Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, November 20, 1841 by Various
page 56 of 61 (91%)
page 56 of 61 (91%)
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regular way; and cows even departed this world without the honour of the
human immolations formerly considered the necessary sacrifice for the loss of their inestimable lives. Since the abovetimes Animal Magnetism and Mesmerism have followed in the wake of what has been; and now, just as despair, already poised upon its outstretched sable wings, was hovering for a brief moment previous to making its final swoop upon the External Doctrine, Peter--our Peter--Peter Laurie--the great, the glorious, the aldermanic Laurie--makes despair, like the Indian Juggler who swallowed himself, become the victim of its own insatiate maw. Our quill trembles as we proceed; it is unequal to the task. Oh, that we could write with the whole goose upon the wondrous merits of the wondrous Peter! We are better. That bumper has restored our nerve. Reader, fancy the gifted Peter seated in the dull dignity of civic magistracy: the court is thronged--a young delinquent blinks like an owl in sunshine 'neath the mighty flashing of his bench-lit eye. His crime, ay, what's his crime? it can't be much--so pale, so thin, so woe-begone! look, too, so tremulous of knee, and redolent of hair! what has he done? Here Roe interprets--"Please your worship, this young man, or tailor, has been assaulting several females with a blue bag and a pair of breeches." _Sir Peter_.--"I don't wonder at it; that man would do anything, I see it in his face, or rather in the back of his head, that's where the expression lies--look at his hair!" The whole court becomes a Cyclops--it has but one eye, and that is fixed |
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