to long breeches; this immature martinet; this quaint despot with the narrow forehead and the eager, intolerant face--surely he is ill-fitted to meet the subtle, secret-minded men, conscious of their growing strength, who have taken the place of the submissive ‘Michels’ of his grandfather’s time.”--PUCK, _March 19th, 1890_. [Illustration] HE BEATS BARNUM. _PUCK, February 19th, 1890._ This is neither the place nor the time to attempt any summing up of the character of the Rev. Dr. Talmage, of Brooklyn. In PUCK’S earlier days the eccentricities of this clergyman and his peculiar notoriety made him the especial butt of the cartoonist; and this latter revival of a familiar figure was provoked by some uncommonly audacious performance whereby the Reverend gentleman startled most people and shocked many on his return from a European trip. It is unnecessary to recall the details: the cartoon is founded on Dr. Talmage’s own utterances. Let us note here that through all this long period of fun-making, Dr. Talmage seems to have enjoyed the jokes upon himself even more than the general public did, and PUCK has for many years preserved a formal blessing or benediction, couched in terms of cordial regard, and sent by the clergyman in exchange for a small cash and a large advertising contribution to the re-construction of his tabernacle. [Illustration] THE MURDERER’S STRAIGHT ROUTE TO HEAVEN.--BRINGING RELIGION INTO DISREPUTE. _PUCK, June 28th, 1882._ Many who look at this cartoon to-day may well wonder what called it forth, and many others may have to be reminded that even so recently as ten years ago a morbid sympathy with criminals was so common among American clergymen that it was popularly held a reproach to the whole clerical body. It was, however, little more than a passing phase, a sort of hysterical epidemic that prevailed among people peculiarly exposed to emotional impulses. It seems to have died a natural death, and it has passed away so utterly that it is practically forgotten to-day.