Punch (8.1845)

"lyrlDSUMMER is come; and with all its other glories—its sun and flowers — "the
pomp of groves, and garniture of fields"—brings with it that additional blessing
to the human family,—Another Volume of Punch !

And mankind—it delights us to avow the ennobling truth—mankind is touched with gratitude
for the felicity ! Ma. Gibbon, who wrote about those homicidal and burglarious rascals, the Romans,
deemed it a matter for his especial thanks, that he was born the member of a civilized nation : that he
was not born a Hottentot Gibbon, to be girdled with ovine offal—not an Esquimaux Gibbon, with a
fish-bone through his nostrils—but an English Gibbon, inheriting the decencies of broad-cloth and silken
hose, and privileged for rump-s^aks and port like any other Christian gentleman. In the like way, let
the present generation of men express a rapturous thanksgiving that they live in the printing days ol
Punch ! Let them, however, not be vainglorious or arrogant in their happiness. No : whilst the small
tear of gratitude twinkles in their right eye for a peculiar blessing, let them think with mournful
pity—with affectionate tenderness on the benighted condition of their forefathers. For they—poor souls !
—lived not in the typographic days of Punch !

But men are grateful. The hearts of the Antipodes beat towards us ! There is no infant colony
throughout the world that does not hold forth to us its little hands, even as babies hold forth theirs to their
loving fathers, to be nursed and dandled. And we are proud of this affection ! Very proud ; albeit
we continue to walk without silver trumpets before us, and hitherto have not mounted a peacock's
feather in our Sunday beaver !

We have selected this page wherein to write a letter to all the Powers of earth—to acknowledge
their kind intentions towards us, briefly—but oh ! with what sincerity !

All the Crowned Heads that glorify this otherwise shabby world have sent deputations to Punch
—(he has said not a word of the matter in his own Court Circular)—inviting him to pass the Midsummei
Holidays at their several Courts. " Dearest, sweetest Punch"—so runs the tenor of their invitations—