Punch: Punch (17.1849)

^38 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI

" Now I bare say, Bill, that air beast of a Dog is a good deal more petted than

You or I should be.1 7

NOTHING CAN COME OF NOTHING;

There Lave lately come into fashion in
musical circles some German compositions
called " Songs without words." These must be
an immense improvement on the productions
of our modern English ballad writers, whose
songs would have been unobjectionable had
there been no words introduced into them.
We ourselves have serious thoughts of bring-
ing out a volume of these songs without
words, for we often feel within us that we
are a muffled Moore, or a tongue-tied Ten-
nyson at least, and if the public would only
accept our songs without our being under the
necessity of furnishing the words, we should
acquire the reputation of a " mute," but not
an "inglorious Milton." The principle of
songs without words is not quite a new one,
for we have long been accustomed on the
stage to jokes without point, and plays with-
out characters. It is nothing more than the
old story of Hamlet without the Prince qf
Denmark over again, and though the public
has taken very warmly to these songs with-
out words, the idea is not entitled to any
praise on the point of novelty.

Encouragement to Farmers.

In the Diggings it is well known there is
an utter absence of Protection, so that each
individual has to take care of himself; and
yet there is no place in the world where the
loaf commands a better price.

THE FLYING DUTCHMAN.

% tfMz 36allatr.

It's all of the Sea-Sarpent, as late we did 'ear say,

Wich appered aboard the Diddleus, and bold Capt'n Makeway :

There's ekal truth in other tails of sites by sailors seed,

Sick as them tails of Mermaids, with 'air just like seaweed.

It's of a hawful story, mates, wich well we know it's true,
All of the Flying Dutchman I '11 spin a yam to you.
It's off the Cape, in the wind's eye, when it do blow a gale,
Jib-boom to truck, a cloud of duck, you see that wessel sale.

There's landsmen says as how this Flying Dutchman's all a flam;
But they '11 believe it, now, my lads, or I a Dutchman am.
For wot's one Flying Dutchman as off the Cape we meet,
To all the Flying Dutchmen a-rated in our fleet ?

"f was the Britannia, Captain Bull, a good ship as you know,
Was cruising in the Channel, when the Times great guns did blow;
And Admiral Napier, being on board, his glass set to his eye,
When four hundred and fifty sail he all at once did spy.

Then said John Bull as walked the deck, " That's the British Fleet,"
says he,

" From ordinary they've corned out to sail upon the sea.

It's many a million pound they cost, but let them look for squalls,
As grudges what it takes to mend them precious wooden walls."

But Admiral Napier shook his 'ead and turned his quid and spoke:
" If them ain't Flying Dutchmen I wish I may be broke.
That there's the British fleet as was, but many a year 'twill be
Afore you see one o' that there fleet a-sailing on the sea.

It was when we had Ihrashed the foe all in the year fifteen,
Thirteen three-deckers we had then, as has never since been seen;
With two-deckers an 'undred and seventy and four,
And a good four hundred smaller craft, wich now they is no more.

There's ne'er a one, mate, see these ships for to go down at sea,
Nor took in action, neither, by the French enemy.
And that's wot puzzles me," says he, " and ort to puzzle you,
To find out where the blazes them wessels is gone to.

But them's the gosts of that there fleet, and ven it blows a gale,
Right in the Admiralty's eye you '11 see them for to sail."
John Bull he swore and says, says he, " Where they corned from well
I knows,

And blest if for the future I don't see where they goes."

Knife and Fork Memories.—Sir Peter Laurie always comes
out. conspicuous on great occasions. He is no more to be confounded
with humbler individuals than is the zebra at the Zoological Gardens
with the wild ass of the desert. No : he is ever very marked and
very fine. On the death of the Queen Dowager, a Court of Alder-
men was, of course, convoked "to express its sense on the melancholy
event." Upon this Sib, Peter "felt the greatest anxiety" to club
his share of sense of condolence. And upon these grounds: the

Queen Dowager had done "htm the high honour of visiting the
Mansion-house in his mayoralty." But Sir Peter was not to be
alone in his sorrow. Certainly not. For Alderman Humphrey must
contribute his " grateful recollections," inasmuch as he (Humphrey)
was, on the royal visit, Sheriff to Laurie's Mayor! The marvel
of the matter is, that any royal person soever should or could die,
who had " partaken of a dejeuner " with such a Mayor and suck
a Sheriff.