GLEANINGS FROM PUNCH.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 112, 26 August 1846, Page 3

GLEANINGS FROM PUNCH.

The Drama in America. — It would seem that the genial soil of America had a wondrous effect upon some English actors. We are continually reading of its miraculous power on theatrical mediocrity. For instance, we ship a walking gentleman at Liverpool, and at New York he becomes a sparkling light comedian. A melo-dramatic ranter bursts into a first-rate tragedy genius. We have heard of a soil so fruitful that, drop a tenpenny nail in it over night, and it will have grown to a crow-bar in the morning. In the like way, the merest sticks from the English stage, planted in America, blossom and (for themselves) bear golden fruit.

Counsel. — A barrister, whose duty it is to manage the causes of his clients, and get rid of their effects. Some are called Common law Counsel, to whom law is not common at all, for they are seldom employed : and there are also Chamber Counsel, who sit in their chambers doing nothing, and so far deserve the name. Counsel are punishable for malpractice by being prohibited from addressing the Court ; but that which prohibits Counsel from addressing the Court is net so much mal-practice as no practice at all. '*

Count. — A foreign title, which may, be purchased in Austria or the Pajpal States at a very low figure. In the new tariff the was not expressly taken ©ff" foreign Counts, but they probably came under the head of " other live animals." The English title of Earl corresponds with the foreign title of Count, and it is called Earl because it is of early origin.

A Prize Peasant Show. — The custom of stuffing cattle to an unnatural degree, is, we are told, desirable, for the purpose of improving the character of stock, and we should be very glad to see the experiment tried of improving the characters of peasants and agricultural labourers by feeding them. We should very much like to have an annual show of prize poor got up in the numerous districts where the " friends of the working man are so very busy in cramming cattle with, all kinds of herbaceous luxuries. If a good quantity of fat stock is a sign of their owner being a good faimer, surely a good quantity of plump, portly-looking labourers would be a testimonial to the goodness q^gfoir emWe fear, however, there is no chance for any experiment being- made which woul4 in-

volve the necessity of generous dieting. There is a much greater probabily of a competition between the Norfolk and Buckland principles, by a show of rival peasants, fed respectively on pease, starch, and mangel wurzel, or the celebrated promoter of warmth, lately introduced to the notice of the poor in the shape of curry powder. We can fancy what a capital catalogue could be made up from the materials of such an exhibition. No. 1. — A short-legged Norfolk labourer. Fed on boiling water and curry powder. Walked thirty miles to the exhibition. Bred in the Norwich workhouse. Ist Prize. No. 2. — A Hampshire labourer. Supported entirely on starch. Brought in a cab half-a-inile to ihe exhibition, by Dr. Buckland. 2nd Prize. No. 3. — An old bankrupt thimble rig proprietor, who since the abolition of gambling at races, has been living entirely on iis remaining stock of pease, with a slice of mangel wurzel twice a week, and a little starch on Sundays. 3d Prize. We think that in order to make the rivalry complete, the Union workhouses should be allowed to send in a limited number of paupers for competition.