ld songs, and halfpence extorted from passers-by. He is the Satyric
genius we spoke of anon: he cracks his jokes still, for satire
must live; but he is combed, washed, neatly clothed, and perfectly
presentable. He goes into the very best company; he keeps a stud at
Melton; he has a moor in Scotland; he rides in the Park; has his stall
at the Opera; is constantly dining out at clubs and in private society;
and goes every night in the season to balls and parties, where you
see the most beautiful women possible. He is welcomed amongst his new
friends the great; though, like the good old English gentleman of the
song, he does not forget the small. He pats the heads of street boys and
girls; relishes the jokes of Jack the costermonger and Bob the dustman;
good-naturedly spies out Molly the cook flirting with policeman X, or
Mary the nursemaid as she listens to the fascinating guardsman. He used
rather to laugh at guardsmen, "plungers," and other military men;
and was until latter days very contemptuous in his behavior towards
Frenchmen. He has a natural antipathy to pomp, and swagger, and fierce
demeanor. But now that the guardsmen are gone to war, and the dandies
of "The Rag"--dandies no more--are battling like heroes at Balaklava and
Inkermann* by the side of their heroic allies, Mr. Punch's laughter is
changed to hearty respect and enthusiasm. It is not against courage
and honor he wars: but this great moralist--must it be owned?--has some
popular British prejudices, and these led him in peace time to laugh
at soldiers and Frenchmen. If those hulking footmen who accompanied the
carriages to the opening of Parliament the other day, would form a plush
brigade, wear only gunpowder in their hair, and strike with their great
canes on the enemy, Mr. Punch would leave off laughing at Jeames, who
meanwhile remains among us, to all outward appearance regardless of
satire, and calmly consuming his five meals per diem. Against lawyers,
beadles, bishops and clergy, and authorities, Mr. Punch is still rather
bitter. At the time of the Papal aggression he was prodigiously angry;
and one of the chief misfortunes which happened to him at that period
was that, through the violent opinions which he expressed regarding the
Roman Catholic hierarchy, he lost the invaluable services, the graceful
pencil, the harmless wit, the charming fancy of Mr. Doyle. Another
member of Mr. Punch's cabinet, the biographer of Jeames, the author
of the "Snob Pap