DOI Heft:
October 10, 1863
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.16872#0156
October 10. 1863.]
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
145
AN ARTIST SCAMP IN THE HIGHLANDS.
Artist (entering). “My good woman, if you’ll allow me, I ’ll just paint that bedstead of yours.”
Cottager (with bob-curtsey). “ Thank ye, sir, 1’ sure it’s very kind of ye-but dinara ye
think that little one over yon wants it more l ”
ALL ONE.
The Pays of Thursday evening last week
contained the following announcement:—
“ The French and Austrian Ambassadors in London
had a long conference yesterday with Earl Russell. A
perfect understanding continues to exist between the
three Powers relative to the Polish question.”
On this statement the Times remarked in a
note:—
“ Unfortunately for the veracity of our Parisian con-
temporary, Earl Russell is in Scotland.”
It is all right. Although Earl Russell was,
at the date in question, as the Times says, in Scot-
land, there is no essential inaccuracy in the
assertion of the Pays that the Erench and
Austrian Ambassadors had a conference with
him. The noble Earl had engaged a brother
Peer and fellow statesman to act in his place
during Ins temporary absence. He had left Earl
Punch as his representative at the Foreign Office.
The Erench and Austrian Ambassadors had an
interview with Earl Punch. It extended to a
conference of great length, although its duration
appeared much too short to their Excellencies,
who declared that they had never known two
hours pass so quickly before. This explanation
will suffice to clear up a natural but thorough
misunderstanding.
Conditions of Peace with America.
There is a consideration which may have some
weight in determining the Yankees not to force
us into a war with them, whilst they have on
hand any such work as the siege of Charleston,
and whilst we have a Channel Eleet of Ironsides
disengaged. Two circumstances render it inex-
pedient for them to quarrel with us. They have
too many irons in the fire, and we too many in
the water.
IMAGE-WINKING AND IMAGE-WOKS HIP.
The truth of the proverb which says that wonders will never cease is
illustrated by the miracles, real or pretended, now in course of per-
formance in the neighbourhood of Rome. The Roman Correspondent
of the Post says —
“ The religious furore created along all the upper valley of the Anio and through-
out the neighbouring districts, as well Italian as Pontifical, by the miraculous
moving of the eyes of the picture of the Madonna in the Church of Vicovaro, a town
nine miles beyond Tivoli, goes on spreading and increasing.”
Either this picture winks or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t wink, the belief
of those who believe that they see it wink is wonderful. And there are
many who believe so. The Tablet endorses their faith. According to
the other authority above quoted :—
“ The Infanta of Portugal, with her suite, and a host of prelates and dignitaries,
witnessed the miracle, and deposited their gifts.”
And mind, the Infanta of Portugal is not a baby. Moreover:—
“ The other day a prelate of the Pope's Palace went and had prayers put up for
his Holiness before the miraculous picture, which distinctly moved its eyes during
the prayers, according to the written testimony of the prelate and many of the
congregation.”
IIow many ? Out of a multitude gazing at the Lion on the top of
Northumberland House impressed with a statement that it has wagged
its tail, some, we are told, will seem to themselves to see it do so. This,
anyhow, is wouderlul delusion. So are the fantasies of electro-biology.
It is wonderful that the eyes are made the fools of the other senses ; it
would be still more wonderful if, in a case like that of the Northum-
berland House Lion, or the Yicovaro Madonna, they proved to be
worth all the rest. Were the Lion actually to wag its tail, that would
be a great wonder; but not so great as the motion of the Madonna’s
eyes. At a certain temperature the tail of the Lion, being metallic,
would be flexible, and, given the spiritual force that hoists Mr. Home
to the ceiling and moves tables, and the requisite temperature, which
would be no difficulty to a certain class of spirits, the Lion’s tail might
be wagged by intelligible means. But there is no understanding how
particles of dry paint can move instantaneously one upon the other,
and resolve themselves into new arrangements. The wonder, there-
fore, oi a really winking picture would be exceedingly wonderful.
Yet this wonder is alleged to be not only occurring at Yicovaro,
which, we are informed, “ has become a little Loreto; ” but, adds
the Post:—
“ Fifteen miles farther up the valley, however, is the more important town of
Subiaco, with the ancient Benedictine Abbey, of which the Pope himself is abbot.
It appears that Subiaco has taken nulli secunda for her motto, as a miraculous image
of the Madonna manifested itself there at 9 a.m. on the loth instant, by the same
prodigy as at Vicovaro. The miracle took place in the oratoi'y of St. Andrew, was
attested by the pro-Vicar Ferrari, and announced to the population by the clangour
of all the Church bells in the town.”
Whohas witnessed this same prodigy besides the pro-Vicar Lerrari ?
If not every beholder of the image, but only certain persons, then, at
any rate, there is no room for unpleasant suspicion. Ingenuity of
priestcraft is out of the question; and the Winking-image is attested
by the same sincerity as that which might honestly depose to having
seen the Lion on Northumberland House wag its tail. When we are
credibly informed that this appearance has been visible to a whole
congregation at once, and not till then, we shall inquire whether it is a
miracle or a humbug.
In the meantime we are farther informed that:—•
“ By especial permission of Lis Holiness, the ancient image of the Saviour is to
remain visible to the public in tbe Cburcb of San Giovanni until to-morrow evening."
Hence it appears Image-winking and Image-worship at Rome go
together. The phenomenon may be supposed to commend the practice.
There was a time when images are said to have winked in the Papal
States considerably, once before. This was in the course of 1796,
according to M. le Chevalier des Mousseaux, author of La Magie.
Images and pictures, these painted on linen, panels, paper, in fresco,
upon high relief; those made of wood, wax, or stone, not only rolled
their eyes, and changed colour, but appeared to live and breathe ; their
eyes sparkled; one perspired, another shed an abundance of tears. Can
we, as Dr. Johnson said of hearing his distant mother call “Sam!”
say that “nothing came of it?” All we know is that the Papacy
almost immediately came to grief. Suppose it comes to joy this time.
Suppose, instead of invading Rome, a Erench army remains there;
suppose the Pope lives to a good old age. _ Suppose that neither he j
nor his successor is dragged through the dirt to crown a despot and
consecrate what they believe to be usurpation, with deposition for their
pains after all. On the contrary, suppose Victor Emmanuel restores
Umbria and the Marches, what, conclusion are we expected to draw?
Perhaps, that the image-worship ordained by his Holiness has averted
the calamities which_ were portended by the winking images and
pictures. But if nothing comes of it, or nothing but grief, how then?
PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
145
AN ARTIST SCAMP IN THE HIGHLANDS.
Artist (entering). “My good woman, if you’ll allow me, I ’ll just paint that bedstead of yours.”
Cottager (with bob-curtsey). “ Thank ye, sir, 1’ sure it’s very kind of ye-but dinara ye
think that little one over yon wants it more l ”
ALL ONE.
The Pays of Thursday evening last week
contained the following announcement:—
“ The French and Austrian Ambassadors in London
had a long conference yesterday with Earl Russell. A
perfect understanding continues to exist between the
three Powers relative to the Polish question.”
On this statement the Times remarked in a
note:—
“ Unfortunately for the veracity of our Parisian con-
temporary, Earl Russell is in Scotland.”
It is all right. Although Earl Russell was,
at the date in question, as the Times says, in Scot-
land, there is no essential inaccuracy in the
assertion of the Pays that the Erench and
Austrian Ambassadors had a conference with
him. The noble Earl had engaged a brother
Peer and fellow statesman to act in his place
during Ins temporary absence. He had left Earl
Punch as his representative at the Foreign Office.
The Erench and Austrian Ambassadors had an
interview with Earl Punch. It extended to a
conference of great length, although its duration
appeared much too short to their Excellencies,
who declared that they had never known two
hours pass so quickly before. This explanation
will suffice to clear up a natural but thorough
misunderstanding.
Conditions of Peace with America.
There is a consideration which may have some
weight in determining the Yankees not to force
us into a war with them, whilst they have on
hand any such work as the siege of Charleston,
and whilst we have a Channel Eleet of Ironsides
disengaged. Two circumstances render it inex-
pedient for them to quarrel with us. They have
too many irons in the fire, and we too many in
the water.
IMAGE-WINKING AND IMAGE-WOKS HIP.
The truth of the proverb which says that wonders will never cease is
illustrated by the miracles, real or pretended, now in course of per-
formance in the neighbourhood of Rome. The Roman Correspondent
of the Post says —
“ The religious furore created along all the upper valley of the Anio and through-
out the neighbouring districts, as well Italian as Pontifical, by the miraculous
moving of the eyes of the picture of the Madonna in the Church of Vicovaro, a town
nine miles beyond Tivoli, goes on spreading and increasing.”
Either this picture winks or it doesn’t. If it doesn’t wink, the belief
of those who believe that they see it wink is wonderful. And there are
many who believe so. The Tablet endorses their faith. According to
the other authority above quoted :—
“ The Infanta of Portugal, with her suite, and a host of prelates and dignitaries,
witnessed the miracle, and deposited their gifts.”
And mind, the Infanta of Portugal is not a baby. Moreover:—
“ The other day a prelate of the Pope's Palace went and had prayers put up for
his Holiness before the miraculous picture, which distinctly moved its eyes during
the prayers, according to the written testimony of the prelate and many of the
congregation.”
IIow many ? Out of a multitude gazing at the Lion on the top of
Northumberland House impressed with a statement that it has wagged
its tail, some, we are told, will seem to themselves to see it do so. This,
anyhow, is wouderlul delusion. So are the fantasies of electro-biology.
It is wonderful that the eyes are made the fools of the other senses ; it
would be still more wonderful if, in a case like that of the Northum-
berland House Lion, or the Yicovaro Madonna, they proved to be
worth all the rest. Were the Lion actually to wag its tail, that would
be a great wonder; but not so great as the motion of the Madonna’s
eyes. At a certain temperature the tail of the Lion, being metallic,
would be flexible, and, given the spiritual force that hoists Mr. Home
to the ceiling and moves tables, and the requisite temperature, which
would be no difficulty to a certain class of spirits, the Lion’s tail might
be wagged by intelligible means. But there is no understanding how
particles of dry paint can move instantaneously one upon the other,
and resolve themselves into new arrangements. The wonder, there-
fore, oi a really winking picture would be exceedingly wonderful.
Yet this wonder is alleged to be not only occurring at Yicovaro,
which, we are informed, “ has become a little Loreto; ” but, adds
the Post:—
“ Fifteen miles farther up the valley, however, is the more important town of
Subiaco, with the ancient Benedictine Abbey, of which the Pope himself is abbot.
It appears that Subiaco has taken nulli secunda for her motto, as a miraculous image
of the Madonna manifested itself there at 9 a.m. on the loth instant, by the same
prodigy as at Vicovaro. The miracle took place in the oratoi'y of St. Andrew, was
attested by the pro-Vicar Ferrari, and announced to the population by the clangour
of all the Church bells in the town.”
Whohas witnessed this same prodigy besides the pro-Vicar Lerrari ?
If not every beholder of the image, but only certain persons, then, at
any rate, there is no room for unpleasant suspicion. Ingenuity of
priestcraft is out of the question; and the Winking-image is attested
by the same sincerity as that which might honestly depose to having
seen the Lion on Northumberland House wag its tail. When we are
credibly informed that this appearance has been visible to a whole
congregation at once, and not till then, we shall inquire whether it is a
miracle or a humbug.
In the meantime we are farther informed that:—•
“ By especial permission of Lis Holiness, the ancient image of the Saviour is to
remain visible to the public in tbe Cburcb of San Giovanni until to-morrow evening."
Hence it appears Image-winking and Image-worship at Rome go
together. The phenomenon may be supposed to commend the practice.
There was a time when images are said to have winked in the Papal
States considerably, once before. This was in the course of 1796,
according to M. le Chevalier des Mousseaux, author of La Magie.
Images and pictures, these painted on linen, panels, paper, in fresco,
upon high relief; those made of wood, wax, or stone, not only rolled
their eyes, and changed colour, but appeared to live and breathe ; their
eyes sparkled; one perspired, another shed an abundance of tears. Can
we, as Dr. Johnson said of hearing his distant mother call “Sam!”
say that “nothing came of it?” All we know is that the Papacy
almost immediately came to grief. Suppose it comes to joy this time.
Suppose, instead of invading Rome, a Erench army remains there;
suppose the Pope lives to a good old age. _ Suppose that neither he j
nor his successor is dragged through the dirt to crown a despot and
consecrate what they believe to be usurpation, with deposition for their
pains after all. On the contrary, suppose Victor Emmanuel restores
Umbria and the Marches, what, conclusion are we expected to draw?
Perhaps, that the image-worship ordained by his Holiness has averted
the calamities which_ were portended by the winking images and
pictures. But if nothing comes of it, or nothing but grief, how then?