Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-05-22
rom Tue New York ScOttIsh AInerlcan JOurnl
BIOGRAPHY OF PUNCH.

Puncb is the only publication of a humorous
character that has been able to hold its place in
England. 1t commenced as a joint undertake
ing-lloraoe Mayhew acting as editor and pro-
yiding the whole Of the literary matter Land
els, the wood engravcr. furnishing the illustra-
tions. At the end of about two Years of this ar
rangement, it had not attained the paving point.
1t then fell into the hands of Messrs Bradbury
X Evans, who engaged the best humorous wri-
ters and artists in its support. Mark Lemon
was appointed editor, and Douglas Jerrold,
Thackeray, and y Beckett. were regular con-
tributors Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures"
were among the earliest contributions that
brought it into general popularity and in the
davs when Thackeray wrote the Snob papers.
and Lecch and Doyle divided between them the
work of illustration, it attained that high posi-
ton in point of influence and circulation which
it has since maintained. 1t is not now to be
compared to what il was al that time in point
OF wit and genius ; there is no Jerrold, or Thack
cray, or Doyle, among its contributors hut. like
many other English institutions, it has held its
place despite the evident falling off in talent.
With circulation approaching forty thousand.
it is worth El2,0O0 year and the two Christ
mas publications connected with il Weld about
$4,000 more
The publication of Tpnch has been the means
of bringing out good deal Of humorous and
satirical talent, which probably would not 9TH
erwise have been heard of. TO John Leech's
connection with it we are indebted for perfect
gallery of genial illustrations of English and
above all of cockney character. With little i'm
agihauon' ana a very PLAIN sense humor, Leech's
productions are always welcome, and We are not
tired oi them to the present day, notwithstand-
ing a thousand repetitions and a general same
ness of style. Richard Doyle has not contribu-
ted 10 f"'cH since the time OF the Aggression
controversy, when, as Catholic he seeded
from a publication which satirized Mother
ohurch. 1t IS much to be regretted that the
productions OF his pencil must have been lost TO
the public, since an mdlSposition to work has
Kept him from dong almost ANYTHING on his
own account, the" Adventures of Brown. Jones.
and Ko5lnSon, and few occasional trihes, be-
ing all OF his that has been given to the world
for the last six or seven years. We have heard
OF many things ne has had III hand, but none of
them nave yet come to hight. At one time he
amused himSeil win the idea oi daily humor-
ISL; the -h''"m9 ROY was the title, and he act
ually, ior period oi SIX months, drew large
Illustration every morning OF the leading topic.
The idea went no further and we do not sup
pose that the -Ho'n'nq RoH was intended for
anything more than the artists own exercise
and amusement. The public would doubtless
nave peen eager 10 support an undertaking to
which i'oyie was the principal daily contributor.
some ,imc ago ne was engaged on series OF
large drawings, entitled the State of PARTIES
T. e. dinner parties evening parties, &c. and
more recently another work OF his has been talk
ed OF, but we now hear nothing of its publica-
uon.
1t may not be generally known that Richard
l)oyle Is the son oi an artist who produced the
famous II. B' carlcatures, which attracted so
much attention during period of more than
twenty years. lie commenced these caricatures
when he was under eighteen, years of age, and
continued producing them till some of his chill
dreh hau grown up-the secret oil their author
ship being so well kept that it was not known
even IN his own family, though the caricatures
were the subject OF conversation. His children
seem to have all been born artists three of
them have followed the profession, and fourth,
VINO Is engaged IN different pursuit, handles
the pencil WIN an easy grace and prolific fancy