Punch: Punch (32.1857)

February 21, 1857.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

79

THE PRESS IN PARIS.

onsiettr the Editor of the Moni-
teur des Hopitaux (according to
the Daily News) announced its
intention to examine the question
of the assassin Verger's in-
sanity, but could not carry that
design into effect, having been
forbidden to discuss the subject.
In what a state of slavery is the
Parisian press ! Again, in the
course of an action against the
Lady Superior of the Picpus
Convent of the Sucre Cceur, the
advocate for the plaintiff pitched
into the Archbishop oe Chal-
cedoine, but what the learned
gentleman said of the venerable
prelate hath not appeared, be-
cause the Govermnent ordered
the journals not to report the
case. Really they do not manage
these matters in Prance much
better than they do here. In
England a newspaper is liable to
an action for libel and a verdict
of heavy damages for reporting
proceedings which contain abuse
of anybody. In Prance, things
are not quite so bad as this;
but the publication of such in-
telligence is prevented. Thus
is the journalist deprived of the
liberty of printing, although he
may not be punished for its
exercise ; so that, on the whole,
the Press experiences almost as
much hardship under a Prench
despotism as it does at the hands of a British judge and jury.

In. connection with the Prench lawsuit above alluded to a remark
may be made, without reference to the subject involved in the fore-
going observations, which will, perhaps appear natural to many of our
readers. The Picpus Convent of the Sucre Cceur was accused of having
fraudulently induced a person of weak intellect to make a will in its
favour. If this accusation is well founded, the Convent may, with a
pardonable licence of speech and pronunciation, be described as being
more of the pickpurse than of the other thing.

REFLECTION POP THE PEW.

The subjoined statement is made by the correspondent of a Bristol
paper:—

" Selecting a book of Common Prayer in a stationer's shop in Bristol a few years
ago, i saw some Prayer Books having a looking-glass inserted in the inner side of
the cover. i have no doubt that the fair owner might be enabled to arrange her
hair, and admire herself during the service."

This device the writer stigmatises as a vanity almost profane, but
perhaps the profaneness lies merely at the door of some enterprising
bookseller. There is, moreover, something to be said for looking-
glasses in ladies' Prayer Books. It is a little better to contemplate the*
reflection of one's own face at church, than to be looking about at the
reality of other faces. Besides, a young lady may sometimes even
make a better use of her eyes by employing them in the looking-glass
than by keeping them fixed on the parson. The former direction is
generally preferable to the latter, when the reverend gentleman is a
divine of the class commonly called pet. By the way, we should like
to know whether looking-glasses in the inside of the lids of religious
manuals is a vanity peculiar to fair devotees. May not the like vanity
be, in some instances, indulged in on the other side—on the side of the
recipients of certain tributary slippers, and other like offerings of
fashionable devotion? _ If all manuscript—or lithograph—volumes
could be overhauled, is it not highly probable that not a few looking-
glasses would be found within the covers of pet parsons' sermon-books ?

Greenwich Election.

Lieut.-General Codrington, with certain Government advantages
at his back, has been returned for Greenwich, against "Colonel"
Sleigh, who demurs to the election, and expresses himself prepared
for further measures. It is confidently reported that the Lieut.-
General's opponent is quite ready to "file his petition."

LINENDRAPERS' ANATOMY.

A Vague and indefinite idea of horrors mingles in the conception,
generally entertained, of the unseen economy of a linendraper's
establishment. Close, ill-ventilated sleeping-rooms, an atmosphere
tainted by the products of the combustion of gas, the reek of goods,
and the respiration of a number of people, associated in the public
mind with the hidden arrangements of the house, suggest unpleasant
suspicions of disease and mortality. How will our many readers, who
are haunted by such horrible imaginings respecting linen-drapers' shops,
shudder in perusing the following advertisement, extracted from the
Manchester Gnurdian ?

WANTED, in a large Retail Drapery Establishment, a DISSECTING
» ' clerk, who thoroughly understands his duties.—Address, stating how long
lived in last situation, and salary required, k. 45, at the Printer's.

What?—can it have come to this? Has the unhealthiness of
drapery establishments arisen to such a pitch as to give peculiar
facilities to the foundation of private schools of anatomy m connection
with them ? And have their proprietors begun to derive a new emolu-
ment from that frightful source? No, no—the thought is too
shocking!

We think we may venture to assure any lady, upon whose nervous
system the foregoing speculations may possibly have produced a
painful effect, that no anatomical proceedings whatever are conducted
in the establishment of any draper, except such as may be requisite in
regard to the Skeleton Petticoat. It maybe added, that the increasing
adoption of the Early Closing System will go far to remove any sup-
position that linendrapers are in the habit of doing anything more
dreadful than what is impHecl in furnishing funerals in the regular way
of trade, and that their business is of such a nature as to supply any
material for dissection in the St. Bartholomew's sense of the word.

CANZONET ON CRINOLINE.

by a wretch.

When lovely woman, hooped in folly,

Grows more expansive every dav,
And makes her husband melancholy

To think what bills he '11 have to pay :

When in the width of fashion swelling
With air-balloons her skirts may vie,

The truth—(what hinders Punch from telling ?)-
Is that she looks a perfect—Guy !

A ROYAL MASON.

King George the Pifth, of Hanover, (better known in England
by his earlier title of Prince George of Cumberland,) has, we
learn, just been made a Freemason. The gallant sovereign is stated to
be the first Continental monarch who has braved the unimaginable
terrors of the gridiron and red-hot poker; but is not understood to sit
less comfortably on his throne for having condescended to join an
association of his subjects. "The Craft" has little in common with
Kingcraft, and may read salutary lessons to a royal Apprentice.
Brother King George, Brother Punch, G.M., congratulates you.

Another Insult to Scotland.

Mr. Ewart has already given notice that he intends to assimilate
the law affecting capital punishments in Scotland with the law in
England! The effect of this insolent measure will be to throw the
whole monopoly of hanging into the hands of the Southron Calcraft !
If this new insult fads to arouse all the might and ire of Scotland, why
Scotland must be already dead, and hanging of no further use or interest
to her.__

to the commons of england.

When is an M.P. the worst of M.P.'s ?
When he's an M.P.ric.

(Mr. Punch suppresses the name of the Member who instinctively
solved the question.)____

life in the drama!

There is yet life, there is yet judgment in play-going people ; for
only last week, the Haymarkef audience " damned " an L'ishman !

Not One in Twenty Thousand !—The man must be poor and
friendless indeed, who, at some period of his life, hasn't received ?
Testimonial of some sort!