Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne, Taken from Original SourcesAshton, John
History
Social Life in the Reign of Queen Anne, Taken from Original Sources
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- History -- Anne, 1702-1714; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 18th century
'This young Man was Born in _Hungary_, and is about 18 years of Age, a
Foot and a Half High: In the places where the Thighs, or Legs should
be; hath Two Breasts in all points like a Woman's on which He Walks.
The Natural parts are of the Male kind; Climes, or gets from the
Ground upon a Table, and sits on a Corner of it, but 3 Quarters of an
Inch broad, and shews more Artful Tricks, to the General Diversion,
Satisfaction, and Admiration of all Spectators, and speaks several
Languages. Vivat Regina.'
The following, although a curious, could hardly have been a pleasing
exhibition. 'The Bold Grimace _Spaniard_. At the _Ram's Head_ Inn in
_Fanchurch Street_, is to be seen a _Bold Grimace Spaniard_, lately
brought over, by _David Cornwell_, in the _Bilboa Merchant_: He liv'd
15 Years among wild Creatures in the Mountains, and is reasonably
suppos'd to have been taken out of his Cradle, an Infant, by some
Savage Beast, and wonderfuly preserv'd, till some Comedians
accidentally pass'd thro' those Parts, and perceiving him to be of
human Race, pursu'd him to his Cave, where they caught him in a Net.
They found something wonderful in his Nature, and took him with 'em
in their Travels thro' _Spain_ and _Italy_. He performs the following
surprising Grimaces, viz. He lolls out his Tongue a Foot long, turns
his Eyes in and out at the same time; contracts his Face as small as
an Apple; Extends his Mouth Six Inches, and turns it into the Shape of
a Bird's Beak, and his Eyes like to an Owl's; turns his Mouth into the
Form of a Hat cock'd up three ways; and also frames it in the manner
of a four square Buckle; licks his Nose with his Tongue, like a Cow;
rolls one Eye Brow two Inches up, the other two down; changes his face
to such an astonishing Degree, as to appear like a Corpse long buried;
Altho bred wild so long, yet by travelling with the aforesaid
Comedians 18 years, he can sing wonderfully fine, and accompanies his
Voice with a thorow Bass on the Lute. His former natural Estrangement
from human Conversation obliged Mr. _Cornwell_ to bring a Jackanapes
over with him for his Companion, in whom he takes great Delight and
Satisfaction.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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