oung a visit to the Pantomime was invariably a yearly occurrence
to be joyfully remembered till the next Boxing Day came round again. Do
they, or can they, understand Pantomime in its present form? I very much
doubt it.

When towards the close of the 'fifties, and the double plot was
abandoned, the character of Harlequin began to be played by women, the
origin of what is now known as the "principal boy," and some acrobatic
turns, or other speciality business, began to be introduced during the
course of the Pantomime, which greatly discounted the efforts of
Harlequin and Clown.

Another competitor that took up the running to the abolition of Clown
and his companions, was the music-hall, which began introducing
Pantomimes and ballets. The first to do this, some years ago, was the
Canterbury, other halls soon following suit.

The managers of the theatres took up arms, with the result that various
decisions, chiefly averse to the music-halls, were obtained. A decision
of the Court of Common Pleas left the music-halls in a position to give
ballets with costume and scenic effects without any such control or
precautions as was exercised in theatres under the Lord Chamberlain's
authority. The duration of the litigation was all owing to the vague
definition "Stageplays in the 6 and 7 Vict. c. 68," and of "Music,
dancing and public entertainments in the Act 25, Geo. II., c. 30."

Of present-day Pantomime, with the immense sums spent annually on its
gorgeous spectacular display and costly dresses, there is no necessity
for me here to dilate upon, as it is a subject that is well known to us
all. All that is beautiful about it is due principally to the scenic
artists and the costumiers. The best parts are, as a general rule,
allotted to music-hall "stars," whose names will draw the most money.
And the followers of Thespis have, until the reign of King Pantomime is
over, to take oftentimes second-class places in the Pantomimic form of
entertainment of the present day.

In the old days everyone looked forward to the performances of Clown and
his companions; but little by little their business went, until finally
this has dwindled down to about one or two scenes--which, in some few
instances is still retained.

And now to formally "ring down," and in writing the "tag," there is, I
may say, with the sound of the prompter's bell, a melancholy ring as the
passing knell of Clown and his merry companions, and the "tag," as it
were, t