SIR,—­I have this moment read in the Morning Chronicle, the correspondence between you and Lord William Paget, wherein you are reported to say, that your recent defeat at the Andover election was effected by “tampering with some of the smaller voters, who would have voted for Punch or any other puppet;” and that such expressions were not intended to be personally offensive to Lord William Paget!  The members of her Majesty’s puppetry not permitting derogatory conclusions to be drawn at their expense, I call upon you to state whether the above assertions are correct; and if so, whether, in the former case, you intended to allude personally to myself, or my friend Colonel Sibthorp; or, in the latter, to infer that you considered Lord W. Paget in any way our superior.

I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,
PUNCH.

Sir John Pollen, Bart.

Redenham, July 30, 1841.

SIGNOR,—­I have just received a note in which you complain of a speech made by me at Andover.  I have sent express for my Lord Wilkshire, and will then endeavour to recollect what I did say.

I have the honour to be, your admirer,
JOHN POLLEN.

To Signor Punch.

White Hart.

SIGNOR,—­My friend Lord Wilkshire has just arrived.  It is his opinion that:  I did use the terms “Punch, or any other puppet;” but I intended them to have been highly complimentary, as applied to Lord William Paget.

I have the honour to be, your increased admirer,
JOHN POLLEN.

To Signor Punch.

Wellington Street.

SIR,—­I and the Colonel are perfectly satisfied.  Yours ever,

PUNCH

Wellington Street.

MY LORD,—­It would have afforded me satisfaction to have consulted the wishes of Sir John Pollen in regard to the publication of this correspondence.  The over-zeal of Sir John’s friends have left me no choice in the matter, I shall print.

Your obedient servant,
PUNCH.

Earl of Wilkshire.

Thus ended this—­

[Illustration:  CURIOUS CORRESPONDENCE.]

* * * * *

HUMFERY CHEAT-’EM.—­(Vide Ainsworth’s “Guy Fawkes.”)

A city friend met us the other morning:  “Hark ’ee,” said he, “Alderman Humfery has been selling shares of the Blackwall Railway, which were not in his possession; and when the directors complained, and gave him notice that they would bring his conduct before a full meeting, inviting him at the same time to attend, and vindicate or explain his conduct as he best might, he not only declined to do so, but hurried off to Dublin.  Now, I want to know this,” and he took me by the button, “why was Alderman Humfery, when he ran away to Dublin, like the boy who ripped up his goose which laid golden eggs?”—­We were fain to give it up.—­“Because,” said he, with a cruel dig in the ribs, “because he cut his lucky!”