Punch (72.1877)

14 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [January 20, 1877.

A COMEDY ON BOTH SIDES.

ton

in 1 *

V

The Doctors gathered in the Sick Man's room, _

To hold high Conference on the patient's crisis,
As he lay in extremis—under doom

From long decay, blood-poisoning, and phthisis.
Some hot Sangrados were for prompt blood-letting ;

Some milder spirits were for euthanasia;
"While others held the only hope was getting

The patient to a health-resort in Asia.
The Sick Man, a sly Reynard, though his mien

Was mild as—say the breast of a young Turkey—

Saw that his doctors' hands were aught but clean,

Their diagnosis dark, their motives murky ;
So, springing up with unexpected powers,

And scattering pills and potions far and wide,
" Throw physic to the dogs, ye dogs of Giaours !

I '11 none of it! " the impatient patient cried.
" A fig for your strait-waistcoats ! Better spare

Drastics and tonics, or I '11 let you see
That I've played ' Le Malade I?naginaire,\

As some of you ' Le Medecin Malgre Lui.'"

Lying Like Truth.

In the first number of a new journal called Truth, was a paragraph
charging the house of Lewis and Allenby with " sounding the war-
pipe, and sending the fiery cross to their clansmen, whenever Miss
Ellen or Miss Marion Terry appears in a new part," in other words,
with organising a claque to applaud these ladies. Mr. A. J. Lewis
writes, requesting Punch, as he has requested the. Times, Telegraph,
Daily News, and Standard, to say there is not a word of truth in
the "paragraph. He has called upon Truth to make public his denial.

In doing so, Truth, in effect, reiterates the false statement, though, in
terms, withdrawing the charge against Mr. Lewis in person. _ If this
be a sample of the utterances we are to expect from the new journal,
we shall have to change the old proverb from " Truth lies in a Well,"
to " Truth lies in a Column."

historical parallel.

Mrs. Malaprop declares that the courage of Mr. Tooth reminds
her of Caesar's when he stepped over the Rubricon.