_Punch_ published these lines just before Lord Salisbury announced at the Mansion House dinner, given in honour of Lord Kitchener on November 4, that France had come round to our view of the Fashoda question, and _Punch's_ neat verses just quoted give an excellently succinct and pithy expression to the feeling of the average peace-loving Briton, who has become quite weary of being diplomatically played with by France in our colonial affairs, and who was, and is, quite ready to "take off his coat." [Illustration: 1.--THE FIRST PAGE OF THE ORIGINAL PROSPECTUS OF "PUNCH," IN THE HANDWRITING OF MARK LEMON. 1841.] The preceding illustration of Mr. Punch's terse and true expression of public opinion is the most recent that can now be given, but as one looks through the pages of the 113 Volumes of _Punch_, which bring this famous periodical to the end of the year 1897, one notices many other examples of Mr. Punch's acute discernment and pithy expression of the public mind, which have been stepping-stones of fame to him during his long life of nearly sixty years, quite apart from the weekly dish of good things offered by Mr. Punch to his public. [Illustration: "THINGS MAY TAKE ANOTHER TURN." 2.--THE FIRST PICTURE IN "PUNCH." 1841.] Thanks to the kindness of Messrs. Bradbury and Agnew, the proprietors of _Punch_, I am able to give to the general public some of the pleasure that comes from the possession of a complete set of _Punch_. In reading one's _Punch_ the pleasure is much enhanced by Mr. M. H. Spielmann's most admirable book, "The History of Punch" [_Cassell and Company, Limited, 1895_], for Mr. Spielmann is probably the best living authority on this subject, and his researches, which extended over four years, enable the ordinary _Punch_-lover to find many points of great interest [specially in the early Volumes] which, without Mr. Spielmann's book, might be passed over without notice. Some of the _Punch_ engravings now shown have been found by the aid of Mr. Spielmann's book, which is a thoroughly reliable and quite indispensable Text-Book on _Punch_, while, on other points, I have been privileged to consult Mr. W. Lawrence Bradbury and Mr. Philip L. Agnew as well as Mr. Spielmann himself. [Illustration: CANDIDATES UNDER DIFFERENT PHASES. CANVASSING. THE DEPUTATON. THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE. THE HUSTINGS. THE PUBLIC DINNER. 3.--THE FIRST OF MR. PUNCH'S CARTOONS. 1841.] When the Queen came to the throne there was no _Punch_. He was conceived in circumstances of much mystery, for many have claimed the honour of his paternity. The historian of _Punch_ has devoted a long chapter to this matter of _Punch's_ paternity, and has judicially weighed the evidence for or against each claimant. Mr. Spielmann writes:--