The Project Gutenberg EBook of Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 101,
August 8, 1891, by Various

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Title: Punch, Or The London Charivari, Vol. 101, August 8, 1891

Author: Various

Release Date: January 26, 2005 [EBook #14808]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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PUNCH,

OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

VOL. 101.

August 8, 1891.

LARKS FOR LONDONERS.

Sir,--Certainly throw open all our Town Halls for gratuitous concerts
and dances! But that's not half enough. Some of us don't care for
dancing, and abhor music. What I propose is that Free Billiard-tables
should be established in each parish. Billiards is much better
exercise than sitting still on a chair listening to singing. Then
there ought to be places where one could get municipal tobacco
without paying for it. Tobacco is just as much a necessary of life
as education--more so, in fact, in my opinion. On winter evenings it
would also be nice to be able to step over to one's Town Hall and have
a glass or two of free ale, or "wine from the wood"--also from the
rates. I don't pay rates myself, as I happen to live in a flat, but
I am sure the ratepayers will immediately recognise the justice of my
demands.

UNBIASSED.

Sir,--By all means let us try to give more pleasure to the people. The
pleasure, however, should be of a distinctly elevating kind. I would
advocate throwing open the South Kensington Natural History Museum in
the evening. This would be most useful, especially to people living
at the East End, and the amusement thus afforded, though perhaps not
rollicking, would at all events be solid. To keep out undesirable
characters, it would be as well to admit nobody who could not produce
his baptismal certificate, and a recommendation from the clergyman
of his parish, countersigned by a resident J.P. I am sure that people
would jump at a chance of an evening among the _Coleoptera_.

Yours, NATURALIST.

Sir,--I cannot understand why people should ask for more amusement
than they get at present. Have not they the Park