Punch: Punch (87.1884)

December 20, 1884.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

291

THE AFRICAN VENUS.

AN EASTER OFFERING.

Parliaments must sometimes adjourn, and so, Mr. Punch sup-
poses, must Royal Commissions. That on the Housing of the Working
Classes has suspended its sittings until 19th February, 1885. The
Prince of Wales and his colleagues have, it appears, been pegging
away to the tune of two meetings per week during the sitting of
Parliament, have taken heaps of evidence, and accumulated piies..of
i facts and opinions. And “it is hoped that the Report relating to
England and Wales will be presented to Her Majesty before
! Easter.” Well, if it does, and if it embody practical suggestions for
prompt action, Her Majesty and her loyal subjects—Mr. Punch

Srominent amongst them—will probably say, as Herrick did of the
amsel’s dancing,—

“ No sun upon an Easter Day
Was half so fine a sight.”

But Pelion upon Ossa of “ facts and opinions ” will not help the
slum-dwellers more than picturesque, statements, or impassioned
appeals, unless made the basis and inspiration of large and undelayed
activity. Mr. Punch will keep his eyes open for that Easter Egg,
and trusts it may not turn out to be an addled one.

JOSEPH WASNER HENLEY.

Born, 1793. Died, December 9, 1884.

Gone ! “ Government by gab ” its ministrants

Finds in the votaries of the fads and cants,

Were Henleys not so rare, they ’d dower the earth
With Government by sense and solid worth.

Redistribution.

A List of Possible Candidates!” “Non-

sense! there can’t be more than one possible ‘ Candidate,'1 ” says
Mr. Charles Wyndham—“ Criterion.” The Authorship of this
successful Play is now attributed to either Mr. Newdegate or Mr.
Warton; or both, in “collaboration.”

Lord Tennyson’s latest work is play. In the First Act, Bechet is
“fighting with beasts” at Northampton. Is there in this any
modern political allusion? The phantom M.P. for Northampton
would he a nasty one to tackle even for St. Dunstan, let alone
“Becket.”