Punch (19.1850)

R, PUNCH presents his profoundes* sense of admiration and respect to His Royal Highness
Prince Albert.

Mr. Punch, having completed another Volume—always a national event—ventures to address His
Royal Highness, as the originator of the Exhibition of the World's Industry in 1851; convinced that, as
His Royal Highness is deeply interested in the successful issue of that great endeavour, His Royal Highness
will learn with peculiar delight the intentions of Mr. Punch with reference to his own proposed contributions
on that eventful occasion.

Mr. Punch proposes to send, to be enshrined in the Crystal Palace, his Nineteen Volumes, superbly
printed on sheep Vellum—the sheep segregated and fed on the aromatic herbage of Mount Hymettus—
and illuminated with colours of gem-like lustre. The Nineteen Volumes will be bound in the skins of
unicorns; with, at least, one phoenix feather in each, by way of marker.

But the pageant contemplated by Mr. Punch—the procession from his cell, 85, Fleet Street, to the
Great Glass Hive in Hyde Park—will, Mr. P. humbly believes, afford to the foreign nations, awhile boarding
and lodging in England, matter of most valuable instruction and most abounding amusement.

Even as the Camel carries a copy of the Koran to Mecca, so will each and every of the Nineteen
Volumes be borne from 85, Fleet Street, by some animal of significant species, (the animal richly caparisoned,
and duly mounted and paged,) to the Palace in Hyde Park.

Will your Royal Highness vouchsafe to Mr. Punch two little minutes, that he may just hint, in general
phrase, at his preparations for the great event ?

Volume I. will be deposited in a superbly carved chest, to be borne upon an Elephant; the Lord
Mayor himself—as Punch's fellow-citizen—having offered to ride on the neck of the beast and to take every