was thrown !

Fifty years ! Let us hail thee, oh Bark of St. Peter,

That labourest sore in the stress of thy see,

And ask thee, which tide-set is stronger and fleeter,

That to port on thy chart, or to shore on thy lee.

Jubilate! sing loud, though the growl of the thunder
Bound the sore-shattered vessel be threatn’ningly rolled ;
Though her pumps are scarce able to keep the leaks under.

Ana her cargo’s dead weight is adrift in her hold !

Jubilate ! sing loud, in despite of the quaver,

That tells of the tremor of captain and crew -.

Perhaps holy water and relics may save her.

But ’tis more than the skill of her pilot can do !

Fifty years ! What has come of that Holy Alliance
That to young priest Mastai seemed a pillar of trust ?

Fifty years—to his order one long drawn defiance,

And for end, Peter’s pence, and. a throne in the dust.

From his dream of a Pope, free from trammels and fictions,

To give life to a nation, and faith to a world—

From Liberal longings, that once seemed convictions,

To the lowest Inferno of Priestcraft he’s hurled !

Contrast thy two jubilees ! That from a nalion
Bejoicing to link its new birth with thy name,

And this nasal chorus of priests’ gratulat'ion,

With no warmth of love and no forecast of faane.

Well for thee hadst thou died, ere Church mildews had eaten
The gloss of thy unworn tiara away.

Ere Italian’s hopes and man’s instincts, down-beaten,

Left thy soul to Priest’s hates and Pope’s terrors a prey.

Is the Apostrophe Right ?

One of the papers, in its account of the dinner given to Mr. Dickens
at Liverpool, spoke of the music as being performed by “ The Orphan
Boy’s Band.” As the “ Orphan Boy’s” music appears to have been
good, it would only have been fair to have given the “ Orphan Boy’s ”
name.

No Flattery.

We do not think that a smaller amount of praise than this was ever
bestowed upon a novel. Yet the publisher is grateful, and he extracts
the tribute into his advertisement.

“ All readers cannot fail to be interested in ‘ Oliver Lancaster.’ ”

Morning Star.

Can it Be So ?

The Bight Hon. John Bright, speaking as the President of the
Board of Trade, lets fall a word or two at times which may lead one to
the notion that, what with deputations in the day-time, and questionings
at night, he himself in his own person, without mention of his colleagues,
unfortunately constitutes the Bored of Trade.

OUR ART-SCHOOL CONVERSAZIONE.

At which (in consequence of the Increased Space anticipated at the Pi. A. Exhibition) there is a greater Crowd than usual.

Model {who has charge of the Hats cmd Coats). “No. 97? Yessir. There now ! If I didn’t see that ’at—ah—-not a Quarter
of an Hour ago !! ” [Not a very satisfactory look-out for Bounccfield, who has barely time to catch his last train!