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Show j Origin of the Harlequin, 1 John Rich, the son of Christopher Rich, the manager of the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, was a very illiterate man, with strong dramatic instincts. From his inability to speak upon the stage he originated the silent harlequin, and by mcro dumb action could rival the power and pathos of the most accomplished accom-plished tragedian. Previous to this, and, indeed, for some timo afterward, harlequin was a speaking speak-ing part, and David Garrick played him as Buch in the theatre at Goodman Fiolds. It was in tho year 1717 that Rich appeared ap-peared in apantomine called "Harlequin Executed." j Jackson, in speaking of Rich's wonder-I wonder-I ful abilities as a pantomimist, says: "On his last revival of 'The Sorcerer' I saw ; him practice the hatching of harlequin by the heat of the sun, in order to point it out to Miles, who, though excellent in the line of dumb significance, found j it no easy matter to retain the lesson I Rich had taught him. This certainly was a masterpiece in dumb show. From the first chipping of the egg, his receiving receiv-ing of motion, his feeling of the ground, his standing upright to his quick harlequin harle-quin trip round the empty shell, through the whole progression, e,vory limb had its tongue and every motion a voice, which spoke with most miraculous organ to the understanding anl sensation of the observers." The tight fitting spangl?d dresses which are now worn by all harlequin were not adopted until tho present C'jrtnry. Scottish Scot-tish Stage. |