Punch (31.1856)

November 1, 1856.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 171

SAM LAING'S LINE.

Respectfully Dedicated to that canny Member for the Wick Boroughs, that sagacious speculator and

eminent Austrian Railway Contractor.

Should England's honour go to pot,

Shali Enaland make a shine ?
No—Listen to a canny Scot,;
Such isna' Sam Laing's line.
Talc' Sam Laing's line, my freens,

Tak' Sam Lang's line;
We'll mak' it up in siller yet,
By Sam Laing's line.

Though promised faith and treaties baith

Kuss craft may undermine,
'Neath sticks and swords of Austria's hordes,
Though groaning nations pine.
Tak' Sam Laing's line, my freens,

Tak' Sam Laing's line ;
Leave ilka folk to hear its yoke,
For the sake o' Sam Laing's line.

If cuffed, a Christian cuffs na back,

Nor should we, I opine :
Honor's a word, siller's a fac',
And 'en pc cent, is fine.
Tak' Sam Laing's line, iny freens,

Tak' Sam Laing's line;
Let honour drop atid mind the shop,
And back up Sam Laing's line.

I'd mak' 'lie Commons hand tbeir tongue,

THEATRICAL.

A Contract for Original Dramas from the
French.

To London Managsbs.—The Governor
of PentonvillePrison is desirous of entering
into a yearly contract with all or any of the
Managers of the Metropolitan theatres foi
a ready and steady supply of original dramas
from the French, executed with a fidelit}
and despa'ch that the peculiar discipline
of his Establishment enables him to com
niano.

The Governor havi g in his charge
several individuals, in i o way capable ol
devoting such minds as they have to mat-
making, clothes-peg-manufacturing, skewer-
cutting, or any otner industrial branch ol
employment,—are, nevertheless fully, and
perhaps a little more, than equal to the
translation of original dramas from the
French, with a despatch and at a price that
must dery all competition. By means of a
division of labour, and under the wholesome
fear of the treadmill, it is calculated that—
A strong, effective, devil-me-care drama,
in three, acts, spiced with a little, conjugal
infidelity, and flavoured with a so"pcon of
forgery, may be delivered, with the parts
written out, at a day's notice.

A domestic diama, in two act°. good for
families,—in which un enfant terrible, in the
most artktic manner, wholly characteristic
of the subtlety of the French stage, causes
the separation of his father anrs mother,
with tne suicide of one or both,—in twelve
houis.

Faices in any variety, while the messenger
wa'ts.

I say, wi' Bright, whv should we fight, The Governor of Pentonville trusts he

On Baltic or Euxme? SDa^ uor' be accused of any undue con-

When England's weal means " spin the reel, fidence in his resources when he states
And mak' the lai'wav line" ' ™a.t ne believes he shall be able to send

That's Sam L»ing's line, my freens, | out a very superior article; as it would

That's Sam Laing's line ;
Wark, cash to win, then put your tin
In Sam Laing's line.

For tyranny, [trow 'tis strang,
And strength is right, divine:
And ten per cent, au ne'er be wrang,
And 'hat'" ray Gospal sign.
Tak' Sam Lying's line, my freens,

Tak' Sam Laing's line ;
Auld England's tower is money-power
In Sam Laing's line.

O' England's flag folks used to b^ag

In sangs and s-preches fine,
Toe fLg for me is £ s. d.,
Ilk flag bur, that's moonshine.
That's Sam Laing's line, my freens ;

And 'gin ye Tl tak' Sam Laing's line,
Still your M.P. I hope to be,
For the sake o' Sam Laing's line.

But if by words like honour stirred,
Then you're nae votes o' mine;

The times' pen I'd confine, | And oot I'll sneak to find a seat,

Then stocks wad rise, and shares rule strong,
And up—up, wad go mine.
That's Sam Laing's line, my freens,

That's Sam Laing's line;
Let a' go smash, exceot, hard cash,
And invest in Sam Laing's line.

That's mair in Sam Laing's line.
That were nae in Sam Laing's line, my
freens,

That were nae in Sam Laing's line;
I i-air mudoor, I maun gae oot,
Or alter Sam Laing's line.

stem all but morally impossible that the
translators (perhaps he ought lather 10 say,
authors) of the dramas aforesaid could,
or should execute their wo*k wirnout in-
fusing into it something of their own
peculiar character. Hei.ce, burglary may
come out with a stunning boldness; and
fo'gery send forth a peculiar flavour.

London Managers are requested to be
early in their applications, to be duly accom-
panied by an offer of prices.

Pantomimes (with models of the tricks)
on the easiest terms ; and all warranted from
foreign sources.

Charming Simplicity of an Elderly Lady from the Country!

"They tell me the Coachmen and Cabmen are so much more civil in New York than in London.
For myself, I must say I have invariably found the omnibus conductors about, toe Metropolis the
most obliging of men. For instance, I have occasionally hailed a Clapham omnibus by mistake,
and inquired if it was aoing to Hammersmitb, when, «,ill you believe V, the omnibus-conductor
has always said to me, with the most charming politeness, 'Jump in, Ma'am!' Now, suuposing
I had taken the poor fellow at his word, ovij consider how he must have gone out of his way
to oblige me! "

A Toy for a very Little Tiling.

Advices from Soain inform us that the
Duke de Montpensibs has just received
an addition to his domestic happiness, in the
shape cf a little girl; and that—

" The Queen has given to the newly-born infanta,
the Cordon of the Order of Noble Ladies of Maria

L.OCIBA."

The cordon, of course, is meant for the
recipient to play with. The little infanta
appears to have begun to "take notice," as
the nurses say, very soon. . These ate early
days for giving the noble baby a plaything.

Cause and Effect.

It is rumoured that the Police in the
division which is stationed in the neigh-
bourhood cf Knight?bridge have recently
applied for an increase of pay, on 'he
ground that, since the Guaids returned,
they have been driven to the necessity ot
providing their own Suppe/s.