DOI issue:
October 4, 1856
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16618#0146
138 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [October 4, 1856.
THE BLOCKADE OF BICKLEIGH VALE.
E must protest against an
incorrect expression occur-
ring in the subjoined extract
from the Plymouth Journal:
SOCIAL STATISTICS.
of Bickleigh Vale itself, will soon be
brought before the proper tribunal."
The epithet " proper," ap-
plied to the tribunal alluded
10, is the expression to which
we object; and no doubt our
Plymouth contemporary will,
on consideration, admit that
"appointed" would have been
a better word.. Our con-
temporary himself shall show
why. He thus proceeds :—
" Some gentlemen went over the
ground on Monday, and saw sundry
evidences of Sir Masset Lopez's
intention to stop up every path he
can. In one case he had built up
and closed a lane from Bickleigh
Down into Bickleigh Road, but as
this was an enormous grievance to
the Bickleigh people, they them-
selves destroyed the Baronet's wall
... A path leading from Shaugh to Bickleigh Church, saving, it is said, a mile and
a half in the walk, has been closed. Another path to Hooe Meavy has also been
closed ; and a third path, also near the Church, has been closed. In passing through
Bickleigh Vale, the party came to a narrow part where there was a high wall of rock
on one side, and a steep declivity on the other. Here there were stationed two dogs on
one side, and one on the other, to do mischief to errant travellers, or to frighten them
back . . . Sir Masset has a large breeding house for rearing game close to the lodge,
and be seeks to make Bickleigh Vale a cover for what he breeds. This is one of the
aecrets, probably, of his desire to keep the public out of the valley."
Hight of way is public properfy. The question raised by the above-
mentioned closure of path3 is, whether Sir Moses Levi, we will say,
to put the case in the abstract, by a change of name, and avoid person-
ality, has wrongfully abstracted that public property or not. _ This
question will have to be decided by a civil tribunal. That is the
tribunal by law appointed to try it—but we maintain that it is not the
proper one.
What is a petty theft of goods and chattels, or a little money; what
is burglary, unaccompanied by violence—what is the forgery of a small
note, to robbing a whole population of the delights and enjoyments
which gracious Heaven has provided for the r< creation and refresh-
ment of their souls in the beauties and wonders which beset their paths
in the fields and the forests, through the valleys and meadows, and
over the hills and downs of merry England ? To stop those paths ; to
deprive one's fellow creatures of those good gifts; to debar large
multitudes of one's neighbours from participation in those blessings for
the small indulgence of one's single self in some petty whim or paltry
hobby, is, even if lawful, odious. It is the conduct of a sordid little con-
temptible creature, whom common speech does not denominate human,
but calls the wretched personification of selfishness—inferior animal.
But when there is a doubt whether the brutality is legal or not, the
doubt is one which ought, in justice, to be decided by the same tribunal
as that which decides whether an individual accused of having taken
that which did not belong to him, is or is not worthy of penal servitude
or exile. If Sir Moses Levi has stopped certain pathways, and
those pathways are claimed by the public, although the Nisi Prius
Court may be that in which he must be prosecuted according to law,
the proper tribunal wherein, if law were equitable, his guilt or inno-
cence would have to be determined, would be that where the party
whose morality is in question stands in a peculiar enclosure.
In contrast with the malevolence which has closed, or attempted to
close, B'ckleigh, a correspondent of the journal above quoted places
the benevolence which has provided convenient stiles, and a comfort-
able seat, in a spot commanding a beautiful view of the Sound, appro-
priately called Freedom Field. George Soltatj, Esq., is the gentle-
man who has behaved with this liberality. Mr. Soltatj is a gentleman.
Mr. Soltatj is a publie benefactor. The reverse of Mr. Soltatj is a
public malefactor. It is to be deplored that a malefactor of that
description cannot be called to account before a proper tribunal.
The average number of Perambulators that are now daily admitted
to the Parks is 12,256.
Ninety-seven nursemaids in the neighbourhood of Hackney have left
their situations without giving warning, on the ground that now the
The question as to the closing of | Guards are back, their residence is too remote from Kensington
paths at Bickleigh, and the closing Gardens.
There are living in a Cheltenham boarding-hou*e three maiden ladies,
who are known to have resided there for nearly thirty years; yet whose
united ages, as privately confessed in recent conversation, amount to
only 56.
No fewer than three cases have occurred of young ladies who have
been to races having paid their bets.
Twenty-three policemen in the Knightshridge division have applied
for leave to change their beat, on the plea that since the Guards re-
turned they have been reduced more than once to go to bed supperless.
Thirteen married gentlemen, who, within the last week or so, have
been convicted of having smoked in their own dining-rooms, have
been severally fined a new bonnet, and in default, have been committed
to the hard labour of takiDg out their wives for an afternoon's
shopping.
Among the Tower beef-eaters it has been ascertained that there are
nineteen strict vegetarians.
Out of a hundred bonnets that were sold last week at Brighton, it
has been ascertained that more than ninety were supplied to ladies who
had gone in just to choose a bit of ribbon.
In a lodging-house at Ramsgate, lately, half-a-quarter of lamb, pretty
nearly two-thirds of a 201b. ham, two packages of chocolate, a pot of
Dundee marmalade, the remains of a large pigeon-pie which had had
one slice cut out of it, a easeful of Manillas, thirteen lumps of sugar,
half a canister of coffee, and almost the whole of a bottle of French
brandy, were discovered (by the landlady) to have been consumed by
the cat.
Out of upwards of 11,000 English Cabmen it has been discovered
that no less than three have been induced to take the pledge.
Post Obituary Notice.
The remains of the late John O'Connell, Esq., M P., who, as is
well known, died upon the floor of the House of Commons, a few years
ago, in compliance with the terms of a solemn vow he had made, and in
defence of the liberties of Ireland, were finally deposited, last week, in
the office of the Irish Clerk of the Crown and Hanaper, where the late
honourable gentleman's body will remain till further notice, The place
was given by the Government.
THE HAIRDRESSER'S GUIDE TO OPULENCE.
Does any hairdresser desire to make a rapid fortune ? If so, let him
strictly charge his assistants on no account to pester any customer by
soliciting him to purchase Bear's Grease and Circassian Cream, or
Vegetable Extract. Let a prohibition to that effect be posted in his
shop, and published in an advertisement appearing constantly in all
the principal papers. Everybody would resort, for the purpose of
gettioghis hair cur, to an establishment conducted on the non-importunity
principle above recommended, although it might be considerably out of
his way, rather than go to one close at hand where he would be
worried by the attempt to encumber him with bottles of fluid which he
would rather not have, and load him with grease-pots which he does
not want. To thrust into a man's hands that which he might, if he
required it, ask for, is a barbarous act, which a judicious hairdresser
would not let his journeymen be guilty of. [The most fragrant pomade
becomes offensive when obtruded upon you under your nose; bear's
grease is unbearable, and assumes the character of bore's grease;
and the bore is a bore of such magnitude that the simply negative
attraction of its non-existence would suffice to procure the party wise
enough to abolish it no end of custom.
Another Departure from Town.
The Ornamental Water in St. James's Park has left London. What
watering-place it has run down to, not one of the turncocks] can tell.
However, considering the very foul bed it has for years heen lying in,
no one can blame it for changing its lodging. The only wonder is, how
it could have stopped in its present dirty hole so long !
Soft Soap for Soapey.
Palmerston did not answer Sam's last pressing letter. He simply
cut a paragraph out of one of Sam's own clever books, and sent it to
him. The paragraph neatly conveyed the intelligence, with a small
speck of hope shining like a diamond at the bottom of it: " The right
of Translation is reserved."
A Most Finished Gentleman.—The Chief Commissioner of Works
is so active and determined that we understand he is generally known
as the " B -Hall and end-all."
The Art oe Performing.—Promise little, that you may perform
much; but if you want to perform little, you can promise as much
as you like.
THE BLOCKADE OF BICKLEIGH VALE.
E must protest against an
incorrect expression occur-
ring in the subjoined extract
from the Plymouth Journal:
SOCIAL STATISTICS.
of Bickleigh Vale itself, will soon be
brought before the proper tribunal."
The epithet " proper," ap-
plied to the tribunal alluded
10, is the expression to which
we object; and no doubt our
Plymouth contemporary will,
on consideration, admit that
"appointed" would have been
a better word.. Our con-
temporary himself shall show
why. He thus proceeds :—
" Some gentlemen went over the
ground on Monday, and saw sundry
evidences of Sir Masset Lopez's
intention to stop up every path he
can. In one case he had built up
and closed a lane from Bickleigh
Down into Bickleigh Road, but as
this was an enormous grievance to
the Bickleigh people, they them-
selves destroyed the Baronet's wall
... A path leading from Shaugh to Bickleigh Church, saving, it is said, a mile and
a half in the walk, has been closed. Another path to Hooe Meavy has also been
closed ; and a third path, also near the Church, has been closed. In passing through
Bickleigh Vale, the party came to a narrow part where there was a high wall of rock
on one side, and a steep declivity on the other. Here there were stationed two dogs on
one side, and one on the other, to do mischief to errant travellers, or to frighten them
back . . . Sir Masset has a large breeding house for rearing game close to the lodge,
and be seeks to make Bickleigh Vale a cover for what he breeds. This is one of the
aecrets, probably, of his desire to keep the public out of the valley."
Hight of way is public properfy. The question raised by the above-
mentioned closure of path3 is, whether Sir Moses Levi, we will say,
to put the case in the abstract, by a change of name, and avoid person-
ality, has wrongfully abstracted that public property or not. _ This
question will have to be decided by a civil tribunal. That is the
tribunal by law appointed to try it—but we maintain that it is not the
proper one.
What is a petty theft of goods and chattels, or a little money; what
is burglary, unaccompanied by violence—what is the forgery of a small
note, to robbing a whole population of the delights and enjoyments
which gracious Heaven has provided for the r< creation and refresh-
ment of their souls in the beauties and wonders which beset their paths
in the fields and the forests, through the valleys and meadows, and
over the hills and downs of merry England ? To stop those paths ; to
deprive one's fellow creatures of those good gifts; to debar large
multitudes of one's neighbours from participation in those blessings for
the small indulgence of one's single self in some petty whim or paltry
hobby, is, even if lawful, odious. It is the conduct of a sordid little con-
temptible creature, whom common speech does not denominate human,
but calls the wretched personification of selfishness—inferior animal.
But when there is a doubt whether the brutality is legal or not, the
doubt is one which ought, in justice, to be decided by the same tribunal
as that which decides whether an individual accused of having taken
that which did not belong to him, is or is not worthy of penal servitude
or exile. If Sir Moses Levi has stopped certain pathways, and
those pathways are claimed by the public, although the Nisi Prius
Court may be that in which he must be prosecuted according to law,
the proper tribunal wherein, if law were equitable, his guilt or inno-
cence would have to be determined, would be that where the party
whose morality is in question stands in a peculiar enclosure.
In contrast with the malevolence which has closed, or attempted to
close, B'ckleigh, a correspondent of the journal above quoted places
the benevolence which has provided convenient stiles, and a comfort-
able seat, in a spot commanding a beautiful view of the Sound, appro-
priately called Freedom Field. George Soltatj, Esq., is the gentle-
man who has behaved with this liberality. Mr. Soltatj is a gentleman.
Mr. Soltatj is a publie benefactor. The reverse of Mr. Soltatj is a
public malefactor. It is to be deplored that a malefactor of that
description cannot be called to account before a proper tribunal.
The average number of Perambulators that are now daily admitted
to the Parks is 12,256.
Ninety-seven nursemaids in the neighbourhood of Hackney have left
their situations without giving warning, on the ground that now the
The question as to the closing of | Guards are back, their residence is too remote from Kensington
paths at Bickleigh, and the closing Gardens.
There are living in a Cheltenham boarding-hou*e three maiden ladies,
who are known to have resided there for nearly thirty years; yet whose
united ages, as privately confessed in recent conversation, amount to
only 56.
No fewer than three cases have occurred of young ladies who have
been to races having paid their bets.
Twenty-three policemen in the Knightshridge division have applied
for leave to change their beat, on the plea that since the Guards re-
turned they have been reduced more than once to go to bed supperless.
Thirteen married gentlemen, who, within the last week or so, have
been convicted of having smoked in their own dining-rooms, have
been severally fined a new bonnet, and in default, have been committed
to the hard labour of takiDg out their wives for an afternoon's
shopping.
Among the Tower beef-eaters it has been ascertained that there are
nineteen strict vegetarians.
Out of a hundred bonnets that were sold last week at Brighton, it
has been ascertained that more than ninety were supplied to ladies who
had gone in just to choose a bit of ribbon.
In a lodging-house at Ramsgate, lately, half-a-quarter of lamb, pretty
nearly two-thirds of a 201b. ham, two packages of chocolate, a pot of
Dundee marmalade, the remains of a large pigeon-pie which had had
one slice cut out of it, a easeful of Manillas, thirteen lumps of sugar,
half a canister of coffee, and almost the whole of a bottle of French
brandy, were discovered (by the landlady) to have been consumed by
the cat.
Out of upwards of 11,000 English Cabmen it has been discovered
that no less than three have been induced to take the pledge.
Post Obituary Notice.
The remains of the late John O'Connell, Esq., M P., who, as is
well known, died upon the floor of the House of Commons, a few years
ago, in compliance with the terms of a solemn vow he had made, and in
defence of the liberties of Ireland, were finally deposited, last week, in
the office of the Irish Clerk of the Crown and Hanaper, where the late
honourable gentleman's body will remain till further notice, The place
was given by the Government.
THE HAIRDRESSER'S GUIDE TO OPULENCE.
Does any hairdresser desire to make a rapid fortune ? If so, let him
strictly charge his assistants on no account to pester any customer by
soliciting him to purchase Bear's Grease and Circassian Cream, or
Vegetable Extract. Let a prohibition to that effect be posted in his
shop, and published in an advertisement appearing constantly in all
the principal papers. Everybody would resort, for the purpose of
gettioghis hair cur, to an establishment conducted on the non-importunity
principle above recommended, although it might be considerably out of
his way, rather than go to one close at hand where he would be
worried by the attempt to encumber him with bottles of fluid which he
would rather not have, and load him with grease-pots which he does
not want. To thrust into a man's hands that which he might, if he
required it, ask for, is a barbarous act, which a judicious hairdresser
would not let his journeymen be guilty of. [The most fragrant pomade
becomes offensive when obtruded upon you under your nose; bear's
grease is unbearable, and assumes the character of bore's grease;
and the bore is a bore of such magnitude that the simply negative
attraction of its non-existence would suffice to procure the party wise
enough to abolish it no end of custom.
Another Departure from Town.
The Ornamental Water in St. James's Park has left London. What
watering-place it has run down to, not one of the turncocks] can tell.
However, considering the very foul bed it has for years heen lying in,
no one can blame it for changing its lodging. The only wonder is, how
it could have stopped in its present dirty hole so long !
Soft Soap for Soapey.
Palmerston did not answer Sam's last pressing letter. He simply
cut a paragraph out of one of Sam's own clever books, and sent it to
him. The paragraph neatly conveyed the intelligence, with a small
speck of hope shining like a diamond at the bottom of it: " The right
of Translation is reserved."
A Most Finished Gentleman.—The Chief Commissioner of Works
is so active and determined that we understand he is generally known
as the " B -Hall and end-all."
The Art oe Performing.—Promise little, that you may perform
much; but if you want to perform little, you can promise as much
as you like.