Punch (23.1852)

^HERE can no longer be any doubt of it—we must fortify ourselves. Our national defences being—for
the best part—our national hearts and bones, and sinews, must be put in the very soundest and strongest
condition; and, alive and hungry to the fact, could we fall upon a blither occasion, and, withal, a jollier
season, to set about putting ourselves in order, than on the occasion that at the same time gives to rejoicing
England another Volume of Punch, and another Christmas ?

Another Volume of Punch may be modestly considered as at least another three-decker and another
regiment of cavalry and infantry added—and how economically added !—to the national forces. There are
so many elements of moral strength in every Volume of Mr. Punch that, meekly conscious of what he has
bestowed upon his country in this his last contribution—he sits down (in anticipation) to his Christmas beef
and pudding with the lightest heart and strongest digestion.

For it is needful—says the Queen from her Throne—it is needful, my beloved people, that, without
J wishing to rumple the peacock feathers of our lively neighbours, we look to our national defences. " They
must be settled for ever," says Mr. Disraeli; great statesmen never condescending to legislate for an hour
)ess than eternity.

Mr. Punch, then, having bestowed his usual Christmas gift—in a new volume for Christmas—in his benign
manner exhorts his countrymen, and especially his countrywomen (seeing how near and dear the sympathy is
between them !) so to improve the present Christmas, that it shall be to them as at once a grand national
review and a patriotic protest. Let the field of the table-cloth be as the field of a sham battle, with the foes
we are supposed "to hate, before us."

Glorious Sirloin, as he blushes at the knife, may touch the heart with a thought of "stern delight."
As his blood streams into the dish, let us smile with a new pride at one source of our national defences. Hov^
the hero bleeds; and how by his very blood does he make new heroes !