Volume 101 — THEN AND NOW.
Reading edition
MR. PUNCH'S JUBILEE RETROSPECT.
["Punch and the Elections were the only matters which occupied the public mind on July 17, 1841."—Introduction to "Punch," Vol. I.]
Fifty years ago, my Public, fifty years ago! Faith, the years fleet swiftly onward, though sad hours seem slow. Forty-One beheld my advent, Friend of Truth and Fun; From my sanctum still I greet you now in Ninety-One.
"Punch and the Elections!" Truly a compendious text. With how many Burning Questions men to-day are vext! Then the Whigs perceived their tether pretty nearly run, And—they're watching Bye-Elections now in Ninety-One.
Then Lord JOHN was on the Treasury Bench, though ill at ease, Thence to be soon torn—like Theseus;—PEEL, the Hercules. Now SMITH smiles a toothy smile in little JOHNNY's place, White the Grand Old Hercules sits watching grave of face.
He remembers Forty-One! Few, except Punch and him, Linger from those brave old days, now distant grown and dim! He has reached his Jubilee, as Punch this year hath done. Veterans both, we drink each other's health in Ninety-One!
Forty-One was fierce and fiery. Young DISRAELI then Bravely buttered stout Sir ROBERT as the best of men. Pheugh! But in how short a time was BEN's envenomed steel Destined to find rankling lodgment in the breast of PEEL!
Now? Well, there is jaunty JOSEPH poisoning his pint; Seeking in GRANDOLMAN's mail some penetrable joint! Heroes and ex-armour-bearers still keep up the fun; One-and-Forty saw it so, and so does Ninety-One!
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD (who was he? Let quidnuncs guess!) Moved Amendment relative to "Popular Distress." Then his cure was Wider Suffrage. Now what would it be? Land with little or no Rent, and Education Free?
Then the Corn Laws cramped Free Trade; free Competition now Breeds the Sweater, harsh exploiter of the toiler's brow, When brave PEEL achieved Repeal some deemed the task was done, But Commissions upon Labour sit in Ninety-One.
SIBTHORP then amused St. Stephen's; we have SEYMOUR KEAY, D'ORSAY then was wit and dandy, OSCAR WILDE have we. And if wild FEARGUS O'CONNOR fashioned Land Schemes then, BURNS and MORRIS well can match him now with tongue or pen.
London Laundrydom on Strike now in Hyde park appears.
Ah! since Eighteen Forty-One much has been tried—and done,
But Punch finds no lack of labour e'en in Ninety-One!
The HER MAJESTY, a Maiden Queen, fresh graced the Throne, Now her Royal Jubilee is full four years bygone. He who has illumed her reign with wisdom, wit, and fun, Greets her loyally to-day as then, in Forty-One.
Madam, much since then has happened, much has been achieved; Marvels, commonplace to-day, few then would have believed. Science, Liberty, Pure Manners, order, Peace, Goodwill, Punch for Fifty Years has championed, and will champion still.
Then and now! The captious cynic at the contrast sneers, Punch believes in, and would help, the Progress of the Years. When his Century's full course, fifty Years hence, has run, With good heart and glad may he look back on Ninety-One!
QUEER QUERIES.
INFLUENZA.—I should feel really grateful to any reader who can tell me whether I have Influenza or not. I think I must have it, as I have tested my temperature with a thermometer attached to a weather-glass hanging in the hall, which is only slightly cracked, and find that it—my temperature, not the weather-glass—stays constantly at 120 degrees, which seems rather high. My headaches are frightful, and the pills with forty grains of quinine in them, which I have been recommended to take by a neighbouring chemist's assistant, do not seem to do any good. Cough and chemist's bill both very heavy. Ought I have to have a change? If so, whom should I try and take it out of?—NERVOUS SUBJECT.
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