Punch: Punch (89.1885)

November 21, 1885.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. 243

AGREMEENT BETWEEN TWO GREAT PARTIES.

"Let's tax Sherry." Sir W. V. H-rc-rt. "I 've no 'bjiotion. It's a most 'teshtable Liquid !"

[Illustration of Sir TV. V. H.'s Speech at Chester, November 10.

WANTED, A EE VISED VERSION.

Who translated Pope Leo the .Thirteenth's Encyclical for
The Tablet ? Here's a specimen

" The defence of the Catholic name, indeed of necessity, demands that in
the profession of doctrines which are handed down by the Church, the opinion
of all shall be one, and the most perfect constancy, and from this point of view
take care that no one connives in any degree at false opinions, or resists with
greater gentleness than truth will allow. Concerning those things which are
matters of opinion, it will be lawful, with moderation and with a desire of inves-
tigating the truth, without injurious suspicions and mutual recriminations."

Surely, the translator must have modelled .his style on English as
she is Spoke, unless it be the work of the talented Author of that
popular book. Perhaps it is by way of concession to our prejudice in
favour of the vernacular, that it is put into a language supposed to be
" understanded. of the people." If so, the effort, however commend-
able, is hardly successful. Papa Leo is too classic and elegant a writer
to be treated in this fashion, even by the most scrupulous adapter.

THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE SHERIFF'S OFFICER.

Last week the Sheriffs for the coming year were nominated, and
the report of the proceedings published in the Times, of November
13th, is a most instructive article. Petitions to be excused from
serving were presented by the score. One gentleman explained that
he had had the greatest difficulty in meeting his present expenses, and
that entertaining the Judges would probably land him in the Bank-
ruptcy Court; another urged that he had had to let his Manor-house
and live in furnished apartments, a third, that he had lost all hit
money in a Chancery suit; a fourth, that he had a small income and
a large family; a fifth, that he had an estate in the county which
did not pay, and that he hoped soon to sell it, and so on, and so on.
On all sides came stories of real genuine aristocratic distress, even
painful in their miserable details. In fact, the general impression
seemed to be, that only the inability to pay for the rope prevented
some of the proposed Sheriffs from undertaking their office, solelj
with an economical view of becoming their own executioners.