[_Pantaloon, Clown, Harlequin, and Columbine_ are the
characters of an old sixteenth-century drama, acted in
dumb-show. "_Pantaleone_" is a Venetian type; _Columbine_
means a "little dove."]
WHILE Fairyland and Fairy tales
'Neath flaunting pageants fall,
And over Pantomime prevails
The Muse of Music Hall.
Still echoes, wafted through the din,
A lilt of one old tune--
Of Columbine and Harlequin,
Of Clown and Pantaloon.
Their faded frolics, tarnished show
Are shadows faint and rude
Of mimes who centuries ago
Joked, caramboled and wooed,
Of masques Venetian, Florentine,
Of moyen-age renown--
Of Harlequin and Columbine,
Of Pantaloon and Clown.
Not horseplay rough, the Saraband
They danced in vanished years,
But Love and Satire hand-in-hand,
And laughter linked with tears,
And Youth equipped his dove to win,
And Age, who grudged the boon;--
Sweet Columbine, bold Harlequin,
Cross Clown and Pantaloon.
Our Children-Critics now who deign
To greet this honoured jest,
Acclaiming, "Here we are again!"
With patronising zest,
They mark no soft Italian moon
Which once was wont to shine
On Harlequin and Pantaloon,
And Clown and Columbine!
But, spangled pair of lovers true,
And, whitened schemers twain,
The scholar hears in each of you
A note of that quatrain;
The dim Renaissance seems to spin
Around your satin shoon,
Fair Columbine, feat Harlequin,
Sly Clown and Pantaloon!
* * * * *
EVERYONE sincerely hopes that Sir WEST RIDGWAY will make a good bag
during his visit to the Moors. "Ridgway's Food" is something that can
be swallowed easily, and is so palatable as to be quite a More-ish
sort of dish. Good luck to the experienced and widely-travelled Sir
EAST-AND-WEST RIDGWAY. Our English ROSEBERY couldn't have made a
better choice.
* * * * *