Punch: Punch (100.1891)

Apbil 11, 1891.] PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

179

(Sari © nitlii I I t,

Born in 1815. Died 31st March, 1891.

The coarser Cyclops now combine _

To push the Olympians from their places;
And dead as Pan seems the old line

Of greater gods and gentler graces.
Peasant, amidst the clangour crude

Of smiting hammer, sounding anvil,
As bland Arcadian interlude,

The courtly accents of a Granville !

A strenuous time's pedestrian muse

Shouts pteans to the earth-born giant,
Whose brows Apollo 's wreath refuse,

Whose strength to Charis is unpliant.
Demos distrusts the debonair,

Yet Demos found himself disarming
To gracious Granville : unaware

Won by the calm, witched by the charmir g.

Bismarckian vigour, stern and stark

As Brontes self, was not his dower ;
N it his to steer a storm-tost bark

Through waves that whelm, [and cloucs
that lower.
Te nper unstirred, unerring tact,

>V ere his. He could not "wave the banner,"
But he could lend to steely act

The softly silken charm of manner.

Kindly, accomplished, with a wit

Lambent yet bland, like summer lightning;
Yenomless rapier-point, whose "hit"

Was palpable, yet painless. Brightening
E'en party conflict with a tonch

Of old-world grace fight could not ruffle!
Faith, Gbakville, we shall miss thee much

Where kites and crows of faction scuffle !

An Irish Diamond.—The Cork Examiner
of 28th ultimo contained an official advertise-
ment, signed by the High Sheriff of the
County of the City of Cork, requesting certain
persons connected with the Spring Assizes to
attend at the Model Schools, as the Court
House had been destroyed by fire. Amongst
those thus politely invited to be present on
so interesting an occasion were the Prisoners!

PATERFAMILIAS ON KIS CENSUS PAPER.

Head of the Family ! That makes me quail.
I am the Head—and thereby hangs a tale !
This big blue paper, ruled in many a column,
Gives rise to some misgivings sad and solemn.
Relation to that Head? That Head's buzz-
brained,

And its "relations" are—just now—"much

strained."
Citizen-duty I've no wish to shirk,
But would the State do its own dirty work—
(My daughters swear His dirty). I'd be

grateful.

Instructions ? Yes ! Imperative an d fateful!
But, oh! I wish they would "instruct" me
how

To tell the truth without a family row.
"Best of my knowledge and belief"! Ah
well

If Aunt Mehitarkl her age won't tell;
If Cook will swear she's only thirty-thiea,
And rather fancies she was born at sea
(Where I am now) my "knowledge and
belief"

Are not worth much to the official chief,
Brydgeb P. Henniker, if he only knew it.
A True Pceturn ? Well, if it is not true, it
Is not my fault. Inquisitorial band,
I've done my level best—Witness my Hand !
The bothering business makes me feel quite
Peace now—for ten years more! [bilious,

Paterfamilias.

"FACTA NON VERBA"; OR, PIERROT IN LONDON.

" Of the best! of the very best! " as Zero or Ciro is perpetually affirming of everything
eatable and drinkable that is for his own benefit and his customers' refreshment at the
little bar, not a hundred miles from the Monte Carlo tables, where he himself and his barris-
ters practise day and night; and, as this famous cutter of sandwiches and confectioner of

A BLACK AND "WHITE EXHIBITION.

drinks says of his stock in trade, so say we of VEnfant Prodigue, which, having been
translated by Horatitjs Cocles Sedger from Paris to London, has gone straight to the
heart and intelligence of our Theatre-loving public.

It is a subject for curious reflection that, just when the comic scenes of our English
Pantomime have been crushed out by overpowering weight of gorgeous spectacle, there
should re-appear in our midst a revival of the ancient Pierrot who pantomimed himself
into public favour with the Parisians towards the close of the seventeenth century. Red-hot
poker, sausages, and filching Clown have had their day, and lo ! when everyone said we were
tired of the " comic business " of Pantomime, here in our midst re-appear almost in their
habits as they lived, certainly with their white faces and black skull-caps "as they
appeared," a pair of marvellously clever Pierrots. Mile. Jane Mat as Pierrot Junior, "the
Prodigy son," and M. Courtes as Pierrot Senior, are already drawing the town to Matinees
at the Prince of Wales's, causing us to laugh at them and with them in their joys, and to
weep with them in their mimic sorrows. Yes ! Pierrot redivivus I

Mind you, it is not a piece for children; make no mistake about that; they will only
laugh at the antics, be ignorant of the story, and be untouched by its truth and pathos.
All are good. We like the naughty blanchisseuse the least of the characters, and wish she
had been plus petite que ca. But is it not in nature that the prodigal infant (veritable
boy is Mile. Jane Mat) should fall in love with a young woman some years his senior, and
far beyond him in experience of the world ? Why certainly, Then the Baron, played with
great humour by M. Louis Gouget, who wins the Mistress with his diamonds, and the
inimitable Black Servant, M. Jean Arcueil, who laughs at poor little Pierrot, and cringes
to his wealthy rival and successor,—are they not both admirable ? As for the acting of
Madame Schmidt as Madame Pierrot, loving wife and devoted mother, it is, as it should be,
" too good for words." Her pantomimic action is so sympathetic throughout, so—well, in
fact, perfect. Who wants to hear them speak ? Facta non verba is their motto. Yet with
what gusto the Black, heavily bribed, mouths out the titled Baron's name, though never a
syllable does he utter! It is all most excellent make-believe.

Vive Pierrot d Londres ! We see him much the same as he was"when he delighted the
Parisians in 1830,—" Avec sa grand casaque d gros boutons, son large pantalon flottant,
ses souliers blancs comme le reste, son visage enfarine, sa tete couverte d'un serre-tete noir
... le veritable Pierrot avec sa bonhomie naive ... ses joies d'enfant, et ses chagrins
d'un effet si comique^— and also so pathetic.

If this entertainment could be given at night, the house would be' crammed during a
long run : but afternoon possibilities are limited. More than a word of praise must be given
to M. Andre Wormser's music, which, personally conducted by Mr. Crook, goes hand in
hand with the story written by Michel Carre Fils, and illustrated by these clever panto-
mimists. No amateur of good_acting should fail to see this performance. Verb. sap.

In the Salon this year, the Athenaeum says, "a Grand Salon de Repos will be pro-
vided." For pictures of "still life" only, we suppose. Will Sir Frederick, P.R A,
act on the suggestion, and set aside one of the rooms in Burlington House as a Dormi-
tory ?