Punch: Punch (23.1852)

i8

PUNCH. OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

GINGER-BEER FROM
THE FOUNTAIN.

Another fountain has been
started recently, for the osten-
sible purpose of sending a
supply of imaginary ginger-
beer into the eyes of the
Londoners. This new ebullition
of froth is to be found imme-
diately in front of Buckingham
Palace, in what is called the
" ornamental water," whose
adornments consist of an iron
pipe or two, through which the
element is laid on : the surface
being decorated with a dark
crust, of which London smoke
forms the chief ingredient. To
enhance the ornamental cha-
racter of this opaque pool, a
fountain has been recently
added, which sends forth a gush
of artificial ginger-beer among
the surprised and sprinkled
water-fowl.

We are becoming curious to
know why there should be such
an inseparable connection in this
country between founrains and
ginger-beer, that no fountain
can be erected which does not
seem designed for the sole pur-
pose of supplying ginger-beer,
and no ginger-beer is con-
sidered genuine unless it comes
from the fountain ?

BACHELOR HOUSEKEEPING.

Mr. Brown. "Pray, Jane, what on earth is the reason I am kept Waiting for my Breakfast

in this way ? "

Jane. "Please, Sir, the Rolls isn't come, and there's no Bread in the house!"
Mr. Brown. "Now, upon my word! How can you annoy me with such Triples? no Bread,
then bring me some Toast." [Exit Jane in dismay.

Not a Pin to Choose.

The worst sort of law is
Lynch law ; and, indeed, there
is no safety in progress when a
Lynch pin ia required to secure
the Common-wheal.

RELIGIOUS PUFFING.

Either the science of puffing has risen very high, or the ministers of
religion are stooping very low, when we find people invited to places
of worship by such advertisements as we might expect to see employed
in an attempt to " pull 'em in"—as the minor theatrical phrase runs—
to the Grecian Saloon or the Yictoria. The following advertisement
emanates, it is true, from a Roman Catholic concern; bur. we are sorry
to say that this practice of religious puffing is confined to no particular
denomination, and pervades Exeter Hall as much as it dots the humble
meeting-house where a pious tea and muffins form the inducement neld
out to the visitors to join the local faithful at some popular bathing-place.

We must, however, admit that we have seen nothing that comes
nearer to the Mosaic order of puffing than the following, which
appeared one day last month in the Times supplement :

TO THE CATHOLICS OF LONDON AND ITS ENVIRONS—Have
you seen the truly beautiful new church, dedicated to our " Lady Star of the Sea,"
on Groom's Hill, opposite the west side of Greenwich Park? If you have not, you
should pay it a devotional visit. Next Sunday, there will be a special source of
attraction, as the Rev. H. E. MANNING. M.A., late Archdeacon of Chichester,
PREACHES in thu morning, on behalf of the Poor Schools. High mass at 11.
Vespers at 6. The indefatigable priest having, after many years of extreme toil,
succeeded in erecting a glorious temple, is now anxi- us to extend the educational
arrangements for the poor children. The good and generous must and will help him.
Pray cheer his pastoral labours. Address your coiumunications to the Very Rev.
Canon North, Croom's Hill, Greenwich ; or, if you wish it, go by the railway from the
London Bridge Station, or by the omnibuses from Charing Cross, Elephant and Castle,
and Gracechurch Street, or by the steamers from the various bridges or Elickwali
Pier.

The puff interrogatory has long been a favourite with professors of
the art, and " Have you seen the new church ? " may rank, henceforth,
in the literature of puffery among the well-known questions, " Can you
speak French ? " " What shall 1 do with my money ? " and other clap-
trap queries, with which the public eye is familiar. The " special
attraction " for next Sunday may be classed with the popular fictions

of the "million additional lamps at Vauxhall," and the " extra talent "
at a theatre which is trying to struggle on with half a company.

The appeal to the "good and generous" is only a slight variety of
the formula which is so continually addressed to the eye of "the
Benevolent " by some anonymous widow, often to be found in male
attire over a pot and a pipe—who is "plunged in distress," and who
makes a desperate plunge, by means of a five shilling advertisement, into
that favourite plunge-bath—the pocket of the kind-hearted portion of
the community. The announcement of a combined attraction, con-
sisting of High Mass at 11, and Vespers at 6, is strongly suggestive
of the tea-dealer's invitation to " try our Black at 4?.," or " our Green at
5.?.; " and the notification that "the good and generous must help him,"
reminds us of the various uses of the word " must : " among which the
piteous cry of "mtisth&ve cash," and the sinister hint of "must be
cleared off," are most frequently met with. " Pray cheer his pastoral
labours," is in the nature of a reminder similar to that of " Don't forget
the nobby shop;" and the wind-up, which sets forth the places of
starting by boat, omnibus, or rail, for "the truly beautiful new church,
dedicated to our Lady Star of the Sea," savours strongly of the para-
graph in the bills of Cremorne, wherein the easy accessibility of that
popular place of entertainment is insisted on.

We are quite sure that all the honest, friends of true religion, with-
out reference to the denomination to which they belong, will thank us
for our exposure of this disgusting specimen of religious puffing—a
practice which can only bring scandal upon the cause it pretends tr>
proniote and give a handle to those who seek to turn serious matters-
into ridicule.

Coming to a Bad End.

A "young monkey," whose name and address will be printed if he
dares to write to us again, has had the audacity to ask us whether the
Finis, whose signature appears at the end of so many books, is the
worthy alderman of the City of London.