through the whole
progression, every limb had its tongue and every motion a voice." Rich
was also famed for his "catching a butterfly" and his "statue scene;"
his "taking leave of columbine" was described as "graceful and
affecting;" his trick of scratching his ear with his foot like a dog
was greatly admired; while in a certain dance he was said to execute
300 steps in a rapid advance of three yards only. A writer in _The
World_ (1753) ironically recommended the managers to dispense entirely
with tragedy and comedy, and to entertain the town solely with
pantomime, people of taste and fashion having given sufficient proof
that they thought it the highest entertainment the stage was capable
of affording--"the most innocent we are sure it is, for where nothing
is said and nothing meant very little harm can be done." Garrick, it
was fancied, might start a few objections to this proposal; "but," it
was added, "with those universal talents which he so happily
possesses, it is not to be doubted but he will in time be able to
handle the wooden sword with as much dignity and dexterity as his
brother Lun."

Possibly harlequin became a mute, in the first instance, to suit the
limited capacity in the matter of elocution of some such performer as
Rich; or the original dumbness of the harlequinade figures may be
attributable to the strictness with which of old the theatres,
unprotected by patents, were prohibited from giving _spoken_
entertainments. What were then called the "burletta houses" were
permitted performances of dancing, singing, tumbling, juggling--anything,
indeed, but _speech_ unaccompanied by music. The popularity
of these performances was beyond question, however, and, in time,
the mute drove the speaking harlequin from the stage: the great
theatres probably copying the form of pantomimes of the minor houses,
as they were by-and-by also induced to follow the smaller stages in
the matter of their melodramas and burlettas.

The comic "openings" known to modern times had no place in Rich's
pantomimes. These were divided into two parts, the first being devoted
to scenic surprises and magical transformations of a serious nature,
and the last to all kinds of comic antics, tumbling and dancing. No
allusions to passing events or the follies of the day were, however,
introduced.

Harlequin lost his place as the chief member of the pantomime troop,
when the part of clown was entrusted to the famous Grimaldi, "the
Garrick