disgusting caricature of the Queen and her family, the
most false and unjust in what it implies that it is possible to
conceive, and the most offensive to the feelings of a mother. The
effect of such an insult to a Sovereign the object of her people's
respect and love will, we imagine, be different from what the
"Times" and its _toadies_ anticipate. At all events, such insults
will not, in the absence of all proof, render credible the false
allegation of the exercise of Court influence, or enable the
"Times" to get rid of our challenge, which we again repeat--this is
a point from which we shall not be driven, until we have a direct
answer from the "Times" itself, not from its _toadies_. The Queen
may be libelled as the _Punch_, "Times," and "Examiner" libel her
Majesty, if Sir Frederick Thesiger permit; but our Sovereign shall
not be belied while we have the power to expose the fabricators of
falsehood and their fabrications.

[Illustration: MATERNAL SOLICITUDE.

"And the dear children?"

"Why, Alexandrina Victoria is a good deal better; but dear little Albert
here is still very delicate."

(_Drawn by John Leech. From "Punch," Nov. 23rd, 1845._)]

One may well wonder whether the "Standard" was really serious, or only
"making believe" in order to strengthen its attack upon the "Times." But
it suited _Punch_ to take the outburst seriously, though with provoking
calmness. First retorting that it is well that the editress of the
"Standard"--he invariably referred to "the _editress_"--wears pattens as
a precaution which the nature of her walks renders very necessary,
although they are constantly tripping her up, _Punch_ quietly remarked
that "'Our Grandmother' must surely have taken an additional drop of
'something comfortable';" "and Leech parodied Phiz" etching of Mrs. Gamp
and Betsy Prig, in which "the editress" declares, "As for that nasty,
hojus _Punch_, I'm dispoged to scratch 'is hi's out a'most. What I ses,
I ses; and what I ses, I sticks to." The campaign was conducted with
considerable spirit by Gilbert a Beckett and Percival Leigh, with slight
assistance from Horace Mayhew; and was continued with remorseless gaiety
and bitterness for some years. In the pages here devoted to Thackeray
reference is made to the personal feeling which existed between him and
the "Morning Post" and to the effective retaliation on the part of that
newspaper.

_