Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 107, July 14th 1894Various
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 107, July 14th 1894
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
I took a lot of pains over this paper, and I sent the lecturer an
anonymous button-hole, with a request (in the same handwriting as
on the answer-paper) that he would wear my floral tribute at
lecture. He did so, and expressed himself as greatly pleased with
my work. On my exercise (which I have kept) he wrote the following
observation:--"Excellent; most appreciative and womanly; I thank you;
should like to discuss a small question with you after class."
Now we want more of this spirit among Extension Lecturers. True, the one
of whom I spoke turned out afterwards to have been married all the time,
and I _do_ think he should have mentioned it on the cover of his
syllabus; but the principle holds good just the same.
So, dear _Mr. Punch_, on this question of State aid, at which I have (as
I hope with delicacy) hinted above, you _will_ help us, won't you?
Your devoted, MADGE.
P.S.--Couldn't _you_ lecture to us on something nice, and help to raise
a fund for our scheme?
* * * * *
[Illustration: MR. PUNCH'S ILLUSTRATED LAW REPORTS.
No. 1.--"ALLEGED CONTEMPT OF COURT BY AN INFANT."]
* * * * *
YET ANOTHER MEMOIR OF NAPOLEON.
DEAR MR. PUNCH,--There are so many lives of the great NAPOLEON being
published nowadays that one might fancy the former ruler of France must
have been as many-careered as a cat. Still, it may be interesting to
your readers if I give a few particulars of the great man that have not
yet appeared in print, if I except the pages of your own immortal
volumes.
I had the pleasure of meeting the great NAPOLEON some forty or fifty
years ago; he was then in his prime.
In personal appearance he was not unlike the portraits so familiar to
the public. In spite of his enthusiastic devotion for France, he
invariably addressed his troops in the English language. This is a
characteristic that seemingly has escaped the attention of all his
biographers.
The numbers and quality of his army have been much exaggerated. Although
in his speeches he was accustomed to boast of the strength of his
troops, as a matter of fact they could be more easily counted by tens
than hundreds. His artillery was almost a myth, and the ammunition was
chiefly composed of crackers. As for his cavalry, the horses were showy
but unreliable, many of them had white spots, and not a few were
extremely intelligent. His favourite charger had been known on occasion
(when engaged in circus duty) to drink a glass of sherry with the clown.
But there is one point I particularly wish to set right. Although known
by the public as NAPOLEON BUONAPARTE, my hero in private life was
invariably called by his intimates "poor old GOMERSAL."
Yours respectfully,
_The Amphitheatre_ BOSWELL REDIVIVUS.
_Within Site of Astley's._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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