Punch (12.1847)

156

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

"OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT."

UCH is the title under which various provincial
journals keep a contributor in town, whose

ILLUSTRATED LAW BOOKS.

The rage for illustrated literature is now so universal, that scarcely
duty"it" is^to^senoTTweekly column of exclu- a book issues from the press without the aid of pictorial embellishment,
sive intelligence. The intelligence is certainly j We are astonished that Illustrated Law Books have not yet been
exclusive enough being the exclusive manu- added to the catalogue of pictorial publications, for there are certainly

1 many legal scenes to which the artist might impart the most lively
interest. The " Distraint for Rent" would admit of the most effective
treatment in the hands of a skilful illustrator, whose fancy might be
allowed to revel among tables and chairs in a particularly taking
manner. It would be easy to elevate the subject from its disagreeable

facture of the individual who forwards it. The
person engaged in the capacity of London Cor-
respondent is compelled to affect an acquaint-
ance with all that is passing in the best-informed
circles ; but as his sphere of observation is

confined to the limited circle of the tavern he ! homeliness by placing the characters in the toga or table-cloth of

frequents, he is obliged to draw upon his imagi-
nation for the "facts " he furnishes to the pro-
vincial journal. It cannot be expected that
there will be much veracity in his statements,
but what they want in truth is made up in
audacity. Upon the strength of what he picks
up from his fellow reporters on the London
press, he has generally something to say about
the movements, intentions, engagements, or
non-engagements of the leading writers, about
whom he knows positively nothing. Occasion-
ally he has some grand scheme to communi-
< ate with reference to the starting of a new
daily paper, which is to oppose every other
journal in existence, and is to be conducted by
everybody, who have all seceded from every-
thing else, for the purpose of putting every
possible and impossible strength into the new
enterprise. Proprietors, printers, publishers,
editors, contributors, reporters, and indeed the entire establish-
ment, from the highest to the lowest, are said by "our London
Correspondent" to be on the poiDt of abandoning profit, position,
character, and everything else, to start a wilful opposition to the paper
in which they all have a mutual interest. _ZZ
When " our London Correspondent" is asked for his authority—
though it is seldom worth any one's while to do that—his announce-
ment of a new paper is found to rest on no foundation whatever. It
enabled him to fill up a portion of his required sheet, aud he cannot
afford to be scrupulous as to the means of doing so.

" Our London Correspondent" is of courss in the confidence of all
the Ministers and all the leading Members of the Opposition ; and yet,
upon his own showing, if his boast be true, he is betraying all the
secrets entrusted to him on all sides, for a few shillings a week from a
country newspaper. He knows that Lord John Russell will not be
in office another month at least four years before he goes out, and thus
" our London Correspondent " proves the access he has to very very
early—a little too early—intelligence. He can tell you who is to have
the next garter, when there is none vacant ; and has seen letters from
Jenny Lind or Mendelsohn, notwithstanding no letter has been
written by either of these illustrious individuals.

In fact, " our London Correspondent" lives in a world of his own,
which enables him to see a great deal more than is seen by anybody
else ; and the best of it is, that there can be no witnesses to prove the
contrary of his assertions, for his facts are so truly original, that he
has them all to himself, and no one else has an opportunity of meeting
them.

HEBREW MELODIES.

There is no truth in the report that Mr. Disraeli's new novel is
being adapted for the Italian stage, and will be played with the
original music of Tancredi. We believe an eminent composer of the
Jewish persuasion is busy in arranging variations on themes taken
from Tancred, to be played on the Jew's harp, which cannot fail, with
the impulse Mr. Disraeli has given everything Caucasian, to be the
fashionable instrument, shortly, in everybody's mouth. A symphony
for six Jew's harps is making a deal of noise in the musical circles of
Houndsaitch.

Tbe Mendicity Market.

The Eton Montem is abolished ; so little boys who run away from
school and are caught begging, will, for the future, be taken up and
treated as good-for-nothing vagrants.—The Repeal Association is
reduced to its last penny. It is expected that the Kidderminster will
be hung out over the portico in a few days, and all the effects disposed
of. There is a great commotion amongst the buttermen, on account of
the greater part of the property consisting of the members' speeches.
—Pennsylvanian Bonds are looking up, but the shareholders of the
English Opera House have not been able to ascertain yet the value of
one of their shares.

antiquity in the followiog fashion :—

DISTRAINT FOR RENT.

An illustrated edition of Coke upon Littleton must become exceed-
ingly popular, for the illumination would help to throw a light upon
the obscurities of the work alluded to.

The peculiarly touching incident of " An Arrest for Debt" would
be very powerful in the hands of an artist with sufficient grasp to
enable him to seize his subject in a decided manner.

ARREST FOR DEBT.

The well-known activity with which the Doe and the Roe of former
times were in the habit of running up and down in every bailiwick