Punch: Punch (57.1869)

254

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARL [December 25, 1869.

" BY THE SAD SEA WAVES/'

Mamma. " See, Marion ! In a few Seconds the Sun will Set in the Ocean !"
Marion. "Oh, yes, yes ! And what a Splash theke will be!"

A ROYAL EXAMPLE.
Here is a bit of pleasant reading for this pleasant Christmas season:

"Eoyal Gifts.—Sixty brace of pheasants have been presented by Her
Majesty the Queen to the University College Hospital, the Charing Cross
Hospital, and the "Windsor Infirmary, for the use of the patients."

There would be less outcry against our over game-preserving if our
sportsmen would but follow the excellent example which Hek Majesty
has set. We could well nigh bring ourselves to put forth some ex-
cuses for the butchery of battues, if the pheasants that are slaughtered
there were given to the poor. The feats of noble sportsmen in making
a big bag are continually nowadays paraded in the newspapers, and
penny-a-liners try to witch the world with noble sportsmanship by
describing how the Duke of Pottington and party have, with the aid of
double breechloaders, and gamekeepers, and beaters, succeeded in the
slaughter of a hecatomb of game. To any bat the snobbish mind such
paragraphs can hardly possess one whit of interest, and we fancy that
with most readers they are less likely to awaken admiration than dis-
gust. We should, however, view with tolerance, if not with actual
pleasure, announcements such as this :—

" Noble Spoht.—The Earl of Longtails has been entertaining a large
company of sportsmen at his shooting-box, near Hareborough, where, in spite
of the bad weather, his lordship has enjoyed some excellent days' slaughter in
his over-stocked preserves. At a battue in the home coverts, whien were shot
through on Friday last, the Duke of Guncotton, Lord Wipeye, General
Blazeaway, Captain Crackshot, Mr. Marksman, and Lord Longtails were
successful in making up the following good bag: viz., 1001 hares, 1002 rabbits,
999 pheasants, 11 partridges, 88 woodcocks, 3 squirrels, 2 beaters, and 1 goose.
The goose, we are informed, was shot just after lunch-time, being taken for a
lark; and the beaters, being only winged, can hardly be accounted as actually
bagged. With the sole exception of the squirrels and the woodcocks, eighty-
seven of which latter were thoughtfully distributed among his lordship's poor
relations, the whole of this enormous quantity of game was dispatched next
day to London, and presented to the hospitals; the goose and the excepted
woodcock, which weighed above twelve ounces, being specially reserved to
decorate the table of the worthy Mr. Punch."

ROUGH AND TUMBLE ITGHTING IN ST. PANCRAS.

The " Pancratium " was a Greek athletic game, made up of wrest,
ling, boxing, kicking, biting, and scratching—in short a Hellenic
" Rough and tumble," such as in these unclassic times one would have
thought none but Lancashire tykes would consider it otherwise than
brutal to indulge in. But the Pancratium has found a new home in
London with an appropriate name—the St. Pancras Board Room, where
the Guardians last week indulged in a regular " rough and tumble."
It is true that on this occasion bad language, bad manners, and bad
grammar were used instead of kicks and fisticuffs. Everything must
have a beginning, including the St. Pancras Prancratium. Let us
hope that humiliating exhibition of brutality and bad manners may
soon have an end also.

A Hopeless Struggle.

We are told that Da. Temple's opposers were very thorough and
particular in their opposition to his confirmation as Bishop or Exeter.
For instance, they required proof of his having been " born in lawful
wedlock," and that he was " a prudent and discreet man," &c. Indeed
they made themselves so ridiculous, that the only wonder is they did
not insist on evidence being furnished to show that Dr. Temple had
been vaccinated, or possessed money in the funds, or could swim, or
had never been summoned for non-payment of Church rates, or was
not in the habit of relieving beggars in the streets, &c.

the root of irish evil.

It used to be said that the Irish people were unwise in relying on
the potato. Their reliance on 'taturs was foolish enough, but still
more foolish is their faith in agitators.

THE SUEZ CANAL is certainly a Great Cut. But it is nothing
in comparison with the Great Cuts in Punch's Almanack. And yet
not one of his great artists has been made a Duke as yet!