DOI issue:
December 3, 1892
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17694#0269
264 PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. [December 3, 1892.
AN EVENING FROM HOME.
There used to appear daily—and it may be appearing daily now,
for aught I know, only, speaking on oath, I haven't lately noticed
it—a question addressed
by Every body in General,
or by Nobody in Particu-
lar to Everybody Else,
HAMPiVS• obsonotor-"] which took this form:
FRASCA7IEWSI5- ,J "Where shall we dine
to-day ? " I forget what
the answer was, but, as
a rule, the domesticated
man, with a good cook
in his own kitchen,
could answer it off-
hand by saying to him-
self, " ' Where shall we
dine to-day ? ' Why, at
home, of course—where
better ?—and catch me
moving out afterwards."
But, if he were contem-
plating the unpleasant
certainty of having post-
prandially to leave his
hearth and home in order
to visit some theatre,
opera, or concert, then it
might occur to him that
he could do the thing
well, and give his party
a novel treat, if, in French
fashion, he took them
somewhere to dine, pre-
vious to doing their play.
Thus it occurred to Yours
truly, Y Ti-Bullus Bib-
ULirs, a day or two ago,
when, dressed in his
classical evening Togaryii
in a Currus Pulcher (with
a Cursor alongside antici-
pating denarii, and risk-
ing the sharp rebuke of a
probable Cursor inside
" Our Hamp-phitryon." the vehicle) he was pass-
ing tbe Oxford Music
Hall, and a brightly decorated Restauration caught his observant
eye. Was it new, or was it a Restauration restored ? Its name, in
large letters, "Frascati." This seemed at once to lend itself to a
familiar jingle, and I found myself humming,—
Oh, did you never hear of Frascati ?
"lis not far from Rome, eh my hearty ?
The place looks so fine,
I will there go and dine,
And I '11 bring with me all of my party!
Horatian inspiration! I like to find out a new dining-place.
Years ago, by the merest accident sailing north, I discovered the
Holborn, and, since then, how many have not blessed the Colum-
bus Holbornius ? I do not ask how many have done so. "That
is another story." Since then, the taste for dining domestically
away from home has come considerably into fashion. The Ladies
like it, and the Law allows it. (Quotation from Merchant of Venice
adapted to occasion—Restaurant edition—Portia for two.) It is a
cheerful change, it assists the circulation of coin, it is an aid to the
solution of the problems of Bimetallism, it rejuvenesces the home-
fire-sider, it developes ideas, restores the balance of temper ; and, if
only the dinner be good, everybody goes away delighted,—guests are
satisfied, the host is pleased, the waiter smiles on the tipper, the
tipper on the manager, the manager on the proprietor, and all is Joy
and Junketing ! Judge my surprise, when to me, Tibullus, entering
Frascati, and as Cicerone, informing my friends (all eager and hungry,
and therefore unwilling to dispute) how Frascati was the ancient
Tusculum, a well-known face appears welcoming us with smiles.
It is Signor Hampi, better known as Mr. Hamp of Holborn.
" Salve! " quoth I, as Tibullus. " The same to you, Sir," responds
Hampius. "Now," said my friend Wagstaffius, without whom
no party is complete, "Now we shall be Hamp-ly satisfied."
The arrangement of the Frascati is a novelty ; it is all so open and,
though there are plenty of stuffers about, not in the least stuify. It
would take a considerable crowd to overcrowd the place and to de-
moralise the troops of well-disciplined waiters, all under the eye of
the ever-vigilant generalissimo of the forces, who in his white waist-
coat, black tie, and frock-coat of most decided cut and uncompro-
mising character—there is much in a frock-coat and something too in
the wearing of it—is here, there, and everywhere, and only waiting
till the last moment, and the right one, when the banquet is ended, to
give the word of command, " Charge ! "—and the charge (decidedly
moderate and previously named in the carte du four) is received
with satisfaction and defrayed with delight.
I have only one suggestion to make, and that affects the music not
the meal. Let the music be adapted to the dishes; and not only
should the course of time be considered as it progresses, but also
the time of the course. For example,—who that has an ear for music
can swallow oysters deliberately and sedately while the band is
playing a mad galop ? Let there be something very slow and
pianissimo for the hors d'otuvres : something gentle and soothing
for the oysters; there can be an indication of heartiness in the
melody that ushers in the soup, as though giving it a warm wel-
come. There should be a mincing minuet-like movement for the
entrees, a sparkling air for the champagne, and something robust for
the joint. A sporting tune for the game: sweet melody for the
sweets, and a grand and grateful Chorale—a kind of thanksgiving
service as it were—when the last crumb and the last bit of cheese
have been swept away.
After this to The Pavilion, in plenty of time to hear the ubiqui-
tous Albert Chevalier singing his celebrated coster-songs, Signor
Costa was a well-known name in the musical world some years ago ;
Chevalier Coster is about the best-known_ now. These ditties are
uncommonly telling; the music is so catching and so really good.
Then his singing of the little Nipper " on'y so 'igh, that's all," has
in it that touch of nature which makes you drop the silent tear and
pretend you are blowing your nose. Capital entertainment at the
" Pav." Ingress and egress is not difficult, and the place doesn't
become inconveniently hot. The sweet singer with the poetic name
of Herbert Campbell is very funny; which indeed he would be,
even if he never opened his mouth. Such a low comedian's "mug ! "
But of all the pretty things to be seen in its perfection here (I
have seen it elsewhere, and was not so struck by it) is the Skirt
Dance. It is "real elegant," graceful, and picturesque. What a
change has come over
the Music-hall enter-
tainment since—since
—"since even I was a
boy!" says the Acting
Manager, Mr. Edward
Swanborough,—ever-
green in the true sense
of the word, A vast
improvement, no doubt
of it. But, with such
good amusement for
the public, why on
earth do the Music-
Halls want to do
1' Dramatic Sketches'' ?
And, if they do them,
then, judging by what
I saw at the " Pav," I
am fain to ask again,
why, in the name of
Shakspeare, and the
musical glasses,
should the theatres
object ?
Does anyone seri-
ously think that
Othello or King Lear
is wanted at the Music-
Halls, or that Sheri-
dan's School for Scan-
dal wouldn't empty
any Music-Hall of its
patrons ? It is the
"variety" which is
the charm of the
Music-hall show, and
if any one part of the
variety show is a bit
too long—longer let us
say, than the time it
takes to smoke one-
eighth of a fair-sized « TJp I came with my little lot ! "
cigar and to drink half
a glass of something according to taste—then the audience will pretty
plainly express what they understand by Variety, what they have
paid to see, and what they mean to have for their money ; and if they
don't.get it there, they'll go somewhere else where it will be given
them. The summing-up, Gentlemen, is that, if you want a pleasant
evening, you can't do better than dine at Frascati and afterwards
patronise the " Pav." Such is the opinion of Y Ti-Bullus Bib.
{£|f> NOTICE.—Rejected. Communications or Contributions, whether MS., Printed Matter, Drawings, or Pictures of any description, will
in no case be returned, not even when accompanied by a Stamped and Addressed Envelope, Cover, or Wrapper. To thi3 rula
there will be no exception.
AN EVENING FROM HOME.
There used to appear daily—and it may be appearing daily now,
for aught I know, only, speaking on oath, I haven't lately noticed
it—a question addressed
by Every body in General,
or by Nobody in Particu-
lar to Everybody Else,
HAMPiVS• obsonotor-"] which took this form:
FRASCA7IEWSI5- ,J "Where shall we dine
to-day ? " I forget what
the answer was, but, as
a rule, the domesticated
man, with a good cook
in his own kitchen,
could answer it off-
hand by saying to him-
self, " ' Where shall we
dine to-day ? ' Why, at
home, of course—where
better ?—and catch me
moving out afterwards."
But, if he were contem-
plating the unpleasant
certainty of having post-
prandially to leave his
hearth and home in order
to visit some theatre,
opera, or concert, then it
might occur to him that
he could do the thing
well, and give his party
a novel treat, if, in French
fashion, he took them
somewhere to dine, pre-
vious to doing their play.
Thus it occurred to Yours
truly, Y Ti-Bullus Bib-
ULirs, a day or two ago,
when, dressed in his
classical evening Togaryii
in a Currus Pulcher (with
a Cursor alongside antici-
pating denarii, and risk-
ing the sharp rebuke of a
probable Cursor inside
" Our Hamp-phitryon." the vehicle) he was pass-
ing tbe Oxford Music
Hall, and a brightly decorated Restauration caught his observant
eye. Was it new, or was it a Restauration restored ? Its name, in
large letters, "Frascati." This seemed at once to lend itself to a
familiar jingle, and I found myself humming,—
Oh, did you never hear of Frascati ?
"lis not far from Rome, eh my hearty ?
The place looks so fine,
I will there go and dine,
And I '11 bring with me all of my party!
Horatian inspiration! I like to find out a new dining-place.
Years ago, by the merest accident sailing north, I discovered the
Holborn, and, since then, how many have not blessed the Colum-
bus Holbornius ? I do not ask how many have done so. "That
is another story." Since then, the taste for dining domestically
away from home has come considerably into fashion. The Ladies
like it, and the Law allows it. (Quotation from Merchant of Venice
adapted to occasion—Restaurant edition—Portia for two.) It is a
cheerful change, it assists the circulation of coin, it is an aid to the
solution of the problems of Bimetallism, it rejuvenesces the home-
fire-sider, it developes ideas, restores the balance of temper ; and, if
only the dinner be good, everybody goes away delighted,—guests are
satisfied, the host is pleased, the waiter smiles on the tipper, the
tipper on the manager, the manager on the proprietor, and all is Joy
and Junketing ! Judge my surprise, when to me, Tibullus, entering
Frascati, and as Cicerone, informing my friends (all eager and hungry,
and therefore unwilling to dispute) how Frascati was the ancient
Tusculum, a well-known face appears welcoming us with smiles.
It is Signor Hampi, better known as Mr. Hamp of Holborn.
" Salve! " quoth I, as Tibullus. " The same to you, Sir," responds
Hampius. "Now," said my friend Wagstaffius, without whom
no party is complete, "Now we shall be Hamp-ly satisfied."
The arrangement of the Frascati is a novelty ; it is all so open and,
though there are plenty of stuffers about, not in the least stuify. It
would take a considerable crowd to overcrowd the place and to de-
moralise the troops of well-disciplined waiters, all under the eye of
the ever-vigilant generalissimo of the forces, who in his white waist-
coat, black tie, and frock-coat of most decided cut and uncompro-
mising character—there is much in a frock-coat and something too in
the wearing of it—is here, there, and everywhere, and only waiting
till the last moment, and the right one, when the banquet is ended, to
give the word of command, " Charge ! "—and the charge (decidedly
moderate and previously named in the carte du four) is received
with satisfaction and defrayed with delight.
I have only one suggestion to make, and that affects the music not
the meal. Let the music be adapted to the dishes; and not only
should the course of time be considered as it progresses, but also
the time of the course. For example,—who that has an ear for music
can swallow oysters deliberately and sedately while the band is
playing a mad galop ? Let there be something very slow and
pianissimo for the hors d'otuvres : something gentle and soothing
for the oysters; there can be an indication of heartiness in the
melody that ushers in the soup, as though giving it a warm wel-
come. There should be a mincing minuet-like movement for the
entrees, a sparkling air for the champagne, and something robust for
the joint. A sporting tune for the game: sweet melody for the
sweets, and a grand and grateful Chorale—a kind of thanksgiving
service as it were—when the last crumb and the last bit of cheese
have been swept away.
After this to The Pavilion, in plenty of time to hear the ubiqui-
tous Albert Chevalier singing his celebrated coster-songs, Signor
Costa was a well-known name in the musical world some years ago ;
Chevalier Coster is about the best-known_ now. These ditties are
uncommonly telling; the music is so catching and so really good.
Then his singing of the little Nipper " on'y so 'igh, that's all," has
in it that touch of nature which makes you drop the silent tear and
pretend you are blowing your nose. Capital entertainment at the
" Pav." Ingress and egress is not difficult, and the place doesn't
become inconveniently hot. The sweet singer with the poetic name
of Herbert Campbell is very funny; which indeed he would be,
even if he never opened his mouth. Such a low comedian's "mug ! "
But of all the pretty things to be seen in its perfection here (I
have seen it elsewhere, and was not so struck by it) is the Skirt
Dance. It is "real elegant," graceful, and picturesque. What a
change has come over
the Music-hall enter-
tainment since—since
—"since even I was a
boy!" says the Acting
Manager, Mr. Edward
Swanborough,—ever-
green in the true sense
of the word, A vast
improvement, no doubt
of it. But, with such
good amusement for
the public, why on
earth do the Music-
Halls want to do
1' Dramatic Sketches'' ?
And, if they do them,
then, judging by what
I saw at the " Pav," I
am fain to ask again,
why, in the name of
Shakspeare, and the
musical glasses,
should the theatres
object ?
Does anyone seri-
ously think that
Othello or King Lear
is wanted at the Music-
Halls, or that Sheri-
dan's School for Scan-
dal wouldn't empty
any Music-Hall of its
patrons ? It is the
"variety" which is
the charm of the
Music-hall show, and
if any one part of the
variety show is a bit
too long—longer let us
say, than the time it
takes to smoke one-
eighth of a fair-sized « TJp I came with my little lot ! "
cigar and to drink half
a glass of something according to taste—then the audience will pretty
plainly express what they understand by Variety, what they have
paid to see, and what they mean to have for their money ; and if they
don't.get it there, they'll go somewhere else where it will be given
them. The summing-up, Gentlemen, is that, if you want a pleasant
evening, you can't do better than dine at Frascati and afterwards
patronise the " Pav." Such is the opinion of Y Ti-Bullus Bib.
{£|f> NOTICE.—Rejected. Communications or Contributions, whether MS., Printed Matter, Drawings, or Pictures of any description, will
in no case be returned, not even when accompanied by a Stamped and Addressed Envelope, Cover, or Wrapper. To thi3 rula
there will be no exception.