Punch (59.1870)

Dbckmbkb 31, 1870.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

FT was far into the night of the Shortest Day of the disturbed, disastrous, and dismal year, 1870.

-*~ But Me. Punch, the Philosopher, was not meditating on disturbance, disaster, or dismalness. He sat pondering
on Eclipses, with the assistance of Mr. Norman Lockyer's Elementary Lesson-book, and he had nearly persuaded himself
that he partly understood something of the theory of those Phenomena.

" The longest time an Eclipse of the Sun can be total at any place is seven minutes," he read, and he seemed
to derive comfort from that knowledge. "There has been no total eclipse of the sun in London since 1715," he went
on. " Let's see, that was the year in which the Northern Lights vainly tried to eclipse the Star of Brunswick."

A card was brought in unto him, inscribed

Jvfonsieur Helios.
JVTademoiselle Selene.

" 1 do not know them ; probably some balloon-refugees from Paris. They are welcome. Show them in."

His visitors entered. For a second, he was conscious of a blaze of golden glory, which was succeeded by a silvery
effulgence, and then the new arrivals ceased to be more brilliant than other people of the world.

" Delighted," said Mr. Punch, whose imperturbability is proof against Gods and Men. " How are you, Queen and
Huntress chaste and fair ? And how are you, my far-darter, Lord of the Unerring Bow ? "

Olympian laughter rang musically, and then Diana said, with the smile that made Endymion's dream a Paradise
" We have a little performance for the Astronomers to-morrow, and we thought that you might like a Private View."

" Thanks very much," said Mr. Punch, playfully adopting the affectation of the hour. " But you will have to put
the performance off. A vessel, laden with Science, has come to grief. I believe she is called—excuse my naming her,"
he added, with a sly glance at the lady.

" You may name her, Sir," said Diana, laughing, and tossing her radiant head. Psyche was nothing to me."

" LemprieRE--"

" 0, if you '11 believe Lempriere, you'll believe anything," said Diana.

" I don't believe anything," replied Mr. Punch. " But may I offer you terrestrial hospitality ? I fear that I
am out of nectar and ambrosia."