The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-04

ThRckeray rs Humorist.
1.-THE Hitherto Unidentified Contribution
Of W. NJ. Thackaray to Punch is the
somewhat elaborate title OF a volume which
IS a worthy supplement to the biographical
edition OF Thackeray's works published last
year. Besides the work Of Thackeray, the
book contains a photography Of the au-
thor's writings from lS43 to 1873. The
editor is NJ. H. Spielmann, author Of The
History of Punch There are numerous
illustrations and explanatory notes.
Perhaps the most interesting feature OF
this work is the revelation OF the great
English satirist as a political writer The
editor says in this connection:
There anonymous expressions Of opinion reveal
Thsckersy a politician far more thoroughly
perhaps than his more deliberate utteIances. BY
reason, partly, Of their breyity, ard partly Of
what at one time considered to be their
ephemersl character. they were, many % Them
allowed to sink into OBLIVION. Although their
literary merit is often relatively slight their lu-
1eTest and value, when they are regarded ln the
aggregate, viii now be recognized and spprcci-
ated for another reason, for they shed additional
light on this phase Of Thackeray's mind and
work, and add to our knowledge of his per
tonality. The events they recorded and dis
Cussed have now become, like ThaD6Cray himself
6 portion Of our country's history.
Among the cartoons suggested by Thack-
cray for the famous English periodical is
one which does not reflect any particular
credit on America and, indeed, his att
tude toward Americans while not so out
spokenly critical as that OF Dickens. is in
these writings distinctly hostile and con-
temptuous. The cartoon in question is en-
titled Who's Afraid or, the oregon Cues
ton and was drawn by Leech in 1915. Sir
Robert Peel and Lord John Rus ell are rep
resented In belligerent attitudes. while a
typical American according to Lee his no
tion) and King Louis Philippe are in the
background. The French king is trying to
"hearten-up" his much alarmed hiend
who, without removing his pistol-hand
from his pocket or laying down his cigar,
anxiously enquiries: DO yer think he's in
arnest?" Two others, described vel
enough by the titles, are Young Yankee
Noodle teaching Grandmother Britannia to
suck eggs" and little President Pc k show
ing fight to John Bull, who exclsims wi h
& laugh: What, You young Yankee Moo
die, strike your own father?
In an amusing dialogue satirizing the
Chartlst principles, Thackeray introduces
as characters Colonel Sihbv. an English
gentleman and member Of Parliament and
phia.' The dialogue opens as follows:
Gentleman from PhiIadelphis-Tlat cider We
had at dinner was tarnatioH good, but d. your
pickles, Colonel. Why, the stones on EMS hi
to choke 4 body.
Colonel-Cider. Pickles! The cider was cham
payne, and the pickles are olives. Mr. Yankee
(Aside-) What an ignorant son oi gun it is!
Tbackeray is much milder in his public
criticisms of America than Dickens was
but it must be remembered that this ap-
peared without his signature Still an
other satire Of the character and policy Of
this country takes the form OF a dialogue
on Dog Annexation, Polk being charged
with robbing the Mexican Minister of O
faYorite dog, named Texas. Polk is repre-
sented as "a very sanc;imuuioUs looking
fellow who held the deg in his arms" The
following is bit OF the dialogue.
Polk-Am ! in a Christian land 10 hear myseli
called by such names Are we rneus Are we
brethren! Have VIC blessings and privileges, or
have we not2 come Of a country Tie most en-
igh1ened the most religious the most ircast.
honestest, punctualest on this arth. J do.
MT Aberdeen with profound bew-l0u are a. Z
American. / Supposed
Polk-I thank a gracious rlrszv Z ans r-1
appeal to everything tia, Is holy and, having I
my hand on my heart, declare ] au. al honest .
man.
Then he goes on 10 admit that be sold .
the dog to Don Bernardo Murphy" that 4
an old servant of his stole the animal. /
and that he simply -re-anueNed it," He 4
goes on to say:
! scorn defence. Tie dog returned 90 me lv 1
q Tor of natur-it's wicked To- ly aairsl lar d.! /
natm. II ] sold ODE dog and ly The irIo-i tble
attraction Of cohesion, and t.e eternal order Of !
things, he comes t5ok 30 mean To- blauigs
rs mon5trous, haineus, glal baspHeuy 80
cay SO.
II all this had been printed over Thaci-
eray's signature al the tine. it is probable
that his works would not have sold quite
SO well In 1876 among ardent annexation
lists and other American book buyers az
they did; but Punch is little read in this
country and nobody knew THAI Thackeray
had written these satires and the issue
has now been dead as long as the author
even longer. There is little cause for com
plant, since the satiTist was quite as hard
upon his own country, in certain ways. as
he was upon America. II he represented I
the typical American as a lying illiterate.
thieving trickster, he was at any rate no 1
worse than Punch"
Among other features OF this work are
fragments Of the History Of Cashmere" or
Bagdad, or some similar province. in which
current events are treated in the yle o.
the Arabian Nights" Thackeray's talent
for humorous verse is also shown once
more in numerous lyrics and ballads. some
political and some otherwise.
Some Of the political references will
probably be unintelliEible 10 the average Z
American reader but others will be I'M
derstood and enjoyed Prince Albert comes
in for good deal Of Emiable fun and
among the caricatures Is a burlesque por-
trait Of His Royal Highness. with descrIn-
tion Of the same by a bsatiied bcadle who
IS ecstatic at the thought that Prince Al /
bert is holding his (the headles) particular
staff in his hand. The spelling is thor
oughly Thackerayan:
The letter is dated from tie Quadrant. 'Hospit
The Fire Hofiis. The picture Is thus described.
his Rile EyenasS (womb Eyins prcss.v9 IS
printed in bis FEEL Martial YouEiiorm. his ls a
roilin about like hsrsihiaS be oids bis Cock-At /
snd phethsrs. He has his hordas ou-thc Garter
On his breast. ard the Golden F.CaS round bis !
neck A huzza is coming up % him with bis
Ryal oss aud Winner Cancel IS drawn uu at the [
back Of The Sean. with q quauJy Hamy oun.,Ou and
canning balls
D. his rite-& be olds my s.sf-sc
o is the 0ss n IS ibe Hgzza and : is
ny own identical staush hover Was.
Not the least interesting feature Of the
book are the Illustrations, some Of which
are from drawings by Thackeray. others
from the work Of Leeth. tNew York
Harper q Bros)
Ia Old Virginia.
ITO Have and to Hold. by Miss Mary
Johnston. has been one Of the most thor
oughly advertised novels Of the year
Many book lovers treat such works rather
gingerly knowing by experience that the
publisher is not always 10 be trusted; but
in this case neither the public nor the re-