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feelings of the sort were no doubt entertained by him。
* The following linesever freshby the author of 〃Headlong Hall；〃
published years ago in the Globe and Traveller； are an excellent
comment on several of the cuts from the 〃Sunday in London：〃
I。
〃The poor man's sins are glaring；
In the face of ghostly warning
He is caught in the fact
Of an overt act；
Buying greens on Sunday morning。
II。
〃The rich man's sins are hidden
In the pomp of wealth and station；
And escape the sight
Of the children of light；
Who are wise in their generation。
III。
〃The rich man has a kitchen；
And cooks to dress his dinner；
The poor who would roast；
To the baker's must post；
And thus becomes a sinner。
IV。
〃The rich man's painted windows
Hide the concerts of the quality；
The poor can but share
A crack'd fiddle in the air；
Which offends all sound morality。
V。
〃The rich man has a cellar；
And a ready butler by him；
The poor must steer
For his pint of beer
Where the saint can't choose but spy him。
VI。
〃This rich man is invisible
In the crowd of his gay society；
But the poor man's delight
Is a sore in the sight
And a stench in the nose of piety。〃
Against dandy footmen he is particularly severe。 He hates idlers；
pretenders； boasters； and punishes these fellows as best he may。
Who does not recollect the famous picture； 〃What IS taxes； Thomas？〃
What is taxes indeed； well may that vast； over…fed； lounging flunky
ask the question of his associate Thomas： and yet not well； for all
that Thomas says in reply is； 〃I DON'T KNOW。〃 〃O beati PLUSHICOLAE；〃
what a charming state of ignorance is yours！ In the 〃Sketch…Book〃
many footmen make their appearance： one is a huge fat Hercules of a
Portman Square porter； who calmly surveys another poor fellow； a
porter likewise； but out of livery； who comes staggering forward
with a box that Hercules might lift with his little finger。 Will
Hercules do so？ not he。 The giant can carry nothing heavier than a
cocked…hat note on a silver tray； and his labors are to walk from
his sentry…box to the door； and from the door back to his sentry…box；
and to read the Sunday paper； and to poke the hall fire twice or
thrice； and to make five meals a day。 Such a fellow does Cruikshank
hate and scorn worse even than a Frenchman。
The man's master； too； comes in for no small share of our artist's
wrath。 There is a company of them at church； who humbly designate
themselves 〃miserable sinners！〃 Miserable sinners indeed！ Oh； what
floods of turtle…soup； what tons of turbot and lobster…sauce must
have been sacrificed to make those sinners properly miserable。 My
lady with the ermine tippet and draggling feather； can we not see
that she lives in Portland Place； and is the wife of an East India
Director？ She has been to the Opera over…night （indeed her husband；
on her right； with his fat hand dangling over the pew…door； is at
this minute thinking of Mademoiselle Leocadie； whom he saw behind
the scenes）she has been at the Opera over…night； which with a
trifle of supper afterwardsa white…and…brown soup； a lobster…
salad； some woodcocks； and a little champagnesent her to bed quite
comfortable。 At half…past eight her maid brings her chocolate in
bed； at ten she has fresh eggs and muffins； with； perhaps； a half…
hundred of prawns for breakfast； and so can get over the day and the
sermon till lunch…time pretty well。 What an odor of musk and
bergamot exhales from the pew！how it is wadded； and stuffed； and
spangled over with brass nails！ what hassocks are there for those
who are not too fat to kneel！ what a flustering and flapping of gilt
prayer…books； and what a pious whirring of bible leaves one hears
all over the church； as the doctor blandly gives out the text！ To
be miserable at this rate you must； at the very least； have four
thousand a year： and many persons are there so enamored of grief and
sin； that they would willingly take the risk of the misery to have a
life…interest in the consols that accompany it； quite careless about
consequences； and sceptical as to the notion that a day is at hand
when you must fulfil YOUR SHARE OF THE BARGAIN。
Our artist loves to joke at a soldier； in whose livery there appears
to him to be something almost as ridiculous as in the uniform of the
gentleman of the shoulder…knot。 Tall life…guardsmen and fierce
grenadiers figure in many of his designs； and almost always in a
ridiculous way。 Here again we have the honest popular English
feeling which jeers at pomp or pretension of all kinds； and is
especially jealous of all display of military authority。 〃Raw
Recruit；〃 〃ditto dressed；〃 ditto 〃served up；〃 as we see them in the
〃Sketch…Book；〃 are so many satires upon the army： Hodge with his
ribbons flaunting in his hat； or with red coat and musket； drilled
stiff and pompous； or at last； minus leg and arm； tottering about on
crutches； does not fill our English artist with the enthusiasm that
follows the soldier in every other part of Europe。 Jeanjean； the
conscript in France； is laughed at to be sure； but then it is
because he is a bad soldier： when he comes to have a huge pair of
mustachios and the croix…d'honneur to briller on his poitrine
cicatrisee； Jeanjean becomes a member of a class that is more
respected than any other in the French nation。 The veteran soldier
inspires our people with no such awewe hold that democratic weapon
the fist in much more honor than the sabre and bayonet； and laugh at
a man tricked out in scarlet and pipe…clay。
That regiment of heroes is 〃marching to divine service；〃 to the tune
of the 〃British Grenadiers。〃 There they march in state； and a
pretty contempt our artist shows for all their gimcracks and
trumpery。 He has drawn a perfectly English scenethe little
blackguard boys are playing pranks round about the men； and
shouting； 〃Heads up； soldier；〃 〃Eyes right； lobster；〃 as little
British urchins will do。 Did one ever hear the like sentiments
expressed in France？ Shade of Napoleon； we insult you by asking the
question。 In England； however； see how different the case is： and
designedly or undesignedly； the artist has opened to us a piece of
his mind。 In the crowd the only person who admires the soldiers is
the poor idiot； whose pocket a rogue is picking。 There is another
picture； in which the sentiment is much the same； only； as in the
former drawing we see Englishmen laughing at the troops of the line；
here are Irishmen giggling at the militia。
We have said that our artist has a great love for the drolleries of
the Green Island。 Would any one doubt what was the country of t