Where is the woman who would care about going abroad, when she was
liable to be stopped at every minute, and forced to produce, for the
amusement of some coarse gensd'arme, an ugly photographic portrait of
herself? We propose, therefore, that the following system be
adopted:--Let M. BAUGNIET, or some other artist as clever in taking
portraits, be constantly in attendance at the passport office. He would
strike off a likeness in a very short time--such a likeness as,
delicately flattered, the lady herself would take a positive pleasure in
producing every time she was asked for it. It would be an elegant work
of art; which the lady would like, probably, to preserve by her, and the
possession of which would also materially enhance the pleasures of
travelling. All the expenses to be paid, of course, by the State--for it
would be a most ungracious action to ask a lady to pay for her own
portrait--or else to be defrayed by the railways, or steam-packets, of
the country which the fair traveller intended to visit. The companies
would be amply repaid by the influx of passengers, besides having the
enviable privilege of claiming copies of all their female visitors. An
ample profit, even, might be realized by selling the lithographs, for a
lady might be allowed to claim as many copies of her likeness as she
pleased, upon the understanding that all copies, beyond the one which
was _given_ to her for the necessary police purposes of travelling, were
to be paid for. A large revenue might be derived from this branch of the
passport system, for what lady would hesitate to take a hundred copies
of herself, if she was made extremely handsome?
* * * * *
THE VEGETARIANS IN THE NORTH.
The Vegetarians have been consuming a quantity of green stuff in public
at the Town Hall of Salford. We shall expect soon to hear of a variety
of Extraordinary Feats performed by geniuses of the Vegetarian class,
such as swallowing turnips whole, demolishing spinach by the sieve,
onions by the rope, and cabbages by the cartload. We perceive that the
Vegetarians have set themselves in opposition to everything like
compromise; and a poor unfortunate who endeavoured to meet the
Vegetarians half way by living on tapioca, was recently hooted down, and
warned of the frightful consequences to be apprehended from the starch
in the tapioca, which might lead to stiffness of the joints, and a
thousand other maladies.
* * * * *
THE BATTLE OF SPITHEAD.
Of COCHRANE and the Court,
Sing the glorious day's renown,
When to Spithead did resort
All that London could send down
Where they lodged the night before, is unknown--
Room to sit, or sleep, or stand,
Fancy prices did command:
With the houseless, street and strand
Thick were strewn.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account