DOI Heft:
July to December, 1854
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16614#0187
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 179
PHILOSOPHICAL DRAMA.
Olb. readers need not be alarmed. We are not going into a disqui-
sition concerning the " Stage in Germany "—a subject which so alarmed
the editors of the Antijacobin some years ago. ■ We wish merely to
offer a few suggestions with reference to some advertisements we met
with lately. It seems that the proprietors of the Polytechnic and
Panopticon are about to introduce dramatic readings and singsongs as
part of their attractions—there can be no objection we should think to
this. To unite the utile cum dulci has long been the wish of right-
minded educationists, and there seems to be no reason why the crucible
cum dulcimer should not be engaged in furtherance of scientific
education.
That Shakespeare knew anything of the Atomic theory, of the
diffusion of gases, or of compound radicals, we may be permitted to
doubt; but a general notion of chemical laws he must have had. His
allusion to the possibility of the dust of Alexander ultimately stopping
a beer barrel is sufficient proof that he understood all about the
indestructibility of matter, while the familiar manner in which Touchstone
speaks of the retort " courteous " shows on the part of the author an
acquaintance with chemical apparatus. But we do not intend to go
into the question " did Shakespeaee understand Chemistry ? " we leave
that to Me. Charles Knight, who can no doubt make the subject as
clear as day. We merely wish, as we said before, to offer a few sugges-
tions which we hope the proprietor of the Polytechnic will not think
us precipitate in making at this early stage of the chemical drama
speculation. We would respectfully hint that instead of reading old
plays, new ones should be written and read—the plots laid in the labo-
ratory ; and scenes of thrilling interest might easily be got up with the
voltaic battery : the titles must be appropriate and taking, Eor instance,
Margarite of Glycerine would be, as they say in the transpontine districts,
a stunner ; and if " written up to " with a purpose on the amusement
and instruction plan, would be sure to take. Mr. Pepper might make
the reading of various compounds quite simple, and if he could not reach
the sublime, might at least achieve a sublimate. With passing remarks
on the organic compounds, with an accompaniment on the piano, together
with allusion to the connection between the treble and bass, and the
tribasic phosphates, the thing would be sure to go off well. Even a
" screaming " effect might be produced, when ladies are present, by the
judicious introduction of a few explosions—■" as part of the performance,"
as Jack said.
" The reduced Oxide, or I don't care a Button," would be a good title
for either farce or tragedy; and with a few well-seasoned remarks from
Mr. Pepper, a good audience could not fail to be mustered.
The Prince of Wales a Sailor.
The young Prince, it is said, is about to enter the navy, and will
take rank as lieutenant on board the line-of-battle ship the Albert,
christened after papa. His Royal Highness, it is said, is most impatient
to be afloat before Charles Kean's tragedy at Windsor sets in with
its usual severity. We do not vouch for the accuracy of the statement,
but are bound to give it as one very current at the clubs.
THE LORD MAYOR'S SHOW.
The Mayoralty of Moon has been long looked for by those who
have kept their eyes on the course of that great Civic Luminary, which
originally rose from behind the shadow of a small counter in the city,
and has at length reached its full in the vaulted dome of the Mansion
House. Expectation has been not only on tip-toe, but has seized the
stilts of imagination for the purpese of raising itself to the utmost
height, with a view to the forthcoming Lord Mayor's Show, which it
is supposed will be characteristic of the great lunar phenomenon that
is to shine during the ensuing year in the City of London.
In the first place it is suggested that the streets should be converted
into a novel kind of milky way, by laying down chalk instead of gravel
in the thoroughfares by which the procession will pass, and the figures
of Gog and Magog will be superseded by those of Orion wearing his
belt, and the Great Bear wearing his collar. The state coach will, it is
hoped, be broken up for distribution in slices of gilt gingerbread among
the children of the poor, while the Lord Mayor takes his seat iu
Charles's Wain, a conveyance worthy of the Great Moon's dignity.
Instead of the old unmeaning mace, which with every jolt of the
vehicle, has endangered the windows of the state-coach, or the head of
the Mayor, it is proposed that the Remembrancer shall carry a large
stick of Lunar Caustic, while the banner of his Lordship shall be an
Almanack, to tell the Moon's age—a piece of information which, during
the ensuing year, will possess unusual interest.
The national air of the city for the next twelvemonths will be " Rise,
Gentle Moon,'' and the favourite air of " The Young May Moon is
Beaming " will be played in compliment to the juvenile members of the
Civico-royal family.
It is expected that the population will be thoroughly " Moonstruck "
on the ninth of November, and the City Treasurer will be instructed
to be prepared with the Moon's first quarter at the usual period.
Perhaps the most pleasing part of the exhibition on Lord Mayor's
day will be the effect of MooN-light on the water, when the Lord
Mayor smiles on the Thames with the radiance of his silver coun-
tenance. We trust there will be many MooN-light nights of Mayoral
hospitality at the Mansion House, and we have no doubt that instead
of "being the subject of an eclipse, the Civic Moon will eclipse most of
those lesser luminaries who have twinkled heretofore in the vaulted
dome of Cockneydom.
A SCHOOLBOY'S SONG OE THE WAR.
Evil possessed one man, Nicholas Romanoff,
Projects for robbing the Sultan to lay,
Evil possessed one man: that's how the war began,
So the proud Tyrant went canting away.
He made of his cross a sword; Nicholas Romanoff,
Scandalous, shocking, and shameful to say !
He made himself a sword of the cross he adored,
So the proud Tyrant went canting away.
Of the Bible he made a sham; Nicholas Romanoff
Quoted texts—as we know the old gentleman may.
Of the Bible he made a sham—fanatic serfs to bam,
So the proud Tyrant went canting away.
Of the swindle he made a mess; Nicholas Romanoff,
Eoiled in the trick he intended to play,
Of the swindle he made a mess ; yet, in his wickedness,
Still the proud Tyrant goes canting away.
Controversy in the Crimea.
We are glad to notice a new feature in theological controversy.
Clergymen of various denominations are going out to the Crimea as
peacefully together as the owls and the guinea-pigs in the happy
family. Their design is to contend with each other to the utmost in
the instruction of the troops and the consolation of the sick and
wounded; and as they all doubtless mean well, and probably mean the
same thing, we wish them all success.
The Tailor Non-suited.
The great paletot interest has failed at Erome, and Mr. Donald
Nicoll has been returned, or rather sent back, by the electors, whose
suffrages he solicited. Perhaps if the ex-sheriff had resorted to bribery,
and promised a wrap-rascal to every rascal who would sell his vote, the
result might have been otherwise. " Measures, not men," is an old
political cry, but in this instance the issue has proved that some men
may be rejected, though their "measures" may be unimpeachable.
PHILOSOPHICAL DRAMA.
Olb. readers need not be alarmed. We are not going into a disqui-
sition concerning the " Stage in Germany "—a subject which so alarmed
the editors of the Antijacobin some years ago. ■ We wish merely to
offer a few suggestions with reference to some advertisements we met
with lately. It seems that the proprietors of the Polytechnic and
Panopticon are about to introduce dramatic readings and singsongs as
part of their attractions—there can be no objection we should think to
this. To unite the utile cum dulci has long been the wish of right-
minded educationists, and there seems to be no reason why the crucible
cum dulcimer should not be engaged in furtherance of scientific
education.
That Shakespeare knew anything of the Atomic theory, of the
diffusion of gases, or of compound radicals, we may be permitted to
doubt; but a general notion of chemical laws he must have had. His
allusion to the possibility of the dust of Alexander ultimately stopping
a beer barrel is sufficient proof that he understood all about the
indestructibility of matter, while the familiar manner in which Touchstone
speaks of the retort " courteous " shows on the part of the author an
acquaintance with chemical apparatus. But we do not intend to go
into the question " did Shakespeaee understand Chemistry ? " we leave
that to Me. Charles Knight, who can no doubt make the subject as
clear as day. We merely wish, as we said before, to offer a few sugges-
tions which we hope the proprietor of the Polytechnic will not think
us precipitate in making at this early stage of the chemical drama
speculation. We would respectfully hint that instead of reading old
plays, new ones should be written and read—the plots laid in the labo-
ratory ; and scenes of thrilling interest might easily be got up with the
voltaic battery : the titles must be appropriate and taking, Eor instance,
Margarite of Glycerine would be, as they say in the transpontine districts,
a stunner ; and if " written up to " with a purpose on the amusement
and instruction plan, would be sure to take. Mr. Pepper might make
the reading of various compounds quite simple, and if he could not reach
the sublime, might at least achieve a sublimate. With passing remarks
on the organic compounds, with an accompaniment on the piano, together
with allusion to the connection between the treble and bass, and the
tribasic phosphates, the thing would be sure to go off well. Even a
" screaming " effect might be produced, when ladies are present, by the
judicious introduction of a few explosions—■" as part of the performance,"
as Jack said.
" The reduced Oxide, or I don't care a Button," would be a good title
for either farce or tragedy; and with a few well-seasoned remarks from
Mr. Pepper, a good audience could not fail to be mustered.
The Prince of Wales a Sailor.
The young Prince, it is said, is about to enter the navy, and will
take rank as lieutenant on board the line-of-battle ship the Albert,
christened after papa. His Royal Highness, it is said, is most impatient
to be afloat before Charles Kean's tragedy at Windsor sets in with
its usual severity. We do not vouch for the accuracy of the statement,
but are bound to give it as one very current at the clubs.
THE LORD MAYOR'S SHOW.
The Mayoralty of Moon has been long looked for by those who
have kept their eyes on the course of that great Civic Luminary, which
originally rose from behind the shadow of a small counter in the city,
and has at length reached its full in the vaulted dome of the Mansion
House. Expectation has been not only on tip-toe, but has seized the
stilts of imagination for the purpese of raising itself to the utmost
height, with a view to the forthcoming Lord Mayor's Show, which it
is supposed will be characteristic of the great lunar phenomenon that
is to shine during the ensuing year in the City of London.
In the first place it is suggested that the streets should be converted
into a novel kind of milky way, by laying down chalk instead of gravel
in the thoroughfares by which the procession will pass, and the figures
of Gog and Magog will be superseded by those of Orion wearing his
belt, and the Great Bear wearing his collar. The state coach will, it is
hoped, be broken up for distribution in slices of gilt gingerbread among
the children of the poor, while the Lord Mayor takes his seat iu
Charles's Wain, a conveyance worthy of the Great Moon's dignity.
Instead of the old unmeaning mace, which with every jolt of the
vehicle, has endangered the windows of the state-coach, or the head of
the Mayor, it is proposed that the Remembrancer shall carry a large
stick of Lunar Caustic, while the banner of his Lordship shall be an
Almanack, to tell the Moon's age—a piece of information which, during
the ensuing year, will possess unusual interest.
The national air of the city for the next twelvemonths will be " Rise,
Gentle Moon,'' and the favourite air of " The Young May Moon is
Beaming " will be played in compliment to the juvenile members of the
Civico-royal family.
It is expected that the population will be thoroughly " Moonstruck "
on the ninth of November, and the City Treasurer will be instructed
to be prepared with the Moon's first quarter at the usual period.
Perhaps the most pleasing part of the exhibition on Lord Mayor's
day will be the effect of MooN-light on the water, when the Lord
Mayor smiles on the Thames with the radiance of his silver coun-
tenance. We trust there will be many MooN-light nights of Mayoral
hospitality at the Mansion House, and we have no doubt that instead
of "being the subject of an eclipse, the Civic Moon will eclipse most of
those lesser luminaries who have twinkled heretofore in the vaulted
dome of Cockneydom.
A SCHOOLBOY'S SONG OE THE WAR.
Evil possessed one man, Nicholas Romanoff,
Projects for robbing the Sultan to lay,
Evil possessed one man: that's how the war began,
So the proud Tyrant went canting away.
He made of his cross a sword; Nicholas Romanoff,
Scandalous, shocking, and shameful to say !
He made himself a sword of the cross he adored,
So the proud Tyrant went canting away.
Of the Bible he made a sham; Nicholas Romanoff
Quoted texts—as we know the old gentleman may.
Of the Bible he made a sham—fanatic serfs to bam,
So the proud Tyrant went canting away.
Of the swindle he made a mess; Nicholas Romanoff,
Eoiled in the trick he intended to play,
Of the swindle he made a mess ; yet, in his wickedness,
Still the proud Tyrant goes canting away.
Controversy in the Crimea.
We are glad to notice a new feature in theological controversy.
Clergymen of various denominations are going out to the Crimea as
peacefully together as the owls and the guinea-pigs in the happy
family. Their design is to contend with each other to the utmost in
the instruction of the troops and the consolation of the sick and
wounded; and as they all doubtless mean well, and probably mean the
same thing, we wish them all success.
The Tailor Non-suited.
The great paletot interest has failed at Erome, and Mr. Donald
Nicoll has been returned, or rather sent back, by the electors, whose
suffrages he solicited. Perhaps if the ex-sheriff had resorted to bribery,
and promised a wrap-rascal to every rascal who would sell his vote, the
result might have been otherwise. " Measures, not men," is an old
political cry, but in this instance the issue has proved that some men
may be rejected, though their "measures" may be unimpeachable.