In facsimile No. 7 we see the first mention in _Punch_ of the Prince
of Wales. It is the first part of a full-page article on page 222
of Volume I., which records the birth of the Prince on November 9,
1841, and which also refers to the disappointment caused to the King
of Hanover by the birth of the Queen's second child. _Punch_ writes:
"There are now two cradles between the Crown of England and the White
Horse of Hanover." How many British Royal "cradles" are there now
between the two things named by _Punch_?
[Illustration: THE QUARREL.
MASTER WELLINGTON. You're too good a judge to hit me, you are!
MASTER JOINVILLE. Am I?
MASTER WELLINGTON. Yes, you are.
MASTER JOINVILLE. Oh, am I!
MASTER WELLINGTON. Yes, you are.
MASTER JOINVILLE. Ha!
MASTER WELLINGTON. Ha!
[MORAL.--_And they don't fight after all._]
12.--A SUPPOSITITIOUS CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON AND
THE PRINCE DE JOINVILLE (OF THE FRENCH NAVY). 1844.]
This comical sketch in No. 8 was, I suspect, suggested to Mr. Punch by
one of the many offers of unsolicited "outside" contributions which
have always been severely discouraged. Mr. Punch prefers to rely upon
his own staff, although he is always on the alert for fresh talent,
and amongst the clever men who have thus been invited to contribute
to _Punch_ are Mr. H. W. Lucy ("Toby, M.P."), Mr. R. C. Lehmann (who
wrote "The Adventures of Picklock Holes"), Mr. Bernard Partridge (the
brilliant successor to Mr. du Maurier), and Mr. Phil May.
We see in No. 9 the first _Punch_ picture of the Prince of Wales. This
cartoon was drawn by Kenny Meadows. The Queen is standing at the left
of the infant Prince, and points to the first tooth, the doctor blows
a toy-trumpet and offers some soldiers, while the lady who kneels is
offering a baby's coral with a _Punch's_ head as its chief attraction.
[Illustration: ROYAL SPORT.
It will be in the recollection of our readers that a handsome rod
(which turns out to be really a fishing-rod after all), was a little
while ago presented to the Prince of WALES. His Royal Highness has
lately had some capital sport with this rod, having succeeded in
capturing several of his Mamma's gold fish, one of which was as big as
a dace and weighed six ounces. It was very nearly pulling the Prince in.