DOI issue:
December 28, 1861
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16868#0269
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
257
December 28, 18GIo
HIGH ART ON A LOW ROPE.
eRILY the pleasure-
seeking public is most
strangely inconsis-
tent. To see the
Octoroon pretend to
die upon the stage
is too much for its
tender heart and
tear-filled eyes to
witness: but to see
M. Blondin risk his
life in grim reality,
brings no sort of
sickening qualm, or
compassionating fear
to it. At least, if it
feel fright at all, the
very terror is attrac-
tive ; and the more
danger there is, the
more the public
fiocks to see it. Take
away the chance of
neck-breaking, and
who would stir a
foot to see a man
walk on a high rope ? It is the peril that so pleases the tender-hearted
public. It is the chance of witnessing a real act of suicide that makes
it flock in crowds, like Spaniards to a bull-fight. while it turns away
its eyes in well-affected horroi at the simulated death before the
footlights of the Octoroon.
To see M. Blondin appear on his high rope, the Crystal Palace
each day gathered about twenty thousand people: whereas a daily
average of not above three thousand have been attracted lately to
see him on his low rope, which latter, if judged simply by its acrobatic
merits, ought to prove by far the more attractive exhibition. As danc-
ing, rightly practised, is more elegant than walking, soM. Blondin’s
tight-rope dancing is superior and more worth seeing than his tight-rope
walking, albeit in this last there is the charming chance of seeing him
fall off and break his neck. Though at a lower elevation, the former is
by far the higher style of art: and by descending to within six or eight
feet of the floor, M. Blondin has much raised himself in Mr. Punch’s
estimation.
Let not people rashly think themselves quite qualified to answer the
world-wide-posted question, “ Have you seen Blondin ?” by the fact
that they have seen him simply on the high rope. Blondin on the
high rope and Blondin on the low, are. except in never failing in what
is undertaken scarcely to be recognised as being the same performer.
Blondin eight feet from the ground performs such feats of skill and
strength as at two nundred feet above it of course he would not dare to
do. Using the rope either as a spring-board, floor or sofa, as his fancy
seems to take him, he hops, skips, dances, jumps, turns summersaults
in sabots, in fetters, or on stilts, and over rows of lighted candles with-
out whisking ever a wick out, lies flat upon his back as snug as in a
hammock, bounds up high into the air and swings his legs from side to
side as though they were but tied to him, plays the fiddle or the drum,
now firm upon one leg as if a model for a statue, next jumping up and
down as though in training for the Cure, appearing all the while as
much at home and at his ease as if he had in fact been born upon the
rope, and had lived all his life on it. Blondin is in i'act as much at
ease upon the tight-rope as would a Gorilla be in doing the trapeze, and
there is a poetry of motion in his movements that one would scarce
expect to see in so prosaic a performance as dancing on the tight-
rope usually is.
A hundred years ago the art of rope-dancing ranked higher among
the arts and sciences than it happens to do now, and, being better
patronised, was doubtless better cultivated. Performers then, may be,
did just the feats that Blondin does: but they who are not cente-
narians will hardly recollect a performer who has equalled him. Punch
abstained from praising Blondin for his skill on the high rope, for
Punch had no wish to tempt people to the chance of seeing suicide.
But now that Blondin is performing without danger to his neck,
Punch would recommend all sight-seers forthwith to go and see him.
MEN AND MONKEYS.
Ir M. db Chaillb be believed, and (in spite of Dr. Gray) we do not
see why he should not. he must have lived in queer society in Africa.
And yet many of the brutes, both animal and human, that he found
himself among, bear no little resemblance to people who are found in
far more civilised localities. Bor instance, the Ban cannibals eat up
their relations whenever they have the chance; and this is certainly a
custom not less common in Central England than it is in Centi-al
Africa. We have all known uncle-hunters, who have done their best to
worry those rich relatives to death, having bled them (through their
bankers) as much as well was possible; while many a devourer of the
substance of his aunt holds his head erect, and walks at large among us,
as though cannibalism had ceased to be regarded as a crime.
Again, take the Nshiego-Mbouve, or large nest-building ape, which
M. db Chaillb claims the merit of discovering. This monkey is a
bald one, and, as the art of wig-making in ape-land is unknown, ho
builds himself a nest or thatch to keep his head warm, and prevent the
wind from whistling in his ears. And do not many men make nests,
and know well how to feather them ? The practice is as usual here as
with the Nshiego-Mbouves, and the industry and skill with which it is
achieved are every whit as wondrous with the men as with the monkeys.
As another very marked peculiarity of theirs, these apes are spoken of
as being pretty often up a tree, in fact, as passing in that manner a full
half of their existence. But this is not a habit special to the simious
creation. Our poor friend Mr. Hardbppb uas for years been “ up a
tree,” to quote his own confession; and the chances are, we think,
from our knowledge of his character, that he will end his days in that
uncomfortable position.
Thus we find in Central England and in civilised society precisely the
same habits and eccentric ways of living as those which have been
noted in the wilds of Central Africa. In fact, the customs of Gorilla.
Land and parts thereto adjacent, although in haste we call them savage,
brutal, ana inhuman, not merely have existence, but are actually ap-
plauded, when pursued in our (so called) more civilised community.
Many think it a neat dodge to live on one’s relations, and when a rich
man dies the first thing his friends ask is—how will he “cutup?”
Instances occur almost daily here among us of people being hunted
down and eaten up by fellow men, who pursue 'with cruel eagerness all
the helpless victims who may chance to cross their path. Indeed, much
as we may boast of our superior intelligence, customs the most canni-
balic prevail still in this country: and many who are looked upon as
Educated Englishmen, behave themselves in no way better than Gorillas.
Agitated Tailor (to foreign-looking gentleman), “ Y-you ’re rather l-long
in the arm, S-sir, b-b-but I’ll d-d-do my b-b-best to Jit you ! ”
T)0 YOU WANT LUXURIOUS WHISKERS? If so, go at once
Jw and purchase Punch's Almanack: wherein, among ten thousand useful hits of
information, you will meet with no directions how to make
The merry hrown hairs come leaping,
Leaping out, you will see:
Till the girls cry, prettily peeping,
“ What beautiful whiskers has he ! ”
because Punch is very much too wise to waste his time in writing that
which nobody but simpletons would read.
WRITING ON THE WALL OP CONGRESS.
Them as dares to misbehave,
Yen they’re whopped, ’ll have to “cave.”
T)0 YOU BRUISE JOUR OATS YET, AND HAVE YOU CUT
-*-Y YOUR CORNS? If you think these questions impudent, we don’t want you
to answer them. But be sure at any rate to purchase Kelly’s Post-Office Directory,
or else be prepared to answer for your negligence.'Ha! Ha! Sold you, Mb. Reader.
Yol. 41.
9
257
December 28, 18GIo
HIGH ART ON A LOW ROPE.
eRILY the pleasure-
seeking public is most
strangely inconsis-
tent. To see the
Octoroon pretend to
die upon the stage
is too much for its
tender heart and
tear-filled eyes to
witness: but to see
M. Blondin risk his
life in grim reality,
brings no sort of
sickening qualm, or
compassionating fear
to it. At least, if it
feel fright at all, the
very terror is attrac-
tive ; and the more
danger there is, the
more the public
fiocks to see it. Take
away the chance of
neck-breaking, and
who would stir a
foot to see a man
walk on a high rope ? It is the peril that so pleases the tender-hearted
public. It is the chance of witnessing a real act of suicide that makes
it flock in crowds, like Spaniards to a bull-fight. while it turns away
its eyes in well-affected horroi at the simulated death before the
footlights of the Octoroon.
To see M. Blondin appear on his high rope, the Crystal Palace
each day gathered about twenty thousand people: whereas a daily
average of not above three thousand have been attracted lately to
see him on his low rope, which latter, if judged simply by its acrobatic
merits, ought to prove by far the more attractive exhibition. As danc-
ing, rightly practised, is more elegant than walking, soM. Blondin’s
tight-rope dancing is superior and more worth seeing than his tight-rope
walking, albeit in this last there is the charming chance of seeing him
fall off and break his neck. Though at a lower elevation, the former is
by far the higher style of art: and by descending to within six or eight
feet of the floor, M. Blondin has much raised himself in Mr. Punch’s
estimation.
Let not people rashly think themselves quite qualified to answer the
world-wide-posted question, “ Have you seen Blondin ?” by the fact
that they have seen him simply on the high rope. Blondin on the
high rope and Blondin on the low, are. except in never failing in what
is undertaken scarcely to be recognised as being the same performer.
Blondin eight feet from the ground performs such feats of skill and
strength as at two nundred feet above it of course he would not dare to
do. Using the rope either as a spring-board, floor or sofa, as his fancy
seems to take him, he hops, skips, dances, jumps, turns summersaults
in sabots, in fetters, or on stilts, and over rows of lighted candles with-
out whisking ever a wick out, lies flat upon his back as snug as in a
hammock, bounds up high into the air and swings his legs from side to
side as though they were but tied to him, plays the fiddle or the drum,
now firm upon one leg as if a model for a statue, next jumping up and
down as though in training for the Cure, appearing all the while as
much at home and at his ease as if he had in fact been born upon the
rope, and had lived all his life on it. Blondin is in i'act as much at
ease upon the tight-rope as would a Gorilla be in doing the trapeze, and
there is a poetry of motion in his movements that one would scarce
expect to see in so prosaic a performance as dancing on the tight-
rope usually is.
A hundred years ago the art of rope-dancing ranked higher among
the arts and sciences than it happens to do now, and, being better
patronised, was doubtless better cultivated. Performers then, may be,
did just the feats that Blondin does: but they who are not cente-
narians will hardly recollect a performer who has equalled him. Punch
abstained from praising Blondin for his skill on the high rope, for
Punch had no wish to tempt people to the chance of seeing suicide.
But now that Blondin is performing without danger to his neck,
Punch would recommend all sight-seers forthwith to go and see him.
MEN AND MONKEYS.
Ir M. db Chaillb be believed, and (in spite of Dr. Gray) we do not
see why he should not. he must have lived in queer society in Africa.
And yet many of the brutes, both animal and human, that he found
himself among, bear no little resemblance to people who are found in
far more civilised localities. Bor instance, the Ban cannibals eat up
their relations whenever they have the chance; and this is certainly a
custom not less common in Central England than it is in Centi-al
Africa. We have all known uncle-hunters, who have done their best to
worry those rich relatives to death, having bled them (through their
bankers) as much as well was possible; while many a devourer of the
substance of his aunt holds his head erect, and walks at large among us,
as though cannibalism had ceased to be regarded as a crime.
Again, take the Nshiego-Mbouve, or large nest-building ape, which
M. db Chaillb claims the merit of discovering. This monkey is a
bald one, and, as the art of wig-making in ape-land is unknown, ho
builds himself a nest or thatch to keep his head warm, and prevent the
wind from whistling in his ears. And do not many men make nests,
and know well how to feather them ? The practice is as usual here as
with the Nshiego-Mbouves, and the industry and skill with which it is
achieved are every whit as wondrous with the men as with the monkeys.
As another very marked peculiarity of theirs, these apes are spoken of
as being pretty often up a tree, in fact, as passing in that manner a full
half of their existence. But this is not a habit special to the simious
creation. Our poor friend Mr. Hardbppb uas for years been “ up a
tree,” to quote his own confession; and the chances are, we think,
from our knowledge of his character, that he will end his days in that
uncomfortable position.
Thus we find in Central England and in civilised society precisely the
same habits and eccentric ways of living as those which have been
noted in the wilds of Central Africa. In fact, the customs of Gorilla.
Land and parts thereto adjacent, although in haste we call them savage,
brutal, ana inhuman, not merely have existence, but are actually ap-
plauded, when pursued in our (so called) more civilised community.
Many think it a neat dodge to live on one’s relations, and when a rich
man dies the first thing his friends ask is—how will he “cutup?”
Instances occur almost daily here among us of people being hunted
down and eaten up by fellow men, who pursue 'with cruel eagerness all
the helpless victims who may chance to cross their path. Indeed, much
as we may boast of our superior intelligence, customs the most canni-
balic prevail still in this country: and many who are looked upon as
Educated Englishmen, behave themselves in no way better than Gorillas.
Agitated Tailor (to foreign-looking gentleman), “ Y-you ’re rather l-long
in the arm, S-sir, b-b-but I’ll d-d-do my b-b-best to Jit you ! ”
T)0 YOU WANT LUXURIOUS WHISKERS? If so, go at once
Jw and purchase Punch's Almanack: wherein, among ten thousand useful hits of
information, you will meet with no directions how to make
The merry hrown hairs come leaping,
Leaping out, you will see:
Till the girls cry, prettily peeping,
“ What beautiful whiskers has he ! ”
because Punch is very much too wise to waste his time in writing that
which nobody but simpletons would read.
WRITING ON THE WALL OP CONGRESS.
Them as dares to misbehave,
Yen they’re whopped, ’ll have to “cave.”
T)0 YOU BRUISE JOUR OATS YET, AND HAVE YOU CUT
-*-Y YOUR CORNS? If you think these questions impudent, we don’t want you
to answer them. But be sure at any rate to purchase Kelly’s Post-Office Directory,
or else be prepared to answer for your negligence.'Ha! Ha! Sold you, Mb. Reader.
Yol. 41.
9