The morning times., 1897-01-26
Mr.. Furnlss' Ca ricature CT Glad
stone

There was q diStressineiy small audience,
but the numbers were omewhat balanced
by the character of the attendance, for
nearly every one present was somebody, in
the limited sense OF that vague word which
implies distinction and quality In the
orchestra sal atsccrctary Herbert, T ostmaster
General Wilson and Charles d. Bell, and
comedian william II. Crane, from his
Lox, seemed to thoroughly enjoy the
British hun or OF tie comedian across the
curtain line fIon him.
Yesterdays was the first Of four lecture
unatinees which Mr.. FurniSs gives in wash
ington this week. His subject was The
Humo ors of Parliament" Until this skill
ful Sketcher o.ntCd out the fact that tile
Houses OF Lords and Commoners Were in
reality Il very funny affair the loyal
Britisher supp oscd that it was a very
co5er and earnest asSemblage. At this
time, when the cartoonist has been so
long among u.s. it is hard to say how
deeply he has impressed us, but, at all
events, we have long ago learned the les
son about our legislative assemblies OF
which MIR. FuriIisS was the disciple in Eng
land
The artist does not actually sketch in the
lecture More satisfactory results are
obtained from his present III mode. His
sketches have albeen prepared beforehand,
and many of them are very elaborate in
detail aud they are cast by the stereop-
ticon in enlarged form on TO the screen. In
this way time is saved and proximity to
the stage is not necessary.
After hearing the artists exposition OF
the humors of Parliament, it seems quite
obvious why he should have chosen the
high legislative houses for his fun, for as
the cap and bells are the insignia Of the
Jester, so are they the most important
feature in Parliament. According to Mr..
Furniss' exposition hats are everywhere,
and the poor members must feel pretty
much the same way about the bells.
The talk began with a description of the
Commons at in the morning, when the
porters are cleaning up. Congress begins
bUsines shortly after this hour. Parlia-
ment IS an echoing waste. Commons does
not sit until o clock and Lords not until
4 When they ''sit'' every one stands,
prayer being the first thing i'll order, and
the members, who oatothertimes wear their
hats during the sitting, place their hats
on the benches This. according to the
punning Punch, is 'the latitude of the
House before prayers
Mr.. Furniss described q variety ofplacGS,
incidents and types to he found about the
House, and closed the first part of his
talk with an effort to throw some light
on the UratOrical style of an Irish mem
Der. The latter part of the talk was de-
Cidedly the more Interesting Here he
dwelt on personalities, and explained the
important part played by the bell in the
disturbance of the rest, meals. and even
flirtations. of the members. These bells
call them to the floor when the clerk fails
to count forty present
Some particularly rlyhumoroussketch were
shown Of Chamberlain. Harcourt, Balfour,
Morley and others, and Mir. Furniss gave
comical limitations of the professor type
entering the House; of how Disraeli slept
with one eye open; bow Morley walked as
if he were measuring carpet; ofLabouchere
sideling III as if he were led by the ear;
Of someone or other bobbing as if he were
suspended by a rope; Of Harcourt, the
giant and Randolph Churchill's whiskerS,
which latter suggests that the whiskars
of a certain Senator from Kansas will ap-
peal to the English Caricaturist. The talk
closed with a vivid description by word
and cartoon Of Mr.. Gladstone arriving in
the House and making a speech. Mr.. Fur
Mss is the Caricaturist who discovered
GladStone's collar; he disclaims invention.
Throughout the entertainment Mr.. Fur
Mss demonstrated himself a fluent talker
with much appreciation Of lumor and an
artist Of distinction and excellent gift CT
caricature. His style suggests the elder
Mast The matinee was thoroughly en-
ioyabie and doubtless his talk on Amer
lea in a hurry, impressions for which he
gathered in a brisk visit to us four years
ago. viii appeal even more amusingly to
the audience. for we will there be lit
orally at home.