Mr. Punch's History of Modern England, Vol. 4 (of 4).—1892-1914Graves, Charles L. (Charles Larcom)
History
Mr. Punch's History of Modern England, Vol. 4 (of 4).—1892-1914
Graves, Charles L. (Charles Larcom)
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901 -- Humor
In general, however, these rigours were confined to intellectual or
pseudo-intellectual coteries, of which a good representative is to be
found in the hatless and sandalled youth depicted in May, 1912--not
unnaturally classed as a tramp by the old Highland shepherd--who
evidently belongs to the type ingeniously described as that of the
"Herbaceous Boarder." In 1913, in "a chronicle of Cures, with the
Biography of a Survivor," _Punch_ briefly traces the progress of fads
in food, drink and hygiene in the past half-century. He begins with
light sherry, goes on with Gladstone claret, deviates into the water
cure, takes to whisky and soda, then to cocoa nibs, and winds up with
paraffin. Simultaneously and successively the survivor abandons "prime
cuts" for vegetarianism; relapses to carnivorous habits under the
auspices of Salisbury (the apostle of half-cooked beef and hot-water)
and Fletcher (who found salvation in chewing); then took to Plasmon
with Eustace Miles, lactobacilline in accordance with the prescription
of Metchnikoff, and finally developed into a full-blown disciple of
osteopathy. The list is not by any means complete, for no mention is
made of Dr. Haig or of China tea, or the uncooked vegetable cure. But
it will serve as a rough survey of the romance and reality of modern
dietetics.
When I said that smart people were more concerned with their bodies
than their souls, this must not be taken to imply a complete
disregard for the things of the spirit. We hear little in _Punch_ of
Spiritualism, but a certain amount about occultism. "Auras" and their
colours and meanings were attracting attention in 1903, and in 1906
the "mascot" craze had reached such a pitch that _Punch_ was moved to
intervene. If, he contends, we _must_ have mascots, they had better
be duly examined and licensed. The "Smart Set," again, always anxious
to advertise their worship of pleasure, were not immune from the
denunciations of popular preachers. The fiery fulminations of Father
Bernard Vaughan did not escape _Punch's_ amused notice. In 1907 the
results of this crusade are foreshadowed in a series of pictures in
which the "Smart Set" are exhibited as converts to decorum, simplicity
and sanity. They have taken to serious pursuits--part-singing and
photography. They frequent cheap restaurants and, as motorists, develop
an unfamiliar consideration for the foot passenger. The irony and
scepticism underlying these forecasts is further shown in the burlesque
"Wise Words on Wedlock" by "Father Vaughan Tupper," in the following
year--a string of extracts from his "great sermon," in which worldly
wisdom is mixed with sonorous platitudes.
[Sidenote: _Caste and "The Social Fetish"_]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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