DOI issue:
July to December, 1845
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16541#0106
98
PUNCH, OR* THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
can imagine a pig-stye or a cow-house, for it can occasionally plan those
edifices. It is likewise apt, on very slender grounds, to imagine that the
country is going to the dogs, and itself to the workhouse. It cannot,
however, imagine fields ploughed by steam, or crops raised by electricity,
or how anybody could be mad enough to think such things possible. Nor
can it, nor ever could it, imagine what Parliament is about.
Memory.—In general, the memory of the agricultural mind is short ;
though it can sometimes remember what happened to it a week ago. It
•an remember, too, for a long time, when wheat was so much, that is, very
much, a load. It can also remember promises made by " Farm*?*'
Friends," at the last election ; as, without the aid of Major Be.YiOws*:,
it will probably show on the next.
Judgment.—The agricultural mind is a good judge of horse-flesh, and
of the conflicting pretensions of fat cattle ; and, though it does not usually
understand chaff, forms, ordinarily, a fair judgment of grain. It judges
pretty well, too, of the weather: though, in this respect, it often submits"its
judgment to Moore's Almanack. But Moore, or Murphy, or any other
prophet, may be defied to predict weather that will satisfy ifc,
PROFESSOR BUCKWHEAT EDUCING THE AGRICULTURAL MIND.
ANOTHER FARMER'S FRIEND.
Mr. Grantley Berkeley has been trying hard, by means of
correspondence in the papers, to give Mr. Bright a sort of "punch
on the head ;" a favourite mode of argument with Mr. Grantley
Berkeley. We. however, merely notice these epistles, that we
may help to display in the very rosiest hues the peculiar benevolence
of Mr. Grantley Berkeley. He is another of the farmer's | of an Act of Parliament ? " An Act for the Preservation of Game !'
friends. A few more such friends, and woe, indeed, to the English \ Why the title is altogether a misnomer—a folly—a bouncing flam.
allure him to the pleasures of the field, and thereby cause him to
neglect his farm. As for the paltry consideration of pheasants and
partridges, that is nothing ; the game has not dust-weight in the
balance against this new Berkeleyean theory of friendship for the
farmer. Was there ever such tenderness shown by high to low as
this ? Was there ever manifested such delicacy of sentiment, though,
to vulgar eyes, it may seem thickly veiled by the natural fogginess
yeoman ! Indeed, no human creature ever suffered so much from
friendship as the British farmer. He is an Orestes who finds a
Pylades in dukes, and lords, and baronets, and honourables. He is
quite the pet of the aristocracy, who are continually thinking how
It should run thus : " An Act for the Preservation of the Farmer."
True benevolence is creative : sympathy begets sympathy, as upon
moved waters circle begets circle. Hence, profoundly touched by
the peculiar tenderness of Mr. Berkeley towards the farmer, and
they shall best protect and delight their darling. It is a noble thing j acknowledging its suggestiveness, we would propose that in all cases
to contemplate—a matter to make our bosom swell like a mainsail— J rents should be at least doubled. As they at present are, it is evident
to think of the friendship of a Duke of Buckingham, a starred and ! that their very lightness acts as an inducement to idleness and
gartered Pythias, for Roger Stack, a humble bacon-eating Damo.v. j extravagance upon the tenant. Keep him poor, and you keep him
We see in this touching amity a proof that however artificial man | temperate and industrious. Let him save money, and he will neglect
may become—however he may be elevated on the conventional dais j his farm ; visiting watering-places, following Her Most Gracious
—he has an old yearning for the rustic dignity of his original stock ; ! Majesty wherever she may jaunt abroad, and, perhaps, hazard a
he needs must fraternise with " good old men in Adam's likeness." j throw or so at Baden-Baden. But load him with heavy rent, and
And this feeling shows a beautiful homage to the calling of our first
father. In this high, this truly affecting sense—for we say nothing
you fix him anxiously to the soil. Ms. Berkeley has, doubtless,
seen the fatal effects of dogs and guns on farmers. Tempted by them,
about high rents—dukes and lords are the friends of the farmers. j the husbandmen have cared not for ploughing time or sowing season
And Mr. Grantley Berkeley, fired with a noble zeal, must j —their constant song has been the careless carol of Hawthorn in the
also show his friendship. He cries, with the conspirator in the play
—though, be it understood, not with his wicked meaning—" let's all
embrace." Different men, however, have different modes of illus-
trating their regard and affection. Mr. Berkeley—to show the ; farmers, lest they shoot their fortunes !
depth and intensity of his friendship for the farmer—would rigor-
opera,— While I have my dog and my gun! Hence, Mr. Berkeley
would reclaim the tenants. Fire-arms are denied to children, lest
they shoot themselves ; fowling-pieces are not to be permitted to
Under every circumstance, we pity the farmer, persecuted as he is
ously deny him the luxury of dog or gun. And wherefore? (Ay, j by friends; and would advise him, if possible, to renounce the
now comes out the subtlety of the friendship—now is shown the j friendship of nobles, and, reversing the rule of Mrs. Malappqp, to
profound working of the good intention.) Because they should not | end, if possible, with " a little aversion."
PUNCH, OR* THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
can imagine a pig-stye or a cow-house, for it can occasionally plan those
edifices. It is likewise apt, on very slender grounds, to imagine that the
country is going to the dogs, and itself to the workhouse. It cannot,
however, imagine fields ploughed by steam, or crops raised by electricity,
or how anybody could be mad enough to think such things possible. Nor
can it, nor ever could it, imagine what Parliament is about.
Memory.—In general, the memory of the agricultural mind is short ;
though it can sometimes remember what happened to it a week ago. It
•an remember, too, for a long time, when wheat was so much, that is, very
much, a load. It can also remember promises made by " Farm*?*'
Friends," at the last election ; as, without the aid of Major Be.YiOws*:,
it will probably show on the next.
Judgment.—The agricultural mind is a good judge of horse-flesh, and
of the conflicting pretensions of fat cattle ; and, though it does not usually
understand chaff, forms, ordinarily, a fair judgment of grain. It judges
pretty well, too, of the weather: though, in this respect, it often submits"its
judgment to Moore's Almanack. But Moore, or Murphy, or any other
prophet, may be defied to predict weather that will satisfy ifc,
PROFESSOR BUCKWHEAT EDUCING THE AGRICULTURAL MIND.
ANOTHER FARMER'S FRIEND.
Mr. Grantley Berkeley has been trying hard, by means of
correspondence in the papers, to give Mr. Bright a sort of "punch
on the head ;" a favourite mode of argument with Mr. Grantley
Berkeley. We. however, merely notice these epistles, that we
may help to display in the very rosiest hues the peculiar benevolence
of Mr. Grantley Berkeley. He is another of the farmer's | of an Act of Parliament ? " An Act for the Preservation of Game !'
friends. A few more such friends, and woe, indeed, to the English \ Why the title is altogether a misnomer—a folly—a bouncing flam.
allure him to the pleasures of the field, and thereby cause him to
neglect his farm. As for the paltry consideration of pheasants and
partridges, that is nothing ; the game has not dust-weight in the
balance against this new Berkeleyean theory of friendship for the
farmer. Was there ever such tenderness shown by high to low as
this ? Was there ever manifested such delicacy of sentiment, though,
to vulgar eyes, it may seem thickly veiled by the natural fogginess
yeoman ! Indeed, no human creature ever suffered so much from
friendship as the British farmer. He is an Orestes who finds a
Pylades in dukes, and lords, and baronets, and honourables. He is
quite the pet of the aristocracy, who are continually thinking how
It should run thus : " An Act for the Preservation of the Farmer."
True benevolence is creative : sympathy begets sympathy, as upon
moved waters circle begets circle. Hence, profoundly touched by
the peculiar tenderness of Mr. Berkeley towards the farmer, and
they shall best protect and delight their darling. It is a noble thing j acknowledging its suggestiveness, we would propose that in all cases
to contemplate—a matter to make our bosom swell like a mainsail— J rents should be at least doubled. As they at present are, it is evident
to think of the friendship of a Duke of Buckingham, a starred and ! that their very lightness acts as an inducement to idleness and
gartered Pythias, for Roger Stack, a humble bacon-eating Damo.v. j extravagance upon the tenant. Keep him poor, and you keep him
We see in this touching amity a proof that however artificial man | temperate and industrious. Let him save money, and he will neglect
may become—however he may be elevated on the conventional dais j his farm ; visiting watering-places, following Her Most Gracious
—he has an old yearning for the rustic dignity of his original stock ; ! Majesty wherever she may jaunt abroad, and, perhaps, hazard a
he needs must fraternise with " good old men in Adam's likeness." j throw or so at Baden-Baden. But load him with heavy rent, and
And this feeling shows a beautiful homage to the calling of our first
father. In this high, this truly affecting sense—for we say nothing
you fix him anxiously to the soil. Ms. Berkeley has, doubtless,
seen the fatal effects of dogs and guns on farmers. Tempted by them,
about high rents—dukes and lords are the friends of the farmers. j the husbandmen have cared not for ploughing time or sowing season
And Mr. Grantley Berkeley, fired with a noble zeal, must j —their constant song has been the careless carol of Hawthorn in the
also show his friendship. He cries, with the conspirator in the play
—though, be it understood, not with his wicked meaning—" let's all
embrace." Different men, however, have different modes of illus-
trating their regard and affection. Mr. Berkeley—to show the ; farmers, lest they shoot their fortunes !
depth and intensity of his friendship for the farmer—would rigor-
opera,— While I have my dog and my gun! Hence, Mr. Berkeley
would reclaim the tenants. Fire-arms are denied to children, lest
they shoot themselves ; fowling-pieces are not to be permitted to
Under every circumstance, we pity the farmer, persecuted as he is
ously deny him the luxury of dog or gun. And wherefore? (Ay, j by friends; and would advise him, if possible, to renounce the
now comes out the subtlety of the friendship—now is shown the j friendship of nobles, and, reversing the rule of Mrs. Malappqp, to
profound working of the good intention.) Because they should not | end, if possible, with " a little aversion."