Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, CompleteVarious
General
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, Complete
Various
English wit and humor -- Periodicals
what more persuasive language could he adopt than the general
distribution of unlimited beer? Of the sensitive, or fifth and last
species of language, innumerable instances might be quoted. All
understand the difference in meaning between cuffs and caressesbetween
being shaken heartily by the hand and kicked rapidly down stairs. Who,
however ignorant, could look upon the latter as a compliment? or what
fair maiden, however simple, would require a master to teach her how to
construe a gentle compression of her fingers at parting, or a tender
pressure of her toe under the dinner table?
Such is an imperfect sketch of the five languages appertaining to man.
There is, however, one otherthat which forms the subject of the present
articlePantomime, and which may be considered as the natural form of
the visible languageliterature being taken as the artificial. This is
the most primitive as well as most comprehensive, of all. It is the
earliest, as it is the most intuitivethe smiles and frowns of the
mother being the first signs understood by the infant. Indeed, if we
consider for a moment that all existence is but a Pantomime, of which
Time is the harlequin, changing to-day into yesterday, summer into
winter, youth into old age, and life into death, and we but the clowns
who bear the kicks and buffets of the scene, we cannot fail to desire
the general cultivation of an art which constitutes the very essence of
existence itself. Speech, says Talleyrand, that profound political
pantomimist, was given to conceal our thoughts; and truly this is the
chief use to which it is applied. We are continually clamouring for acts
in lieu of words. Let but the art of Pantomime become universal, and
this grand desideratum must be obtained. Then we shall find that
candidates, instead of being able, as now, to become legislators by
simply professing to be patriots, will be placed in the awkward
predicament of having first to act as such; and that the clergy, in lieu
of taking a tenth part of the produce for the mere preaching of
Christianity, will be obliged to sacrifice at least a portion to
charitable purposes, and practise it.
Indeed, we are thoroughly convinced, that when the manifold advantages
of this beautiful art shall be generally known, it cannot fail of
becoming the principle of universal communication. Nor do we despair of
ultimately finding the elegant Lord A. avowing his love for the
beautiful Miss B., by gently closing one of his eyes, and the fair lady
tenderly expressing that doubt and incredulity which are the invariable
concomitants of Loves young dream, by a gentle indication with the
dexter hand over the sinister shoulder.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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