Punch, or The London Charivari | Page 7

II., and had shot some
strange animal, something between a stag and a dromedary, which no
doubt was a native of Britain in those good old sporting days. However,
more of this anon. Suffice it to say now, that our HENRY IRVING'S
Lear is a triumph in every respect, and that the audience only wanted a
little more of Cordelia, which is the fault of the immortal and unequal
Bard.
To those unacquainted with this play, Mr. TERRISS'S sudden
appearance in somewhat anti-Lord-Chamberlain attire, as he bounded

on, with a wand, and struck an attitude, was suggestive of the Good
Fairy in the pantomime; and his subsequent proceedings, when he
didn't change anybody into Harlequin, Clown, and so forth, puzzled the
unlearned spectators considerably. But Mr. TERRISS came out all right,
and acquitted himself (being his own judge and jury) to the satisfaction
of the public. His speech about Dover Cliff, generally supposed to
convey some allusion to the Channel Tunnel, was excellently delivered,
and certainly after Lear, "on the spear side," Mr. TERRISS must take
the Goodeley Cake.
Next to him in order of merit comes Mr. FRANK COOPER, as the
wicked Edmund, on whom the good EDMUND, "Edmundus Mundi,"
smiled benignantly from a private box. There was on the first night a
great reception given to HOWE--the veteran actor, not the wreck, and
very far from it--who took the small part of an old Evicted Tenant of
the _Earl of Glo'ster_, a character very carefully played by Mr.
ALFRED BISHOP, _Floreat Henricus!_ "Our HENRY" has his work
cut out for him in this "Titanic work," as in his before-curtain and
after-play speech he termed it. This particular "Titanic work" is (or
certainly was that night) in favour with "the gods," who "very much
applauded what he'd done." But the gods of old were not quite so
favourable to "Titanic work" generally, and punished eternally Titanic
workmen. To-night gods and groundlings applaud to the echo, and then
everyone goes home as best he can in about as beautiful a specimen of
a November fog as ever delighted a Jack-o'-Lantern or disgusted
PRIVATE BOX.
* * * * *
AN OPERATIC NOTE.--Wednesday.--Lord Mayor's Day and Sheriff
Sir AUGUSTUS DRURIOLANUS'S Show. _L' Amico Fritz_, or "The
old Min is friendly," as Dick Swiveller would have put it. Not by any
means as bright as Cavalleria. Mlle. DEL TORRE, del-lightful as Suzel.
M. DUFRICHE, very good as _Rabbino_; CREMONINI, weak as
_Fritz_; and Mlle. MARTHA-CUPID-BAUERMEISTER, good as
usual in the part of the "harmless necessary _Cat"-erina._ Opera
generally "going strong."

* * * * *
REPORTED DECISION.--Uganda is to be occupied till March next.
Then, order of the day, "March in, March out!"
* * * * *
"SAFE BIND, SAFE FIND!"
P.C. JOHN BULL _LOQUITUR_:--
Keep them? Right my Gallic friend! 'Tis my duty, sad but binding. Free
the Wolf--to what good end? Loose the Snake--what vantage finding?
Faction flusters, Cant appeals In the name of sham-humanity. Right,
not wrath, my bosom steels; Softness here were sheer insanity.
_You_'ve my warmest sympathy, Victim of the new Red Terror! My
caged RAVACHOLS to free Were the maddest kind of error. Prison
walls and dungeon wards Love I not, I'm no born gaoler, But just Law
which Freedom guards Must ignore anarchic railer.
Blind offence of men half mad 'Neath the goad of brute oppression,
Blunderings of fierce fools of fad, Demoniacal possession Of red rage
at law unjust, I can check with calm compassion; But must firmly crush
to dust Murder--in the newest fashion.
Dynamite as Freedom's friend? 'Tis the foul fiend's latest juggle. We
must fight it to the end, Firm, unfaltering in this struggle. Mere
"Political Offence," All this murder, mashing, maiming? 'Tis a pitiful
pretence, Honour-blinding, wisdom-shaming.
Indiscriminate, ruthless raid! Mad chance--medly of disaster! Sophistry,
the fiend's sworn aid, Never better served its master Than in calling
such hell-birth A new gospel, holy, human,-- Blasting as with maniac
mirth Blameless men, and guiltless women!
No! The Dynamiter's creed-- Though hate swagger, though cant
snivel-- Fires no "patriotic" deed; Base-born, all its ends are evil. Let

caged wolves and tigers free? What more wicked, what absurder?
Amnesty to Anarchy Means encouragement to Murder?
* * * * *
WHERE TO PLACE HIM.--Why ought the future Poet-Laureate,
whoever he may be, to occupy rooms over or close to the stables at
Buckingham Palace? Because he would then be inspired by the Royal
Mews.
* * * * *
[Illustration: A TEST OF TRUE GENTILITY.
"WHAT'S THE NEW LODGER LIKE, MARIARANN?"
"HE'S NO GENTLEMAN, WHATEVER HE'S LIKE!"
"NO GENTLEMAN! WHAT'S HE BEEN AND DONE?"
"WHY, HE SEE ME A-CARRYIN' UP THE COALS, AN' HE SAYS,
'I'M AFRAID THAT SCUTTLE'S TOO HEAVY FOR YOU,' 'E
SAYS,--'PRAY LET ME CARRY IT!' 'E SAYS. AN' 'E UP AND