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THE ENGLISH PAINTED BY THE FRENCH.

The following extract is taken literally from a late number of the Constitutionnel. It is a chapter of a romance called Le Cabinet Noir. The sooner this Cabinet is thrown out, we should say, from the specimen below, the better. Bowever, it is too peculiar to be lost. We are sure the British Peerage will be a little astonished at the new genealogical tree introduced, root and branch into it. One thing, however, is certain, that no noble bouse in England, can boast of such a peculiar line of descent as the one at present eulogised. Without further flourish we inform the reader it is the ' House that Jack (Ketch) built." The writer (a Mons. Charles Rabou, a name that must henceforth upset Lodge, and throw Burke from the Sublime into the Ridiculous) devotes a whole chapter to "Kitty Ketch." Amongst other absurdities, to numerous to mention, he informs us that — " This Kitty Ketch was a young and pretty girl, having the purity and the sprightly tournure of the lily, with the freshness of the rose in the month of May. "She was well known in the capital of England, first of all on account of her beauty, but more especially on account of the profession exercised by her father. Since the reign of Charles the First, the Ketches have been the public executioners in London. It is a family which does not yield anything in notoriety (en notoriety to, the proudest names of the English aristocracy, and which has established for itself a sort of nobility with, the people, by the cord and the gallows. " Far from detracting from, the success of the lovely Kitty, the lugubrious, profession, which the worthy author of her days followed seemed rather to have multiplied the number of her admirers and sighing lovers. For many she had the particular attraction, which is found amongst actresses, of occupying a prominent position before the public eye. For others, which is generally the result of a contrast, the glory (Vaureole) of blood which circled her fair forehead spoke with a strange

eloquence to the imagination ; and upon the foggy banks of the Thames, where the national character delights rather to come in contact with gloomy ideas. Kitty bad become such a matter of fashion, that bankers, the most opulent Jews, the greatest political celebrities, and even several members of the Royal family, would, willingly have laid down, if her heart had only listehitf'tp their appeals, the most fabulous prices for ttie.possession of her, hand." We hope the absurdity of our extract will compensate for its length. But absurd as it is, we can deduce several facts from it most interesting to English history. First. We learn that the family of Jack Ketch competes with the Bedfords, and Norfolks, and Northumberlands, &c. Secondly. That Jack Ketch has created a nobility, for himself with the British mob. Thirdly. That the Banks of the Thames are always foggy. Fourthly. That we Englishmen revel in gloomy ideas, and' that every Anglais is in heart a lugubrious fellow, who makes a cemetery his playground, and Miss JaCk Ketch his playfellow. Fifthly. That English bankers and English Ministers, carrying out this national taste, are apt to prowl about Newgate, and wait in ambush round the corner of Horseraongerlane, with a view of meeting the lovely daughter of the public executioner. Sixthly. That members of the royal family are not too proud to follow in this English pastime. It is a thousand pities Mons. Rabou never mentions the name of the royal prince who wanted so madly to elope with Miss Jack Ketch, for it would make a very valuable illustration for the next edition of Mr Charles Knight's " Pictorial History of England." It could never have been James? By-the-bye what an amusing book it would make — " The History of England, written by a Frenchman !" When we have nothing to do we will write it ourselves, just " for the fun of the thing." — Punch.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZSCSG18491117.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 448, 17 November 1849, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
667

THE ENGLISH PAINTED BY THE FRENCH. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 448, 17 November 1849, Page 4

THE ENGLISH PAINTED BY THE FRENCH. New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 448, 17 November 1849, Page 4

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