Punch (62.1872)

98

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [Mabch 2, 1872.

MELIORA.

There is said to be nothing more sensitive than
Capital, but Patriotism appears to be equally so —
Patriotism, that is, as denned in conversation by Dr.
Johnson. The other night, a meeting of Patriots,
delegates to the number of 200 or so, from sixty political
and social organisations of Republicans and Revolu-
tionists, held, under tbe presidency of Mr. Odger, at
the White Horse Tavern, Castle Street, Oxford Street,
to arrange measures for opposing the Parks' Regulation
Bill, unanimously voted the following resolution :

4< That, considering the conduct of the Government, a de-
monstration to protest against the Parks' Begulation Bill be
held in Hyde Park on Sunday, the 3rd of March."

These Patriots are particularly alarmed at a clause
I of the Bill which they credit with virtually prohibiting
public meetings in the Parks. They will probably find
that they have been too nervous. In the meantime,
j however, the Premier and Government are to be con-
gratulated on the menace of a demonstration to be held
in Hyde Park for the purpose of denouncing one of their
measures.

Hopeless.

A paragraph in the Parliamentary Intelligence of
the Times, headed " Occasional Sermons," and referring
to a Bill Mr. Cowper-Temple has obtained leave to
introduce, led many persons to hope that Parliament
was at last about to interfere to protect us from the
young, the inexperienced, the inefficient, the injudicious,
the tedious preachers, by prohibiting them from deliver-
ing more than a limited, a very limited, number of
discourses iu the course of each year. These sanguine
dreamers are now suffering from the reaction of dis-
appointment, for they find that Mr. Cowper-Temple's
Bill has an entirely different object in view, and that it
leaves us all still at the mercy, alike of the youngest
Curate and the oldest Archdeacon.

OUR REPLY

" Yes, Dear, no doubt it is a relief to be Free from Absurd

incnmp.kan^es, but why did not this occur to you on the 27th
February ?"

Kleptomania.

A sad case of depravity, which has come to light
within the last few days, is causing great distress to a
most respectable family long resident in the neighbour-
hood of London. One of its members, a Lady hitherto
of irreproachable character, has lately taken to steel pens.

AN AWAKENING CONSCIENCE.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer will not encourage any
inquiry with a view to the abolition of the Income-tax. But, he
told a deputation the other day :—

" He certainly believed that the administration under Schedule D might ba
improved. But the real remedy was to keep the tax as low a* possible ; rind,
in order to keep it lew, taxes ought to be put on other things."

Excellent. The lower the Income-tax. the better. Its perfection
would be zero. In order to reduce it to that point, could not taxes
be put on other things—of which Mr. Sheridan has mentioned
some ? The delegates from the Chambers of Commerce respecting
the Income-tax obtained from Mr. Lowe the very best answer they
could possibly have expected, next to a promise to provide for the
repeal of the Income-tax in his next Budget.

Shakspeare for Schoolboys

In the tragedy of Macbeth, a question is asked by Malcolm :—

" What is the newest grief ? "
To which JRosse makes answer :—

" That of anhour'8 age doth hiss the Speaker."
Such grief was awfully unparliamentary.

Black and White.

Our other great explorer of Africa, Sir Samuel Baker, is now-
engaged in labouring to suppress the Slave Trade in the very heart
of that island, as M. Lesseps has rendered it. This enterprise is
opposed by the Powers of Darkness, both material and. spiritual. It
is altogether a case of Pull Baker, pull Darkey. Success to Baker.

A GENIAL NOTION.

As the Waterside business would be virtually suspended on
Thanksgiving Day, and the Banks (that is to say, banking-houses)
would be shut, the employes in the Custom-House, Colonel Beres-
ford was kiud enough to suggest in the House of Commons, should
be allowed a holiday. This benevolent proposal would doubtless
have been acceded to if the Government had only been certain that
there was no fear that, in the absence of Custom-House officers, any
smuggling would go on in the river. And then, because it might be
! believed that Thanksgiving Day would be respected equally by
smugglers and by thieves, a holiday might also have been given to
all tbe Policemen.

AN AWKWARD FLATTERER.

In an article in the Debats, relative to Legitimism, attributed to
M. Emile de Bonnechose, the historian, occurs a statement that
j Villeroi, the tutor of the Grand Monarch, "showing from an
1 elevated site to his royal pupil, Louis the Fourteenth, the villages
and landscapes spread out before him, said, ' Sire, all that is yours.'"
Something like this had been spoken and done elsewhere some time
before, to far another than the King of France; but perhaps
Marshal Yilleroi was not a conscious plagiary.

Drums and Fifes.

Mr. Cardwell proposes, in re-organising the Army, to unite all
j the forces of the country in " one harmonious whole." Hitherto, in
j military affairs, that description has only been applicable to some
of the bands.

" El Eco de Ambos Mundos."

A. handsome-looking journal, with this title, has been sent to
Mr. Punch. He wishes it all success. But be thought that the
above words meant Punch For Ever !