Punch (85.1883)

July 14, 1883.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

13

First Britisher, at Boulogne (shady-looking party, evidently resident—to Casual
Acquaintance). “Oh, I don’t cake to go back to my Native Country. They

ALL SEEMED TO BE AGAINST ME.”

Second Britisher (respectable—Tourist). “ Goo’ gracious ! What, the whole
Twelve of ’em 1 ”

LAYS OP A LAZY MINSTREL.

HATTIME.

Bright is the sunshine, the breeze is quiescent—
Leaves whisper low in the Upper Thames reaches—

Blue is the sky, and the shade mighty pleasant,
Under the beeches:

Midsummer night is, they say, made for dreaming ;
Better by far are the visions of daytime—

Pink and white frocks in the meadow are gleaming—
Helping in Haytime !

Sunshine, I’m told, is productive of freckles—

Sweet are the zephyrs, hay-scented and soothful—

Work is, of all things, so says Mr. Eccles,

Good for the youthful!

Here let me lounge, ’neath the beeches umbrageous;
Here let me smoke, let me slumber, or slay time,

Gazing with pleasure on toilers courageous—

Working in Hay time !

Fair little faneuses in pretty pink dresses,

Merry young maidens in saucy sun-bonnets,

Dainty young damsels with hay in their tresses—
Worthy of sonnets!

Lazy the cattle are, red are the rowers,

Making a toil of the sweet summer playtime ;

Hot are the hay-makers, weary the torvers,

Thirsty in Haytime !

Under the beach, round a flower-decked table,
Pouring the cream out and crushing the berry,

Nina and Florence and Mary and Mabel

Gladly make merry!

Laughing young labourers, doubtless judicious,

Come for reward when they fancy it’s pay time ;

Splendid the cake is, the tea is delicious—

Grateful in Haytime!

Going to the Dogs.—Prince Degent, the best mastiff
of the year, Avas exhibited at the Kennel Club Dog Show
at the 'Crystal Palace last week. _ It is to be hoped that
this worthy winner of the Champion Prize enjoyed him-
self thoroughly at Sydenham. It will be remembered
that the last Prince' Regent we had in England was a
very sad dog indeed.

Not a Para avis at Henley.—A Water-foul.

OPERATIC NOTE.

The greatest treat of this Operatic Season was the appearance of
Madame Adelina Patti and Madame Scalchi as Ninetta and Pippo
in La Gazza Ladra. What a charming Opera! and how perfect
were both of these Artistes. An equal triumph. The Chorus, how-
ever, was on one occasion as flat as a pancake. The Stage Manage-
men at Covent Garden, from what we have seen of it this season, seems
to have brought ineffective arrangement to an Art. The Trial Scene
was an example in point. Such a tableau in! any serious Drama, and
on any ordinary stage, would have been laughed out of Court. But
a cultivated audience, because they still cling to the illusion that the
Italian Opera is got up and performed entirely by ‘ ‘ poor ignorant
f'urriners who don’t knoAv no better,” and who are merely Lingers
Avithout any brains—each a kind of “ Singer Machine ”—will tolerate
at the Italian Opera what they would not stand at the Lyceum,
the Haymarket, or, in fact, at any West-End Theatre.

The one mechanical effect of the Magpie upon which the latter part
of the plot of the piece—the climax, indeed—turns, was a ludicrous
failure, such as might have occurred on the first night of a Panto-
mime, Avhen there are so many heavy mechanical effects to he
managed, that one going a hit Avrong is pardonable; hut here, where
it was absolutely the only one, its failure, greeted with derisive
laughter, was most reprehensible. The Magpie, worked by a very
apparent wire, should have floAvn up to the belfry, where immediately
afterwards Pippo finds the spoon. The poor dummy made a flutter-
ing start, was jerked up against a tree in the centre, tried back,
started _ again Avith a pluck and determination worthy of a better
mechanism, and coming once more blindly up against the tree, fell
heavily on the stage, never to rise again, and Pippo and the Magis-
trate’s Clerk had to go up to the belfry and “ pretend ATery much,”
and find the spoon just as though the Magpie had played its part
properly and given the cue correctly. The entire Opera should be re-
stage-managed. The Chorus, too, should have a thorough drilling
before the next performance, if another be given ; and if it be, we
recommend everyone to see Patti and Scalchi in La Gazza Ladra.

Pouf !

Pleasure !
Roof
Azure!
Stream

Rippling
Dream !

Tippling!
Bright
Channels!
White
Flannels!
Blue
Serges!
Crew

Urges

Skiff

Along!
Whiff!
Strong

RIVER RUNES.

Waft
Roses!
Draught!

Dozes!

•Joke
Bandy!
Smoke!

“Shandy”!
Lunch !

Salad !
Munch!

Ballad!

Long
Breather!
Strong!

Together!
Miles
Twenty !
Smiles
Plenty!

Girls!

Chaffing !
Pearls!

Laughing!
Doff
Caps!

Off!

Traps
Out!

Up!

Shout!

Sup!

Night
O’er us!
Light!

Chorus!
Nip!

Creep !
Strip!

Sleep!

Wlrat is the Next Art-icle ?

We are told that never was Art so patronised in England as it is
in the present day. So it Avould appear to be from the folloAving
advertisement, which appears in the Daily Telegraph (July 3) :—

TO ARTISTS.- A City Firm has an export order for 2000 Oil Paint-
ings, from 3s to £2. Artists wanting Employment can address, &c.
Here is a brilliant opening for merry old Academicians, festive
flagstone “screevers,” and “distinguished amateurs.”

“A General Booth” on the site of the late Grecian Theatre
sounds like a tent on debatable ground between Church and Stage.
It was the latter: it isn't the former.