PUNCH,
OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.
VOL. 104
January 7th, 1893.
LONDON:
PUBLISHED AT THE OFFICE, 85, FLEET STREET,
AND SOLD BY ALL BOOKSELLERS.
1893.
LONDON:
BRADBURY, AGNEW, & CO. LD., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS.
SCENE—The Elysian Fields, a flower-gemmed bank, by a flowing stream,beneath the sylvan shade of unfading foliage.
Mr. Punch—who is freeof all places, from Fleet Street to Parnassus—discovered, in Arcadianattire, attempting "numerous verse" on a subject of Nationalimportance—to wit, the approaching Royal Marriage.
Mr. Punch. Propt on this "bank of amaranth and moly,"
Beneath the shade of boughs unmelancholy,
I meditate on Æstas and on Hymen!
Pheugh! What a Summer! Torrid drought doth try men,—
And fields and farms; yet when our Royal May
Weds—in July—'tis fit that Phoebus stay
His fiery car to welcome her! By Jove,
That sounds Spenserian! Illustrious Love
Epithalamion demands, and lo!
We've no official Laureate, to let flow,
With Tennysonian dignity and sweetness,
Courtly congratulation. Dryden's neatness,
Even the gush of Nahum Tate or Pye
Are not available, so Punch must try
His unofficial pen. My tablets, Toby!
This heat's enough to give you hydrophoby!
Talk about Dog-days! Is that nectar iced?
Then just one gulp! It beats the highest priced
And creamiest champagne. Now, silence, Dog,
And let me give my lagging Muse a jog!
Humph! I do hope the happy Royal Pair
(Whose co