The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-04-20
THE MAY MAGAZINES.
slHARPER,s.O


seven illustrations; "Disillusion," Elizabeth
Akers Allen; 'The Monarch Of Mountains,
Lyman Abbott, with nine illustrations;
''Along the Florida Reef" Fourth paper), DIR.
j. B. Holder, with seven illustrstions "rhe
Story of Punch and Judy" with an introduc-
tion by S. s. Conant, with twenty-eight illus
trations by George Oruikshank; "a Song
in Gold," w. s. Newell; "Archie Hutching-
ton" D. r. Castleton; "The American Bs-
ron, chapters xii-xiv by the author of ''The
Dodge Club" "The Cryptogram," ETC., with
three illustrations; "The Three Ships" Julia
G. r. Dorr; Frederick the Great, con-
cluded-Life's Closing Scenes-wjth five il
Iustrations; s'Anne Farness," by the author of
''Mabels Progress, ''Aunt Margsrets Trou-
ble," ''veronica," etc Religious Relics in
London, NJ. d. Conway; 'Anteros," by the
author of "Guy Livingstone" ETC.; ''The
Nobler Love" Justin Mccarthy; "Dead-
Headed" Miss S. @. Woolsey; "The Chimney
Sweeper's Idyl," Mrs. r. II. Stoddard; 'Edi-
tors Easy Chair" Editors Literary Record"
Editors Scientific Record" Editors
Drawer"
s. s. Conant we take the following account
of the origin of the famous puppet show
One pleasant summer day, a few years ago,
the writer of this article was standing with an
officer of the Bavarian army in the Odeon
Platz, at Munich, watching the entertaining
performance of Punch and Jltdy. At the
most thrilling moment of the mimic tragedy
o slight movement among the spectators
caused us both to look round; and to my
amusement, and my military friends dismay,
we encountered the kindly eyes of old King
Louis. Noticing the officers confusion at
being caught amusing himself in this rather
questionable manner, the genial old gentle
man pleasantly bade him be at ease. "You
need not feel ashamed to be seen here, Herr
Lieutenant" said he; 'I often stop myself to
see the performance, and find ii very am using"
He remained a few moments, laugh
ing like the rest Of the crowd at the droll
mimicry of life exhibited in the little play
house, and then, with a pleasant smile and
word withdrew. The incident was charac-
teristic of the man and the people. While he
stood there no one took more notice of him
than if he had been a private gentleman.
There was none of the rude staring to which
persons of exalted rank are always subjected
by Englishmen and Americans. Every one
quietly attended to the play until the King
took his leave, when those Immediately about
him raised their hats with every mark of that
esteem and affection which even his unfor-
tunate infatuation for Lola Montez could not
eradicate from the hearts of the Bavarian
people.
The performance which old King Louis
found so amusing has not been nationalzed
u
time at popular place of amusement in this
city about year ago, but did not take suff-
ciently with the audience to induce the
manager to go on with it. 1t was considered
silly and stupid; and yet, as we shall show,
with the assistance of Mr.. Cruikshank's ad-
mirable illustrations, it may be made the
medium of the most amusing whimsicalites.
In Europe its popularity is unbounded. Even
royalty, as Just related, unbends to enjoy it;
and we are told that so grave and digniied
parsonage as an English Secretary of State
is certain to be, once paused on his way
from Downing street to the House of Com
mons, on night of important debate, to wit
ness the whole performance.
TO Acerra, an ancient italian city, in
the neighborhood of Naples, belongs the
high honor of being the birth
place of Mr.. Punch, whose family name
is thought to have been Pucinella. The date
of his birth is differently stated by au-
thors who have incidentally mentioned him.
The most particular statements in regard to
this important event are made by Gimma,
who in his "Italia Letterata" says
''Silvio Fiorillo, comedian, who procured
himself to be called the Captain Matamoros,
invented the Neapolitan Pulcinella; ito which
Andrea Calcese, who had the surname of Cine
cio by study and natural grace added much.
Calcese was tailor, and died in the plague of
the year 1856; he initiated the peasants of
Acerra, very ancient city of Terra di Lavoro,
not far from Naples" Signorelli, in his his
tory of the stage, expressly calls Punch un
6ufOne deli Ac6yTG; and of the Neapolitans
in general he remarks that, 'from a certain
national vivacity and disposition, they have
been at all times distinguished for their talent
in initiating the ridiculous on their stages"
Hence more than one of the amusing per-
sonages in their impromptu comedies have
had their origin in that lively and luxurious
capital.
In order to give notion of the species of
dramatic entertainment in which these various
characters, and among them Pulcinella, were
engaged, further short quotation from Sig
norellis work will be useful: he is referring
to the state of the Italian comedy in the be-
ginning of the seventeenth century. ''In
general, he says, ''the public comedians ira
welled over Italy, representing certain thea
trical performances called comedies of art, in
contradstinction to comedies of IeGratng,
recited in the academies and in private dwell
ings by well-bred actors for their pleasure
and exercise. The plot of the fables was
noted down, as well as the substance and dis
tribution of each scene, while the dia-
logue was left to the will of the
representers. Such histrionic farces con-
tanned various trivial buffooneries, aud
different masks were employed in them"
These performances, in which the actor was
left to his own talents and discretion in fur
nishing the dialogue, were once extremely
popular throughout Italy; but from the very
nature of the representation it unluckily hap
pens that not single specimen has been
handed down to our time.
We take it for granted that Silvio Fiorillo
invented Pulcinella, and first introduced him
as o variety in the list of buffoons required