Punch (37.1859)

ANNIHILATING-, without an effort, some weeks ot time, Mr. Punch presented himself at the door
of the Congress of Paris, 1SG0.

The door did not flv open at his approach, but a herd of dukes, sentinels, marquises, porters,
counts, gentlemen-in-waiting, and other menials on guard, prostrated themselves before him, and abjectly
begged that he would retire, as it was as much as their lives were worth to suffer any intrusion upon
the Conclave.

“ Your lives ! Retire ! Intrusion ! Ha! ha! ” exclaimed his Serene Haughtiness, with a glance of
flame that instantly scorched up all their tinsel stars and gold fripperies into unhandsome shrivel.
“ Away, Canaille ! ”

Only the giant Homer (through George Chapman) can worthily narrate the next terror. Even
as the godlike Hector, coming before the massy substance and the stupendous frame of the Grecian gate,
did heave up an immeasurable stone, and send it thundering through the planks with forceful sway, did
the immortal Punch. Raising in the air an awful Volume,—morally speaking,

“ It was so huge a one,

That two vast yeomen of most strength, such as these times beget,

Could not from Earth lift to a cart, yet he did brandish it
Alone (Saturnius made it light) and swinging it as nought.

He came before the planky gates that all for strength were wrought,

And kept the post—twofold they were, and with two rafters barred,

High, and strong-locked. He raised the Tome, bent to the hurl so hard,

And made it with so main a strength that all the gates did crack,

The rafters left them, and the folds from one another brake ;