The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-28
ruHoR OF ENGLISH
Is AMERICANS LITERATURE.

II.
- Early English Comedy.
Ansc1ssfng the English comedy II
"A 4. necessary TO define another eie-
= ire ludicrous-that Of mere fun
&s mav be- a comic writer without
s1fhef a humorist or . wit. This
Z.e a the stock IN trade Of the Va
49, theofer, the Sunday newspaper writer
~ professional funny man who II
EssSt 10 grin through a literary horse
5~r a. slang and bad spelling" and
N lnushser BIZ mere grotesqueness.
kruuor consists largely OF capers and
Z5.st1ops Of the mind and body. OF car
Ssssrs. Of practical Jokes and horse play.
humorist says. Laugh with mo-
xown says. Laugh at me-"
~ variety IL the most primitive and
.entary OF all humor. With savages
su6s people generally 1t is the chief
Eree n merriment. From the days Of
A. euurt testers to the day Of the circus
go II has been exceedingly popular.
fSn1ren, and even grown people. laugh
M11cratoly at the capers OF Punch and
~ md the u eliminates when the
1f kyrant numerically beats his wife.
- rs early English comedy the iudi-
seienssnt came largely from this
There are traces OF II even IN thu
plays Of the middle ages. In the
Noah's food. for instance. the
tbe patriarch refuses to leave her
0s gossips n go into the ark. Az
1fysly debate, during which Noah
pctdedly the worst OF the argument.
$500 . stick. and with the aid OF
Ham M Japheth. he succeeds In
her into the place OF safety. This
- good fun for the rude spectators.
hey reared with merrimenG.
y ~ dramatic interludes introduced BY
yWood In tho time OF Henry VIII. the
6unoat Of FUN predominates. Not only
\ there an abundance OF bufoonery and
nogo horse play. but there 10 . constant
tU1o1ng IRE Of coarse jokes. ludicrous al
uosae, puns and droll rafllery. In The
~ -" Z Palmer. Z Pardoner, q Pot
NJ md . Pedlar, after each had unmer-
0oNv rallied the others on their profess
6MA indulge In . lying contest. In which
~ miner easily wins, for he declares:
1T have ! seen many q mile
~ many . woman In the while.
\ = GOOD city. town or borough
f1!1efencom but ! have been through.
this would you should understand,
n9e seeo women nvs hundred thousand,
~ the women that I have seen.
3xH = upon my conscience.
tNag5e woman out OF patience"
10 early comedy that Of ali others IL
- sypioelly English In It's sense OF
'aammer. Gurton's Needle"
L. TINE all the elements which 70 10
~ . true English comedy. The later
SQo1 dramas became more refined
Gttstfc, and Il added other elements,
c,Sh ..s the Innovations were
1yoeeoranation was brought In by imi-
.o9<S Of Piautus and Terrence. In the
l. 81 some piaywrfkhts the characters
Ecnge mere caricaturca. In later years
9ottnu. He Il wal who hrst marked his
11ylcters with certain traits which they
- eefeves d~isplayiuG. One character has
22eeitAf phrase which he constantly re-
ns; \ miser pirates Of nothing but
~; the hypocrfte II everlastingiy whin-
u never Tor n moment can We lose sight
= trade marks. This Is mere fun.
e., scss o. 'o nosnr stlIlfui,y planned
8Ammcr 0nrton's Needle" with ali OF
cUarseness n crudcness ard bufYoon-
contains moro kenufne humor than
Al Of the plays OF this skiiiful play
] Of Plot and of comic characterization,
q. iackinG h element OF hufnor, HIS
nfa Are Q only by special students.
IL true comedy must combine wit ana
yspartse. Il must have for variety a
qe4ly amount Of this merely comic. ana II
.oef send fta roots deep into the AIluvium
( husnan nature. Aside from Shakespeare
y nf.msais;s hay. made TIL: happy
~ masters work. there are few great
I4iish comedies.
Misabeshan wit and Humsr.
n the age Of Elizabeth the English ma.
after = long and troubled childhood.
w ed 1noY III fxrfeI ~ xaxfx ..ua
awakened all AT once. a. every youth
TO a full realization OF its powers
~ possibilities. II was teeming with
a1nai life; II was full Of the JOY and the
ran wildly Into every excess. ii
NAMED romantic dreams. IL paw visions.
puebird ovsr with glad songs, IL was
4 era Of intense Intellectual activity.
aust have been electric with the daily
3fds ~ thaae fmnorfais whose casual
- upon the pavement by the street side
~ q coinage ~ speech richer. more
NE, more expressive h has been
scwn on this planet since the great days
n WAS the golden era OF English wit.
~ queen, who was the center and soul
Z We age, was a peerless mistress os
ard PLAY and epigram and reraftec A
tmhie Wit vas a sure passport TO her
her court became a fencing ground
Fhers quick Fesort and brilliant word
afnss and parry made up much OF the
a~nsereNtson The royal wit spared no
~ The bishop ~ London. who doubt.
~ never had arru TIVE royal wardrobe.
>cnurred before her on the vanity %
rsss Let him beware" she cried, ''or
" NJ Aini Cor heaven. and no shall walk
ai,nsr without star or mantle" Spain
enf Don Grxman as ambassador TO her
'art and abe sent IN returH Mr.. Mann.
szAitlng slyiy The spantsrds sond a
sase man I witt sand a maj who is a
A noble who had offended her
esgta Ter mercy The lion was her
nsver injuries mice and other
aSn,lnf Her wit nlays through all "a
q ~lfttvrr and papers Parliament. en-
Fsanaxiy anxious % know her inten-
ans - - marriage. demanded Of her
> snswet, but her answer gave little
Nsrv I e. toll you that I 90 rot mean
! marry ! might say less than I attend
- we're 10 tel you hat 80 mean
ss&ryy I Fnight say mere thsn Il -
WISER fpF foa 60 knew therefore / give
4 an answer RuxwerissR"
~ enc more keer3y reliAhed a test. hat
we were tines whea testing MAS tan
was Harrington ene morning would
- " her a favor. bat a riance az her
No ssns hgm away ~ith thr renArks II
~ nos adventure her htxAneEs eNn,eF
ssAsfe when @ was new, since the queen
.ssA n a a. o. Tage had once actually
<-eN1 NfNn MtHleNsan aud shaken him
3snasly Ra sigh during one pertod 80
saa.thce1 Etsaeeth that Il MAS wills
HAnN - AHrHaHAH - 49,