to earn the reputation of men of
sterling sense, by inveighing continually against what _they_ deem to be
frivolity; while they only expose more clearly to all observers the sad
vacuum which exists in their _pericraniums_. Far, far from us be such
dullards, and such opinions; and let us continue to laugh heartily at
our Pantomimes, undisturbed by their tedious harangues; "Do they think,
because they are _wise_, there shall be no more cakes and ale?" The man
who refuses to smile at the humours of Grimaldi is made of bad
materials--_hic niger est_--let no such man be trusted!

Can there possibly be a more captivating sight than that which the
theatre presents nightly, of hundreds of beautiful children all happy
and laughing, "as if a master-spring constrained them all;" and filled
with delight, unalloyed and unbounded, at the performance of one man?
And shall that man go without his due meed of praise? Never be it said!
No, Joey! When we forget thee, may our right hand forget its cunning! We
owe thee much for the delight thou hast already afforded us; and rely
upon thee, with confident expectation, for many a future hour of gay
forgetfulness. Well do we remember, in our boyish dreams of bliss, how
prominent a feature thou didst stand amongst the anticipated enjoyments
of Christmas; how the thoughts of home, of kindred, and release from
school, were rendered ten-fold more delightful by the idea of thy motley
garb and mirth-inspiring voice, which ever formed the greatest enjoyment
our holidays afforded. Heaven be praised, we still are children in some
respects, for we still feel gladdened by thy gambols, as heartily as we
did years ago, when we made our periodical escape from the terrors of
our old pedagogue's frown, and went with Aunt Bridget ("Happier than
ourselves the while") to banquet upon the Pantomimic treat provided for
us. "All wisdom is folly," says the philosopher; but we often incline to
think the converse of the proposition correct, when we see thee put thy
antic disposition on, and set the audience in a roar by the magic of thy
powers.

It is thought by many persons that Grimaldi is seen to greater advantage
on the small stage of Sadler's Wells, than on the more capacious one of
Covent Garden; but, this is an opinion with which we cannot coincide. He
always appears to us more at his ease at the latter house; to come forth
exulting in his power, and exclaiming, "Ay, marry, here my soul hath
elbow-room." His e