DOI Heft:
June 4, 1892
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17693#0282
June 4, 1892.]
273
history as she is j m^^^^mw^Mmj-^^^mi^^^^ tiio^Si;!
played!
Questioner. Why should
M. V. Sardou be called the
Historian of the French Re-
volution P
Answerer. Because in Ther-
midor he has given an entirely
new version of the "Reign of
Terror."
Q. Was the "Reign of
Terror " very terrible ?
A. Not very. At the Opera
Comique it had its comic side.
Q. How was that ?
A. For instance, les trico-
teuses were represented by
comely, albeit plump maidens,
who seemed more inclined to
dance round a Maypole than
haunt a scaffold.
Q. Were Robespierre, St.
Just, and the rest, cruel and
vindictive ?
A. I should say not; and I
found my conclusion on the
fact that they engaged an
actor given to practical joking
as an officer of the Public
Security.
Q. From this, do you take
it that Robespierre must
have had a subtle sense of
humour ?
A. I do ; and the impression
is strengthened by his order
for a general slaughter of
Ursuline Nuns.
Q. Why should he order
such a massacre ?
A. To catch the heroine of
Thermidor, a lady who had
taken the vows under the im-
pression that her lover had
been killed by the enemy.
Q. Had her lover been
killed?
nothing to do save to take a
languid interest in the fate
of a tearful maiden, and a few
gens d'armes a little un-
certain about their parade-
ground.
Q. How do the mournful
loungers express their interest
in the fate of the tearful
maiden ?
A. By pointing her out one
to another, and when she is
ordered off to execution re-
moving their hats, and fixing
their attention on something
concealed behind the scenes.
Q. What is your present
idea of the Reign of Terror ?
A. My present idea of the
Reign of Terror is, that it was
the mildest thing imaginable.
In my opinion, not even a
child in arms would have been
frightened at it.
Q. Do you not consider M.
Mater deserving of honour ?
A. Certainly I do. For
has he not removed (with the
assistance of M. Sardou and
the Opera Comique) several
fond illusions of my youth ?
The Morning of the
Derby.—Samlet considering
whether he shall so to Epsom
for the great race or not, soli-
loquises, " Der-be or not Der-
be, that is the question."
[N.B.—As to the other lines,
go as you please. " The rest
is silence."]
Married and Single "
should be played by Lady-
ivi a TURF V ART should. De played by
iMr\ i unt v. nni. Cricketers. No single young
A. Certainly not; he had | Antithetic Friend. "Yes, this Room's rather nice, all but the I person under seventeen should
Window, with these large blank Panes of Plate-Glass I I should j be permitted an innings, as any
like to see some sort of Pattern on them—little Squares or Lozenges
or Arabesques-"
preferred to surrender
Q. Can you give me any
idea of the component part of
a revolutionary crowd ?
Philistine. "Well, but those lovely Cherry Blossoms, and the
A. At the Opera Comique, j Lake, and the distant Mountain, and the beautiful Sunsets, and
a revolutionary crowd seems ■ the Purple Clouds—isn't that Pattern enough ?"
two sweet sixteens would be
"not out," and there would be
no chance for the other side.
Match-makers are only inter-
ested in the Single.
LADY GAY'S SELECTIONS.
Dear Mr. Punch,—For the first time have I seen myself in print!
—and I must say I think it very becoming—and so nice and cool too
this hot weather ! You are indeed a sweet creature for adopting my
idea so readily—and I really must say that if these obstinate Members
of Parliament who oppose Women's
Suffrage would only alter their views, it
would be much better for the Country—
or worse—I don't know which!
Sir Minting Blootdell, whose criti-
cism on my contribution to your well-
written journal I invited, complimented
me on my style, and suggested that when
giving my selections it might be as well
to refer to the "Home Trials" of the
horses mentioned—but I venture to dis-
agree with him ! Goodness knows we all
have home trials enough ! (Lord Arthur
and I frequently do not speak for a week
unless someone is present)—but I do not
think these things should be made public,
and besides, it is an unwritten law
amongst "smart" people to avoid sub-
jects that "chafe "—which sounds like an
anachronism—whatever that means! Having an opportunity of a
"last word" on the Derby, I should like to say that, although my
confidence in my last week's selection, La Fleche, is unshaken, I
wish to have a second " arrow " to my bow in Llanthony—oi whom
a very keen judge of racing (Lord Bournemouth to wit) has formed
the opinion that—in his own words—" he will be on the premises " !
The premises in question being Epsom Downs, there will un-
doubtedly be room for him without his filling an unnecessarily
prominent position, so I will couple Llanthony with La Fleche to
supply the probable last in the Derby.
Meanwhile, I must say a word or two about the Ladies' Race at
Epsom on Friday next. There is absolutely no knowing what will
start for the Oaks nowadays until the numbers go up—and no Turf
Prophet will venture a selection until the morning of the race—and
this is where the perspicuity of an Editor like_ yourself, Mr. Punch,
scores a distinct hit—for such a paltry consideration as "knowing
nothing about it" is not likely to daunt a woman who takes as her
motto the well-known line from Shakspeare: " Thus Angels rush
where Cowards fear to tread! "—so herewith I confidently append
my verse selection for the last Mare in the Oaks !
Yours devotedly, Lady Gay.
The Tip.
'Tis the voice of the Sluggard, I hear him complain, _
You have waked me too soon—an unpleasant surprise !
In an hour or so later pray call me again,
When, if feeling refreshed, I will straightway " Arise / "
Quite in Keeping.—The Earl of Dtsart has left the ranks of
the Liberal Unionists and become a Gladstonian Home-Ruler.
" What more natural f " asked one of his former Unionist friends.
" Of course he 's dysarted us! "
273
history as she is j m^^^^mw^Mmj-^^^mi^^^^ tiio^Si;!
played!
Questioner. Why should
M. V. Sardou be called the
Historian of the French Re-
volution P
Answerer. Because in Ther-
midor he has given an entirely
new version of the "Reign of
Terror."
Q. Was the "Reign of
Terror " very terrible ?
A. Not very. At the Opera
Comique it had its comic side.
Q. How was that ?
A. For instance, les trico-
teuses were represented by
comely, albeit plump maidens,
who seemed more inclined to
dance round a Maypole than
haunt a scaffold.
Q. Were Robespierre, St.
Just, and the rest, cruel and
vindictive ?
A. I should say not; and I
found my conclusion on the
fact that they engaged an
actor given to practical joking
as an officer of the Public
Security.
Q. From this, do you take
it that Robespierre must
have had a subtle sense of
humour ?
A. I do ; and the impression
is strengthened by his order
for a general slaughter of
Ursuline Nuns.
Q. Why should he order
such a massacre ?
A. To catch the heroine of
Thermidor, a lady who had
taken the vows under the im-
pression that her lover had
been killed by the enemy.
Q. Had her lover been
killed?
nothing to do save to take a
languid interest in the fate
of a tearful maiden, and a few
gens d'armes a little un-
certain about their parade-
ground.
Q. How do the mournful
loungers express their interest
in the fate of the tearful
maiden ?
A. By pointing her out one
to another, and when she is
ordered off to execution re-
moving their hats, and fixing
their attention on something
concealed behind the scenes.
Q. What is your present
idea of the Reign of Terror ?
A. My present idea of the
Reign of Terror is, that it was
the mildest thing imaginable.
In my opinion, not even a
child in arms would have been
frightened at it.
Q. Do you not consider M.
Mater deserving of honour ?
A. Certainly I do. For
has he not removed (with the
assistance of M. Sardou and
the Opera Comique) several
fond illusions of my youth ?
The Morning of the
Derby.—Samlet considering
whether he shall so to Epsom
for the great race or not, soli-
loquises, " Der-be or not Der-
be, that is the question."
[N.B.—As to the other lines,
go as you please. " The rest
is silence."]
Married and Single "
should be played by Lady-
ivi a TURF V ART should. De played by
iMr\ i unt v. nni. Cricketers. No single young
A. Certainly not; he had | Antithetic Friend. "Yes, this Room's rather nice, all but the I person under seventeen should
Window, with these large blank Panes of Plate-Glass I I should j be permitted an innings, as any
like to see some sort of Pattern on them—little Squares or Lozenges
or Arabesques-"
preferred to surrender
Q. Can you give me any
idea of the component part of
a revolutionary crowd ?
Philistine. "Well, but those lovely Cherry Blossoms, and the
A. At the Opera Comique, j Lake, and the distant Mountain, and the beautiful Sunsets, and
a revolutionary crowd seems ■ the Purple Clouds—isn't that Pattern enough ?"
two sweet sixteens would be
"not out," and there would be
no chance for the other side.
Match-makers are only inter-
ested in the Single.
LADY GAY'S SELECTIONS.
Dear Mr. Punch,—For the first time have I seen myself in print!
—and I must say I think it very becoming—and so nice and cool too
this hot weather ! You are indeed a sweet creature for adopting my
idea so readily—and I really must say that if these obstinate Members
of Parliament who oppose Women's
Suffrage would only alter their views, it
would be much better for the Country—
or worse—I don't know which!
Sir Minting Blootdell, whose criti-
cism on my contribution to your well-
written journal I invited, complimented
me on my style, and suggested that when
giving my selections it might be as well
to refer to the "Home Trials" of the
horses mentioned—but I venture to dis-
agree with him ! Goodness knows we all
have home trials enough ! (Lord Arthur
and I frequently do not speak for a week
unless someone is present)—but I do not
think these things should be made public,
and besides, it is an unwritten law
amongst "smart" people to avoid sub-
jects that "chafe "—which sounds like an
anachronism—whatever that means! Having an opportunity of a
"last word" on the Derby, I should like to say that, although my
confidence in my last week's selection, La Fleche, is unshaken, I
wish to have a second " arrow " to my bow in Llanthony—oi whom
a very keen judge of racing (Lord Bournemouth to wit) has formed
the opinion that—in his own words—" he will be on the premises " !
The premises in question being Epsom Downs, there will un-
doubtedly be room for him without his filling an unnecessarily
prominent position, so I will couple Llanthony with La Fleche to
supply the probable last in the Derby.
Meanwhile, I must say a word or two about the Ladies' Race at
Epsom on Friday next. There is absolutely no knowing what will
start for the Oaks nowadays until the numbers go up—and no Turf
Prophet will venture a selection until the morning of the race—and
this is where the perspicuity of an Editor like_ yourself, Mr. Punch,
scores a distinct hit—for such a paltry consideration as "knowing
nothing about it" is not likely to daunt a woman who takes as her
motto the well-known line from Shakspeare: " Thus Angels rush
where Cowards fear to tread! "—so herewith I confidently append
my verse selection for the last Mare in the Oaks !
Yours devotedly, Lady Gay.
The Tip.
'Tis the voice of the Sluggard, I hear him complain, _
You have waked me too soon—an unpleasant surprise !
In an hour or so later pray call me again,
When, if feeling refreshed, I will straightway " Arise / "
Quite in Keeping.—The Earl of Dtsart has left the ranks of
the Liberal Unionists and become a Gladstonian Home-Ruler.
" What more natural f " asked one of his former Unionist friends.
" Of course he 's dysarted us! "