Punch: Punch (19.1850)

78

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

OTTR FRIEND BRIGGS CONTEMPLATES A DAY'S FISHING.

He rs HEBE SUPPOSED TO BE GETTING HIS TACKLE IN ORDER, AND TRYING THE MANAGEMENT OF HIS RUNNING LlNE.

DOWN GO THE BRIDGES, OH!

We begin to feel that epidemics affect not only the animal and
vegetable world, bnt that inanimate objects are liable to diseases of a
catching character. The London clocks have had i their period of
derangement, and it has been a shocking time, or no time at all, with a
great many of them; but just now it seems to be the turn of the
Metropolitan Bridges to suffer from an incurable malady. _ Poor old
Westminster has been the first to give way, and it is now said that its
neighbour Blackfriars is in a i'eeble and shrking condition. Waterloo,
being younger and stronger in constitution, has apparently escaped,
and Hungerford, though in a state of much suspense, has not vet been
visited ; but Blackfriars is said to be in such a state, that it will not be
able to keep up without the aid of doctoring. We hope that the
disease will be met by professional skill at once, and not by mere
quackery, which prescribes a sort of homoeopathic treatment in the
shape of an infinity of small and extravagant, because ineffectual,
repairs, when vigorous measures applied at once would restore strength
to the patient at a moderate outlay. Poor Westminster has been so
patched and plastered, and has had so many operations performed, that
it is now scarcely able to hold together; and there has been such a
general break up, that people are beginning to think it had better be
left in peace for the remainder of its days, until it sinks exhausted into
the bed that old Bather Thames always keeps at its disposal.

Parliamentary Agitation.

Legislation has often been impeded by the unseemly heat of debate,
and the consequent loss of temper of the different and indifferent
Members of Parliament. We regret to say that things are not likely
to be mended when the sittings are regularly held in the new palace at
Westminster; for as the Lower Assembly is only calculated to hold
something over four hundred persons, while the number of members
exceeds five hundred, we have reluctantly brought ourselves to the
melancholy conclusion that the House of Commons will never be able
to contain itself.

THE CAMBRIDGE MONUMENT.

Surely we have voted a most magnificent monument to the glory of
the late Duke of Cambbidge. Do we not give his son (whose latent
pomp has already broken out into an eruption of equerries and chap-
lains) the trifling amount of £12,000 per annum ? A pretty golden
monument! Say that the present gorgeous young Duke shall live fifty
years to bless the Exchequer. Eifty times twelve thousand pounds.

12,000
50

£600,000

Imagine six hundred thousand piled sovereigns; and say, is it not a
most portentous pile of gold—a column of monumental significance,
when it is considered to whom it is raised, and from whose pockets it
is obtained? To be sure this is not a voluntary tribute. This is a
monument erected by the House of Commons—and not by the people.
They are only compelled to find the material that shall make it.

The late Duke of Cambbidge is, however, to have another monu-
ment, raised by voluntary means. So be it. Lobd Grosvenob moves
a resolution, which avows of the late Duke that " his whole life and
fortune were devoted to the protection and affectionate cure of the sick
and afflicted." Is it really so ? A whole life and fortune ? This is a
deep, a touching claim upon the gratitude of mankind. Why was not
the Noble Lord armed with something like a balance-sheet in pleasing
corroboration of his large avowal ? As another meeting is to be held
Ave may yet hope to hear of such a document. Any wajr, we would
suggest a cheap and ready mode of doing monumental honour to the
memory of Cambbidge. It is simply this. Let his statue take the
post at present held by his brother York in Waterloo Place. It would
be a fine double touch of justice to remove from the pillar the bronze of
a Duke who never paid his debts, in order to place hi his stead the
statue of his brother Duke, who upon the sick and suffering lavished,
says Lord Grosvenob, " his whole life and fortune!"

We may yet read in some future Gazette—" Promoted, the Statue of
his late Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge to the top of the
pillar, Waterloo Place; vine the Statue of the late Duke oi York
gone to the melting-pot."