then that incomparable model of our most eminent actors,” says Gherardi, “displayed the miracles of his art; that art which paints the passions in the face, throws them into every gesture, and through a whole scene of frights upon frights, conveys the most powerful expression of ludicrous terror.  This man moved all hearts by the simplicity of nature, more than skilful orators can with all the charms of persuasive rhetoric.”  On this memorable scene a great prince observed that “Scaramuccia non parla, e dica gran cosa:”  “He speaks not, but he says many great things.”

In gesticulation and humour our Rich[45] appears to have been a complete Mime:  his genius was entirely confined to Pantomime; and he had the glory of introducing Harlequin on the English stage, which he played under the feigned name of Lun.  He could describe to the audience by his signs and gestures as intelligibly as others could express by words.  There is a large caricature print of the triumph which Rich had obtained over the severe Muses of Tragedy and Comedy, which lasted too long not to excite jealousy and opposition from the corps dramatique.

Garrick, who once introduced a speaking Harlequin, has celebrated the silent but powerful language of Rich:—­

    When LUN appear’d, with matchless art and whim,
    He gave the power of speech to every limb;
    Tho’ mask’d and mute, conveyed his quick intent,
    And told in frolic gestures what he meant: 
    But now the motley coat and sword of wood
    Require a tongue to make them understood!

The Italian EXTEMPORAL COMEDY is a literary curiosity which claims our attention.

EXTEMPORAL COMEDIES.

It is a curiosity in the history of national genius to discover a people with such a native fund of comic humour, combined with such passionate gesticulation, that they could deeply interest in acting a Comedy, carried on by dialogue, intrigue, and character, all’ improvista, or impromptu; the actors undergoing no rehearsal, and, in fact, composing while they were acting.  The plot, called Scenario, consisting merely of the scenes enumerated, with the characters indicated, was first written out; it was then suspended at the back of the stage, and from the mere inspection, the actors came forward to perform the dialogue entirely depending on their own genius.[46]

“These pieces must have been detestable, and the actors mere buffoons,” exclaim the northern critics, whose imaginations have a coldness in them, like a frost in spring.  But when the art of Extemporal Comedy flourished among these children of fancy, the universal pleasure these representations afforded to a whole vivacious people, and the recorded celebrity of their great actors, open a new field for the speculation of genius.  It may seem more extraordinary that some of its votaries have maintained that it possessed