don, in their house at Esher, where many articles and jokes
and sketches which appeared in the periodical were discussed." These
meetings, however, must have taken place before the time of the "Papal
Aggression," and some little while, consequently, before Sir John
Tenniel was enlisted as a recruit.

Who will say, in the face of all this, that _Punch_ has not learned the
secret of combining pleasure with business, practising the art with
infinite satisfaction to himself and with the applause of succeeding
generations? "Where Macgregor sits, _there_ is the head of the table,"
said the Scottish chieftain. Where Mr. Punch sits, say those of a later
day, there is the flow of wit and of laughter--there the fountain of
that fun which has stamped his journal as representative of what is most
characteristic and best in English humour--there the source of the art
which has been the greatest school of wood-drawing and cutting, and of
true caricature, that this country has ever seen. Good-nature is the
quality rarest and most remarkable in a political and social journal.
How much of _Punch's_ excellent temper, I wonder, is not to be
attributed to his meat before grace? Whether "the Dinner" be the sole
cause, I do not venture to pronounce, though I submit the question for
the consideration of mankind; but is it not imaginable that high living
goes for something in the sum of _Punch's_ high thinking? and may it
not almost be said of him, as Moore sang of Sheridan, that his wit

"... in the combat, as gentle as bright,
Ne'er carried a heart-stain away on its blade"?

For a short time only the _Punch_ Club flourished. "Its object," writes
Landells, "was to form a little society amongst ourselves to talk over
and settle upon subjects for the paper of the coming week. It was not
strictly confined to the _Punch_ writers and artists, for friends and
well-wishers were admitted, and had here an opportunity of entertaining
their ideas in a sociable and agreeable manner. Besides those on the
regular Staff of _Punch_, there were members of the club Mr. Grieve the
scene-painter, Mr. Henry Baylis, Mr. Tully the composer,[9] Mr. Joseph
Allen the artist, and I have seen in addition Mr. Charles Dickens, Mr.
Stanfield, Mr. Frank Stone, Mr. Landseer, and other celebrities, in that
little snug and comfortable room. Here the inimitable Douglas Jerrold
was in his glory, showing off his ready sparkling wit, his joyous hearty
laugh ringing out above