pleasure derived by the lower orders from his performances might lead to the imitation of his manners and actions in little: in the same way, as will be hereafter seen, that the most applauded representations of our own stage, in the reigns of Elizabeth and James, were very soon made the subjects of "motions" or puppet-plays. One man could thus by a little ingenuity, and at a very cheap rate, represent half a dozen or more characters, and the delusion was aided by the peculiar voice given to Punch by artificial means. Ere long he became the hero of the exhibition; and other characters, such as Harlequin and Scaramouch, by degrees sunk into insignificance. The last, as well as the Doctor, is still preserved in some of the performances in this country, and we are assured by those who have recently travelled, that the Spanish Captain, the Calabrian with a huge nose, and some others of the personages enumerated by Riccoboni, yet figure in the Italian puppet-shows. In Holland, about ten years ago, we were present at one of the performances of Punch, (there usually called "Tooueelgek," "stage-fool" or "buffoon") in which a number of other characters peculiar to the country, and among them a burgomaster and a Friesland peasant, were introduced.[1]
- ↑ In Germany he is commonly known by the name of Hanns Wurst among the lower orders; the literal translation of which is our Jack Pudding, Hanns being John or Jack, and Wurst a pudding or sausage. He is also called Polischinel, and Hanns Wurst, as a generic term for any kind of buffoon.
Le Sage wrote pieces to be represented by Pulcinella and his wooden coadjutors. Le Sage had previously produced dramas for the Theatre de la Foire, which being silenced in 1721, he and Francisque, his co-laborateur, procured puppets instead of living actors. Piron ridiculed their dullness, and, in a piece called "Arlequin Deucalion," introduced Punch laughing, and apparently with some justice, at the want of wit in Le Sage's representations.
