onstantinople in 1453 scattered the men of learning
throughout the West, and led to a revival of literature. The drama
recommenced with representations of the old plays of Plautus. They were
performed at the Universities, and on state occasions, as in 1528, when
Henry VIII. had a stage erected in his great hall at Greenwich.

But the first development seems to have been in Spain, where the old
Romans had left their impress, and where the cruel games of the circus
still survive in the form of bull-fights. Lopez de Reuda, of Seville,
first brought comedy on the stage, but Cervantes tells us that then the
whole wardrobe of an actor consisted of four sheep-skins, trimmed with
gilt leather, four beards, four wigs, and four shepherds' crooks.
Nevertheless, after the classical period, Spain became the repertory for
the comedians of Europe.

So far we have traced the origin of comedy as to public performance. We
now come to consider what tendencies of disposition opened the way for
it, and led to its becoming a branch of literature. The love of
amusement, which is so strong in man, induced the patronage, which in
early times was extended to the various kinds of professors of light
arts.

In the days of Greece, as in those of Rome, there were ball-players, and
mountebanks, and we may remember an occasion on which Terence complained
that a rope-dancer had enticed away his audience. In Sparta there were
men who represented the tricks of thieves and impostors in dances, and
whose entertainments, though poor, were superior to that of mere
mountebanks. The mimes were a still greater improvement, in which a
certain amount of amusing narrative was illustrated by dances, songs,
contortions, and as the name implies by mimicry. We have seen Plato
introducing mimi from Greece, and Julius Caesar interesting himself in
such performers. Our mediaeval fool has been traced to the Roman mime,
who continued to please the country-people with coarse and debased
representations after Rome had fallen, and comedy had perished. Some
have even given a classic origin to our pantomime, considering harlequin
to be Mercury, the clown Momus, pantaloon Charon, and columbine Psyche.
The Roman Sannio and Manducus certainly somewhat corresponded to our
fool and clown, the latter especially in his gormandising propensities.
But it is scarcely necessary to travel so far back, for the desire for
amusement has in all countries produced an indigenous supply.

Cou