Punch (73.1877)

310 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [January 5, 1878.

ZEAL.

Master of Hounds (gloomily). "Well, I suppose we'd better go Home?"

Suffolk Farmer. " Sir, I tell 'e it's ya be be-aunden Deuty to stick to ut till ya Beeuts bustes thekselves with
"Waater !"

somersaults : he must be a pupil of Mr. Rawdon Vokes. Gymnastic
capers that are cut in the winter ought not to he called summer-
saults. Oh, Sir ! where do bad punsters go to P To P;mdemonium,
of course. Oh! But I will turn the subject over in somebody
else's mind, my own being at present fully occupied.

Master Fred Vokes's business with the invisible Rawdon must
be closely watched by the intelligent spectator. It is immense.
Master Rawdon represents an invisible Goblin, but not an intan-
gible one; so that, though he cannot be seen, he is a material ob-
struction. Master Frederick, not seeing him, runs against him:
he can't imagine what it is stops the way: there is an invisible
obstacle, as stubborn and as surprising in effect as would be an
invisible brick wall. Master Rawdon enjoys the jest as only a
goblin could. It is such unaccountable perversities as these that
deepen the gloom on Master Frederick's face, and cause him to
shake his head slowly, as he murmurs to his sister, " There is more
in heaven and earth, Victoria, than is dreamt of in your philo-
sophy ! "

Hamlet! Why doesn't he play Hamlet f A Ballet-Pantomime
Hamlet, as serious as the play itself, from a Frederick Vokes point
of view. Let Rawdon Vokes be the Ghost. Let Victoria be
Ophelia. Miss Coveney, who is almost one of the family, should be
the Q,ueen-Mother. And if there are not materials there for a Vokes
speciality, I have mistaken my company. Master Frederick Vokes,
in Hamlet's suit of sables, with that pained expression on his pale,
wan countenance, would be the Prince of Denmark down to the
ground. What a dance he would have with Ophelia! What
scenes with Rawdon Vokes as the Ghost! How he would
" follow " as the Ghost " leads on."

But to return to the Pantomime, which those who have seen it
once will be delighted to do. Mr. Beverly's Lake of Water-Lilies
is as beautiful a scene as even he has ever painted. The tableaux
formed by the characters in the first Scene, representing: Mr. Frith's
t Coming of Age in the Olden Ti7ne"—(Ah! there '11 be another
sort of coming of Age when the Olden Time arrives !—but that's not
yet)—was admirably managed.

So thank you very much, Messrs. Blanchard, Beverly, and all

concerned in the production of the Drury Lane Annual under the
management of Mr. F. B. Chatterton, who ought to have danced
in his own " F. B. C." ballet. Perhaps the Lord Chamberlain
wouldn't letj him ; or perhaps he does dance, all by himself, out of
sight, at the wings, while the " F. B. C." is going on in front.

It is impossible to be everywhere at once. And, therefore, I must
leave the Covent Garden Pantomime, the Aquarium, and the Gaiety
afternoon Pantomime of Valentine and Orson for next week.

Mr. J. L. Toole's Trying a Magistrate at the Globe is a solo per-
formance which keeps the audience in a roar. Miss Lottie Venn
and Miss Rachel Sanger at the Strand play a sort of burlesque
Robertsonian Love-scene in The Red Rover charmingly. Fatherland
is to come out at the Queen's. Fatherland is a translation of Patrie,
but it sounds German.

M. Sardou's Dora will be produced at the Prince of Wales's m
January, but let us hope that the time is not far distant when we
shall have as many original English plays as there are now transla-
tions and adaptations. The various causes of the present trans-
lationary and adaptationary state of the stage in England, are best
known to those who are, literally, behind the scenes.

With the Compliments of the Season, I beg to assure you of my
most distinguished consideration, and sign myself

Your Representative.

DOCTOR DUCTOR.

" And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death."

Through what odd holes truth may leak out sometimes! Here

is a copy—verbatim et literatim—-of a Certificate given, the other

day, to a Registrar of Deaths by the Secretary of a Foresters Court

in Bedfordshire :— „ , ,„__

"December 2nd, 1877.

"Dear Sir, „ ,. , .

This his to certify that I am of opinion that John M- died m

accordance with Doctor's instructions."