Evening star., 1941-09-14
Punch Becomes q
Centenuriun
By Frederic J. HdSkin.

is so high that it is something
Of distinction for a publication to reaCh
the century mark. This distinction is
even greater when a specialized publics-
tion has rounded out 100 years. For that
reason Punch, Englands comic maga-
zine, is justly proud in having recently
celebrated a century Of continuous pub
hcation. It's century of service has not
only been devoted to helping millions to
enjoy laugh but it has been the means
of exerting wide and helpful influence
on several phases of English life.
Throughout the publications 100 years
of service a familiar conversation in Eng
land. especially in London, has been,
Punch wasn't quite 50 good this week,
was it?' Or if not these words then L
say, did you see that awfully funny
drawing IN PunCh?" Since the issue Of its
second number there have been those
who have delighted in a kind Of afIec-
tiOnate pessimism, like the lady who re-
marked to a one-time editor Of the
journal We'll, you know, I do not think
Punch is quite as good as 1t used TO be"
and received the reply, No, Madam. it
never was!"
SO, to the Englishman, Punch has be-
come something on the same plane as
the weather. a phenomenon familiar to
everyone. and therefore a topic for daily
talk It possesses a variety yeering from
the prosaic to the bright. from the gay
to the serious, which makes II OF much
interest and speculation To think Of a
Punchless England would be almost as
absurd as to think Of an England with
out landscapes or mellow autumn days.
The centenary of Punch is not. there
fore. like the centenary Of any other
publication. Punch is so ingrained in the
English character that it has assumed a
kind of symbolic quality, a symbol that
possesses the power of renewing its life
every week How it came to have this
quality no Englishman would presume to
guess. but it is accepted like the weather
as something TO praise or condemn. This
constant appreciation and ridiCule is
possibly ore Of the important things
which has aided the publication to reach
its Tooth birthday.
In what way Punch came into being Is
a matter OF speculation. Many have
claimed the publications paternity, but
the claims are hopelessly conflicting. All
that is definitely known is there appeared
in the summer of l84l. prospectus ad-
vertising the proposed publication, and
referring to ii as "a guffaWgraph or an
asylum for the thousands of orphan
jokes and the millions of peTlshing puns"
The broadside contained a cut showing
six human-headed dogs standing on
their hind legs with long-curllng tails
appearing below their jackets or through
their frock-coats. The picture was in
scribed Funny Dogs with Comic Tales"
A month or so later the first issue ap-
peared with contributions by some OF
Englands best known literary lights,
among them being Mark Lemon, a play
wright. In successive issues other promi-
nent writer's added to the pages Of Punch
some of their best pen strokes.
How the name Punch came to be chos-
en- is another of the little mysteries con-
nected with the periodical The best aC-
Cepted version states that al a meeting
during which the various contributors.
including Mark Lemon. were discussing
the policy Of the paper-to-be. someone
remarked that it should be like a good
mixture of punch. being nothing without
Lemon. Hilariously. the assembled group
hailed the pun and adopted the title
Like many other publications. Punch at
first struggled against many odds,
finances not being omitted. The publish-
ers gradually felt their way. experiments
ing. changing, rejecting and improving.
BY this careful and painstaking process
Punch became an established periodi-
cal. 1t is not only widely read in Eng
land. but finds ready sale throughout
the world.
Two things above all have made Punch
the institution it is. First, its Jokes have
only rarely been witty remarks Its early
contributors played an important part
in giving the publication prestige, but
the truly representative Punch Jest then,
as now, was jest of character or a Jest
born of certain philosophic attitude to-
ward life. The second quality that has
made for Punchs estimable position is
its refusal to be satisfied with laughter
alone.
There can be no doubt that Punch has
won its pre-eminent position by reveal
IT9e yTr1fl rla1T
strengths and weaknesses. the idiosyn.
cracies and the stable qualities, Of Eng
lish character. 1t always has striven to
be thoroughly characteristic of the Brit
iSh it represents
Conservative England has seen her
characters, high and low. paraded on
Punch'S pages or made the subject Of
a joke so as to provoke thinking as
we'll as laughter. Not few Englishmen
who have followed the course of some re-
form can well remember when the idea
was first cartoon, jest or poem played
up in Punch. For example, in an early
issue appeared Thomas Hoods now IA
nous Song of the Shirt" describing an
old woman in poverty, hunger and dirt,
but welding a needle long hours making
shirts for a living. This was the spark
that started a movement that finally
abolished sweatshops in England.
CharacteriStically, Punch has ever
risen to its highest achievements during
times of crisis. In days when nothing
particular happens it may grow trife