Some Famous Clowns.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 305, 22 December 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

Some Famous Clowns.

Dominico, Delvhini and Grimalbi.

ISY JOHN DAVIS,

Among other clowns who arrived aba greab degree of proficiency in their art, none were more famous than Dominico. Originally from Italy, he found his way to Paris, and soon hecame a greab favourite w'th Louis XIV. While calling on that monarch at suppor on one occasion, he fixed his eyes so intently on a dish of partridges thab Louis, who wns very fond of his acting, said to one of his servants, ' Give that dish to Dominico.'

' And the partridgaa, coo, Biro ?' was the shrewd inquiry of the harlequin. * Louie, peuetrabing his arc, said, ' And the parbridEßS, too.' The dish wtxs of gold.

The mosb celebrated clown cf Addison's time was Delphini, also an Italian, who for two eeiißona had all London laughing. George IV., then Prince of Wales, was in the habit of atbonding his benefits. Once he refuaod to do so, and Delphini, in a most ludicrous manner appealed to him from the etaeo, saying: 'Ah, Mr Prince, you please coma to my benefit If you no come I must go live inside your papa's big house.' King's Bench, in Londou, is etill known by the name of • your papa'e big house.'

Ab thab time, the besb people in London attended the performances, and John Komblo, standing behind the scones ab Drury Lane, said of Gritnaldi : ' That man acts as woll as my sister in his way—in his way.1 It was bhe labfcor who, whon abtacked by bwo footpads, who struck him on the shouldere, fell down, carrying them along, threw a somorsaulb, and disappeared in bhe darkness, leaving bhe footpads to speculate whether ib was bhe devil or Joe Grimaldi they bad struck.

Almosb every boy has read of tho ciown at Athens who imitated tho squealing of a pig. When he was through a countryman stepped forward and volunteered to do ib betber. After he had given a few lusty squeals bhe audience declared his performance inferior to tho clown's. Upon this the eouubryman produced from his bosom a young pig which wae responsible for the lasb noise. Bub the audience, unwilling to go back on the clown and their own judgment, hissed the countryman off the stage.