Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, August 7, 1841 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 59 pages of information about Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, August 7, 1841.

Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, August 7, 1841 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 59 pages of information about Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, August 7, 1841.

Lovers, to you it is a boon sent by Cupid.  Mammas, who will keep in the room when your bosoms are bursting with adoration—­fathers, who will wake on the morning of an elopement, when the last trunk and the parrot are confided to you from the window—­bailiffs, who will hunt you up and down their bailiwick, even to the church-door, though an heiress is depending upon your character for weekly payments—­all are rendered powerless and unobtrusive by this inexplicable palmistry.  Candidates, save your money; mesmerise your opponents instead of bribing them, and you may become a patriot by a show of hands.

These are a few of its social advantages—­its political uses are unbounded.  Why not mesmerise the Chinese? and, as for the Chartists, call out Delafontaine instead of the magistrates—­a few mesmeric passes would be an easy and efficient substitute for the “Riot Act.”  Then the powers of clairvoyance—­the faculty of seeing with their eyes shut—­that it gives to the patient.  Mrs. Ratsey, your royal charge might be soothed and instructed at the same time, by substituting a sheet of PUNCH for the purple and fine linen of her little Royal Highness’s nautilus-shell.

Lord John Russell, the policy of your wily adversary would no longer be concealed.  Jealous husbands, do you not see a haven of security, for brick walls may be seen through, and letters read in the pocket of your rival, by this magnetic telescope? whilst studious young gentleman may place Homer under their arms, and study Greek without looking at it.

[Illustration:  MESMERISM.]

* * * * *

FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE.

The Marquis of Waterford and party visited Vauxhall Gardens on Monday.  The turnpike man on the bridge was much struck by their easy manner of dealing with their inferiors.

Alderman Magnay laid the first shell of an oyster grotto one night this week in the Minories.  There was a large party of boys, who, with the worthy Alderman, repaired to a neighbouring fruit-stall, where the festivity of the occasion was kept up for several minutes.

The New Cut was, as usual, a scene of much animation on Saturday last, and there was rather a more brilliant display than customary of new and elegant baked-potato stands.  The well-known turn-out, with five lanterns and four apertures for the steam, was the general admiration of the host of pedestrians who throng the Cut between the hours of eight and twelve on Saturday.

* * * * *

A BITTER DRAUGHT.

SIR R. PEEL, in the celebrated medicinal metaphor with which he lately favoured his constituents at Tamworth, concludes by stating, “that he really believes he does more than any political physician ever did by referring to the prescriptions which he offered in 1835 and 1840, and by saying that he sees no reason to alter them.”  This is, to carry out the physical figure, only another version of “the mixture as before.”  We are afraid there are no hopes of the patient.

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Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, August 7, 1841 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.