ervedly popular masks: Sacchi, Fiorelli,
Zannoni, and Derbes. It seemed to me that I could not castigate the
arrogance of these self-styled Menanders better than by taking our old
friends Truffaldino, Tartaglia, Brighella, Pantalone, and Smeraldina
under my protection. Accordingly, I opened fire with a dithyrambic poem,
praising the extempore comedians in question, and comparing their gay
farces favourably with the dull and heavy pieces of the reformers.[25]
Chiari and Goldoni replied to my attacks and those of my associates by
challenging us to produce a comedy. Goldoni, in particular, called me a
verbose word-monger, and kept asserting that the enormous crowds which
flocked together to enjoy his plays constituted a convincing proof of
their essential merit. It is one thing, he said, to write subtle verbal
criticisms, another thing to compose dramas which shall fill the public
theatres with enthusiastic audiences. Spurred by this continual appeal
to popularity and vogue, I uttered the deliberate opinion that crowded
theatres proved nothing with regard to the goodness or the badness of
the plays which people came to see; and I further staked my reputation
on drawing more folk together than he could do with all his scenic
tricks, by simply putting the old wives' fairy-story of the _Love of the
Three Oranges_ upon the boards.

Shouts of incredulous and mocking laughter, not unnaturally, greeted
this Quixotic challenge. They stung my sense of honour, and made me gird
up my loins for the perilous adventure. When I had composed the scheme
of my strange drama, and had read it to the Granelleschi, I could see,
by the laughter it excited, that there was stuff and bottom in the
business. Yet my friends dissuaded me from producing such a piece of
child's-play before the public; it would certainly be hissed, they said,
and compromise the dignity of our Academy.

I replied that the whole public had to be attacked in front upon the
theatre, in order to create a sensation, and to divert attention from
our adversaries. I meant to give, and not to sell this play, which I
hoped would vindicate the honour and revenge the insults of our Academy.
Finally, I humbly submitted that men of culture and learning were not
always profoundly acquainted with human nature and the foibles of their
neighbours.

Well, I made a present of _L'Amore delle Tre Melarancie_ to Sacchi's
company of comic players, and the extravaganza was produced in the
thea