Bernard Blackmantle.
[Illustration: page055]
THE PHILOSOPHY OF LAUGHTER;
OR, MR PUNCH IN ALL HIS GLORY.
Thoughts on the Philosophy of Laughter--Bernard Blackmantle
in Search of a Wife--First Visit to the Marigold Family--
Sketches of the Alderman, his Lady, and Daughter--Anecdote
of John Liston, and the Citizen's Dinner Party--Of the
Immortal Mr. Punch--Some Account of the Great Actor--A
Street Scene, sketched from the Life--The Wooden Drama--The
True Sublime.
[Illustration: page056]
~56~~
You may sing of old Thespis, who first in a cart,
To the jolly god Bacchus enacted a part;
Miss Thalia, or Mrs. Melpomene praise,
Or to light-heel'd Terpsichore offer your lays.
But pray what are these, bind them all in a bunch,
Compared to the acting of Signor Punch?
Of Garrick, or Palmer, or Kemble, or Cooke,
Your moderns may whine, or on each write a book;
Or Mathews, or Munden, or Fawcett, suppose
They could once lead the town as they pleased by the nose;
A fig for such actors! tied all in a bunch,
Mere mortals compared to old deified Punch.
Not Chester can charm us, nor Foote with her smile,
Like the first blush of summer, our bosoms beguile,
Half so well, or so merrily drive caro away,
As old Punch with his Judy in amorous play.
Pages:
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561