The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-02
The Freak.

l. AT the beginning OF the 18th century
the freak, as an entertainment, was well
come In the very highest circles, and
II was no unusual thing TO announce at
the foot OF placards, or handbills. that
biazoned his attractions, IF any Per-
sons OF Quality, Gentlemen or Ladies. do
desire TO see this remarkable person at
their own Houses. they are desired to
send timely notice. and he will be ready
10 wait upon them in coach or chair
any time they please to appoint, IL in
the day time" And, certainly, the freaks
10 be seen In those years make our own
more limited modern collections insignifi-
cant by comparison.
The Painted Prince" Giolo who was
Tor season exhibited at the Blue Boars
Head. in Fleet street, was perhaps MOTH
ing very out of the way. He had a map
OF his own country tattooed on his breast
ana other geographical illustrations on
his breast, but we do not lay much store
py tattooed people even In these days,
and his more marvellous rivals can hardly
nave suffered from his competition. For
now could mere tattooed prince show
10 advantage in the same town with a
Dutch gentleman whose mouth was under
MS chin and his eyes where his mouth
should have been? How could he expect
to do any business when close by at the
Kings Head. in the Strand, there was a
only one head, and at Charing Cross there
was monster with a head like a child
and long tail like a serpent, 'wherewith
he feeds himself as an elephant doth with
his trunk?"
THE GOLDEN AGE.
The last years OF the 18th and the first
year OF the 18th centuries were unques-
tionably the golden age for freaks. There
was rather slump in giants and dwarfs,
so that unless the former were well over
seven feet high and the latter under 30
inches, they found 1t difficult 10 make both
ends meet. But man who was half man
and half beast was not always to be had
for the asking. You could see him at
Moncreffs coffee house, in Threadneedle
street. however, and the sight was con-
sidered cheap at sixpence. Then there
was a dwarf a foot and three-qaurters
high, who habitually walked on his hands:
there was n boy covered with bristles
like hedgehog: a living skeleton. whose
entire anatomy became visible when you
set him against the sun; man with one
body and two heds: to say nothing OF
hre-proof ladies', pig-faced ladies', or
spotted negroes, or the woman with two
heads, one above the other or even of
the gifted Spaniard which could extend
his mouth six inches" and turn IL into
the shape OF a birds beak and could loll
his tongue ont foot long and click his
nose with IL like a cow" Nor must we
forget the man on show at the Golden
Lion" I'm the Strand having I'm his right |
eye the words. "Des Meus." and, some |
Hebrew characters in his - for within |
this last decade, degenerate as we are. |
We have had our clock-eyed lady, In |
whose eyes you could see, through mag |
nifying glass, perfect clock while IL |
you told her the hour OF the day, the ac- /
ton of her own thoughts caused the /
hands TO move round TO the right time
Still freaks are not in the fashion now /
as they were when George / and the 4
royal family went TO Bartholomew feir
and patroniZed several OF them in person. |
They are no longer on show IN the better
streets OF the Metropolis, but hang out
their flaming portraits I'm the poorer.
thickly populated neighborhoods and
never dream OF charging a penny at the
ioor for admission.