Punch: Punch (101.1891)

August 1, 1891.]

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

49

! so great is the number of the foundation-stones he lays ; and yet,
THE PRINCE. i had he revealed'either the one or the other by speech or gesture,

they had robbed him before this of his power and reputation.

(A Letter from Nicole Puncio Machiavelli to the Most Illustrious Vittorio
Emanuelc, Son of-JJmbcrto, King of Italy.)

I.

III.— Of the Wearing of Uniforms.
A Prince should have many uniforms, and wear them with much

There never was, nor is at this day, any man in the world who is show and glitter. For it is expected of Princes that before they be
not either a Prince or not a Prince. Seeing, therefore, that your j weaned they should be Colonels, and should rank as Field-Marshals
Highness appertains of right to the class of them that are Princes, i at a time when other lads still trail themselves to school. It is not
and being ambitious to present to your Highness that which should indeed related of Cesar that he drilled a regiment at the age of six,
have the ehiefest value in your eyes, I could not (though pondering nor of Hannibal that being yet a boy he did aught but take an oath,
much) deem anything more precious than the knowledge of men and i Yet now the custom of the world is otherwise, and a Prince who
of governments which I have learned through a space of half a : should never shine in the array of a soldier might justly be held
hundred years. Forasmuch as your Highness hath travelled : odious and contemptible. That very German Emperor of whom I
over stormy seas to the island of the British folk, I do presume have spoken, won the applause of the multitude by cuirass and
to present to your Highness, u i j i helmet, and having donned a

as being one that seeketh 8 / I 111 I ,1 , British Admiral's uniform,

wisdom, the ripe fruit of my u / / j 'y was held of great account

knowledge, in order that your | / / f amongst a people apt for the

Hiehness mav suck thereout \ If/A I I rule of the sea. This honour

such advantage as those who u / \\\ / Ja&^MP&B *n truth ^a^s no^' 10 a^ >

love your land chiefly .1- sire I 1 j / <^^Mr^w others, and yourself among

both for yourself and for them '( / / i j!' ! '11 IJIi^BH^"'^ 1''r> nurnl~)0r' mav 'je made

to whose government vou shall W/// J I j f K^^^pf-^ i Post Captains, and wear a

in the future be called. f : J | j i jj j j|j jj j I jjj j ^^^^^^^^^^ naval dress both with comfort

To begin, then, I say it ^'Jl^^^^^k^^1 'ffi;"^ 'n''1^<^|^^^^^^^^^^ Here in the land to which
would be advantageous to be m^^^i f^P* "Millr1! ^§88' you have come you shall find
accounted both liberal and of ||ipS^'wic= - ''W^t^^^S'^^^^ all men lovers of Italy. For
a like nature unto other men /fe$, ■ ^lil^^^^^Pg fir^^^^ssA^^^5^ there is not one of those that
that are not Princes. For - /jjm^g^Z^^^^^^^^^Mr^' r% watched her Ion? and grievous
although the majority of man- w^^^^^mimff^^^^ ^'-n i' struggles, that did not welcome
kind be penurious and apt to '^m^SS^^^U^SS^S ^^^^^/|T|, with a heartfelt joy her de-
hoard their money, and —----^r.- ^0z=^m$nW IJ liverance, both from foreign

althous-h in their assemblv /I \i^p4lM^/ h } ^==S^^V:A%U 7 \ voke and from native tyrants,

the British make a show of WJffiW/l&\ JBINlife^' - >M^^mWd \ Here too they know that the

niggardliness, imputing it to %W/W'/r? 7 /Ar llwra " example of your illustrious

themselves for a virtue, never- mW/$w/0 ^ aJF- V0': '/> WWII "J family, the wisdom and mode-

theless, if they discern in a —, ■mmi^^^^^Jt^A^%>^ - Y§8§ ^'i§ft§v ' • i lfS»l ration of your father not less

Prince such inclinations as ~^mK^r^S^^^^^^0'-i'• V^;- 'i.' w|6| than the unquenchable valour

they praise in themselves, no ■^'j^^^^ ''"^x^^^^^^t^^^^^^^^^ ill and bodily strength of your

nation was ever quicker to —""^^mM^// ■ ^^^^^iM^^^^^^^^^k //'Mk\ grandfather, his contempt of

blame or decry. For each '^—^^^^uM0^/p^tel^s^ feP^^J^ danger, his devotion to duty,

holds in private that while he A m^^^Mm^^^^^^i -'^^^^^^\ if Mm shone forth as a star before

himself is generous, the rest A W^^Wfk 'i./^^^M^^^^^^^^ //fflHti ^e eyes °^ a^ It^1113. even

are mean and covetous. /i\ m^^^^^ W'^^^^^f^^^^^^^^^^^min their darkest hours. Who

Therefore, I counsel you let // \ /M^^4/§' ' • ■ •- S.-________ is there that hath not the

your conduct in the bestowal ; J ^^^^^^&yf^^^^x^>:k^^=T ^T<L j "" liveliest hope that all pros-

both of snuff-boxes, which no S I u^j^fC//^ ' ' _ Msf perity may be confirmed to

man at this day uses, and of ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^E^^^-^ €=P^ that beloved country, that she

scarf-pins, which are a delight ^^^^ii^^^S^—^ may advance from greatness

to many, be so ordered that -^^-^^^^^^^Jj^f^.. to greatness, that her kings

men may think of you as one -^'^^^^^ x__^ , j^r^y^ may be just, her people free

that with a true generosity / ' -—■ • —-* and contented. Let your

performs such acts as each of ' illustrious family, then,'still

address itself to the work with courage and confidence, that under
them Italy may stand forth an example to the nations of the world.

them, were he a Prince, would perform as well

Likewise if there be those who wish to read unto you addresses of
loyal welcome, it is not well to flout them publicly by showing signs
of sleep ; since it is the fashion of municipalities and'Mavors to hold
themselves to be of high importance, and a wise flattery of this self-
deception well becomes you. And in replying, let your speech be
both short and homely. The present German Emperor came lately
among this people, and, having spoken aloud of the kindness of his
Grandmamma, at once the hearts of all of them that are or hope to
be grandmammas, or have themselves possessed a grandmamma,
were moved to him so that he was accounted one of themselves from
that time forth.

Again, how honourable it is for a Prince to be outspoken, candid,
and truthful, I suppose everybody understands. Nevertheless,
experience has shown in our times that those Princes who have not
pinned themselves up to that excess of truth-speaking, have not
alone secared the love of their subjects, but have been held up as
patterns of a royal wisdom and virtue. For in the assemblages of

QUEER QUERIES.—Quotation Wanted.—Can anybody inform
me where this exquisite line occurs—

" Heredity, thou mother of our race ! "
I fancy it must be by Lord Tennyson, but I cannot find it either in
In Memoriam or the Idylls of the King. The line has been much
admired by competent critics. A beautiful little volume of verse,
recently published, is The Fall of Cetewayo. Possibly the line may
be in that book.—P.S.—Is not £76 10s. 6d. too high a price to charge
for bringing out an Epic Poem of 8000 lines, even if, as is asserted,
there have been " no sales " ?—Laureate Presumptive.

Meredithomania.—Miss Hannah Lynch (Author of George
Meredith—a Study) is almost incoherently angry with "the inexcus-
the great that snail be gathered in""vour honour? and in the"banquets ^ comical consistency of stupidity » ^^^^^^7^°
and receptions wherewith it is customarv to overwhelm a Prince, ! are not> in t]f f^est sense Meredith-men -or women. She 5,
there must often be those surrounding him, and holding converse Wver, so dogmatic and disdainful, ^^^^J^f'^r
with hun. whose absence would cause him jov rather than sorrow, i dency to substitute for the judicial verdict of the eiitieal udgment-
on account of their exceeding pompous dulness. Yet it is well at! seat- the arbitrary and excessive punishment of Lynch-law .
such times for a Prince to conceal his feelings, and, though he be 1 "

flattened with tedious ceremony, to keep both a cheerful countenance Wisbech Wine.—Liberal Supply. The Brand of 1S91 acknow-

and a pleasant tongue, as of one to whom life offers a succession of
the proudest and happiest moments. There is a Prince at this time
m being (but his name I shall conceal), who can often have nothing
in his mind but sorrow and depression, so many are his labours and

ledged to be quite beyond competition.

"Off to Masherland." — Nothing from " Grandolph the
Explorer " this week. He's gone to the Diggings.

vol. ci.