Pantomimic Families—­Giuseppe Grimaldi—­James Byrne, the Harlequin and Inventor of the modern Harlequin’s dress—­Joseph Grimaldi, Junior—­The Bologna Family—­Tom Ellar—­The Ridgways—­The Bradburys—­The Montgomerys—–­The Paynes—­The Marshalls—­Charles and Richard Stilt—­Richard Flexmore—­Tom Gray—­The Paulos—­Dubois—­Arthur and Charles Leclerq—­“Jimmy” Barnes—­Famous Pantaloons—­Miss Farren—­Mrs. Siddons—­Columbines—­Notable Actors in Pantomime.

In the histrionic profession the genius of hereditary is shown over and over again; and no more so than in Pantomimic families.  For, if blessed with a numerous progeny, the sons became—­the eldest, of course, could only, as the place of honour, be Clown—­the others, Harlequins, Pantaloons; the daughters, Columbines; and, perhaps, Harlequinas.

In the last chapter but one I have referred to Grimaldi’s father, Giuseppe Grimaldi, “Iron Legs,” and now let us recall something more of the sire of so worthy a son.

As a dancer—­as his father was before him—­and Pantomimist, Giuseppe Grimaldi, before coming to England, had appeared at the fairs of France and Italy.  In 1758 Giuseppe made his first appearance on the stage of Drury Lane, under Garrick’s management, in a new Pantomime dance, entitled, “The Millers.”

For some thirty years afterwards the Signor continued to be a member of the Drury Lane corps de ballet, and appearing as Clown, Harlequin, and Pantaloon.

In 1764, Giuseppe played Harlequin in a Clown-less Pantomime at Sadler’s Wells, and in the Drury Lane Pantomime of the same year, though there were Harlequin, Pantaloon, and Columbine in it, there was no Clown.  Drury Lane was then only open in the winter, and Sadler’s Wells in the summer months.

A notable Harlequin was Mr. James Byrne, the ballet-master.  “Mr. Byrne,” says Grimaldi, in his “Memoirs,” “was the best Harlequin on the boards, and never has been excelled, or even equalled, since that period.”

Mr. Byrne came of a well-known dancing family, and to him we owe the introduction of the tight-fitting dress worn by Harlequin.  Until the production of the Pantomime of “Harlequin Amulet, or the Magic of Mona,” at Drury Lane Theatre, written by Mr. Powell, produced at Christmas, 1799, by Mr. Byrne, and which ran until Easter, 1800—­it had been the loose jacket and trousers of the ancient Mimes.  It had also been considered indispensable that Harlequin should be continually attitudinising in the five different positions of Admiration, Flirtation, Thought, Defiance, and Determination; and continually passing from one to the other without pausing.  Byrne, for newer attitudes, abolished these postures, but long afterwards the old form of posing was, and is still, retained by the exponents of Harlequin.

In this Pantomime, Byrne, as Harlequin, appeared in a white silk close-fitting shape, fitting without a wrinkle, and into which the variegated colours of time-honoured memory were woven, and covered with spangles, presenting a very bright appearance.