Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 1.djvu/311

300 CURRAN. thenes urges as the first, second, and third essential to the success of an orator,--namely, action. The itinerant ex- hibitor of a street puppet-show, in the course of his tour, arrived at New-Market, much to the edification and amuse- ment of the staring crowd; and the comic feats of Mr. Punch, and the eloquence of, his man, superseded every other topic of conversation. Unfortunately, however, the second naned actor in this drama was seized with sickness, and the whole establishment was threatened with ruin. But little Philpot, who was a constant member of the auditory, and eagerly imbibed at eyes and ears the whole exhibition, proposed himself to the manager, as a volun- teer substitute for Punch's man. This offer from so young and promising an amateur, was gladly accepted by the manager, who was well aware of the advantages of an arch young comedian, acquainted with all the characters, and local bistory of the place ; but the young actor declined salary, and only stipulated, that he should remain per- fectly incog, and that his name was not to be known, which condition of the treaty the manager faithfully kept. The success of the substitute was quite miraculous; im- mense crowds attended every performance; the new actor was universally admired, and the crouded audiences were astonished at the knowledge he displayed. He developed the village politics, pourtrayed all characters, described the fairs, blabbed the wake secrets, caricatured the spec- tators, disclosed every private amour, detailed all the scandal of the village, and attacked with humorous ridicule even the sacerdotal dignity of the parish priest. But was the signal for general outery ; satire had transgressed its due limits; and men and maidens who laughed at their neighbour's pictures, and pretended to recognise their own, were horrified at such profane familiarity with the clergy. Religion, as on larger theatres, was the scape- goat, and sentence of punishment was unanimously passed on Mr. Punch and his man; the manager, however, kept the grand secret, and his prudence prevented any inquiry after such dangerous celebrity, and Curra, who was