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Thus each in his degree, Diversion finds, Your Sports are suited to your mighty Minds; Whilst so much Judgment in your Choice you show, The Puppets have more Sense than some of you. Doctor Baliardo, Mr. Underhill. Scaramouch, his Man, Mr. Lee. Pedro, his Boy. Don Cinthio, Don Charmante, both Nephews Young Mr. Powel. to the Vice-Roy, and Lovers of Elaria and Mr. Mumford.
Contrary to expectation Cushing was very bad as Harlequin, whilst at Drury Lane Woodward was excellent. At the Lane, where it was played with Mrs. Centlivre's A Bold Stroke for a Wife and billed 'not acted 20 years', Yates took Scaramouch; Palmer, Charmante; King, Cinthio; Winstone, Baliardo; Miss Murgatroyd, Bellemante; and the inimitable Mrs. Green, Mopsophil.
Harlequin shortly after makes his entry as an ambassador from the celestial spheres to confirm this news, and as Baliardo, overjoyed, is conversing with him strains of music are heard to herald the arrival of the lunar potentates. All repair to an ancient gallery, long disused, whence the sound proceeds, and here, indeed, a pageant has been secretly arranged.
But we are upon equal treatment yet, For neither conquer, since we both submit; You to our Beauty bow, we to your Wit. Doctor Baliardo, a Neapolitan philosopher, has so applied himself to the study of the Moon, and is enraptured to such an extent with the mysteries of that orb, that he has come steadfastly to believe in a lunar world, peopled, ruled and regulated like the earth.
Bullock and Spiller kept their favourite parts, Hall was Baliardo; Quin, Cinthio; Ryan, Charmante; Mrs. Egleton, Mopsophil; Mrs. Bullock, Bellemante. Doggett's The Country Wake was played the same night. Ten years later, still at this theatre, on 20 October, 1731, Hall was again Baliardo and Mrs. Egleton, Mopsophil.
There is no delay, the lovers are united in matrimony, Baliardo being overwhelmed at the honour done his house. But when Scaramouch and Harlequin fight a ridiculous duel, in which the former wins, for the favour of Mopsophil, the doctor discovers the whole trick, to wit, that the lunar courtiers are in reality his own friends and neighbours.
I came, an't like your Seigniorship, to Madam the Governante here, to serve her in the Quality of a Fille de Chambre to the young Ladies. Doct. A Fille de Chambre! 'tis so, a she Pimp. Har. Doct. How now, what, do you mock me? Har. Mop. Stay, stay, Mistress; and what Service are you able to do the Seignior's Daughters? Har. Is this Seignior Doctor Baliardo, Madam? Mop. Yes. Har.
Enter Scaramouch bare, bowing before Charmante, dress'd in a strange fantastical Habit, with Harlequin; salutes the Doctor. Char. Doctor Baliardo, most learned Sir, all Hail! Hail from the great Caballa of Eutopia. Doct. Char. The Fame of your great Learning, Sir, and Virtue is known with Joy to the renown'd Society. Doct.
At Covent Garden, where it was billed 'not acted 10 years', and produced as a first piece at considerable expense with magnificent decorations, Cushing played Harlequin; Dunstall, Scaramouch; Sparks, Baliardo; Ryan, Charmante; Delane, Cinthio; Peg Woffington, Bellemante; and the Bellamy, Elaria. It was, however, a dead failure and only acted twice.
Philander and Irene are the conventional names of lovers in the novels and puppet plays which were fashionable. It is interesting to note that less than a century after this prologue was first spoken, The Emperor of the Moon was itself being played at the puppet show in Exeter Change. p. 395 Doctor Baliardo. The Doctor was one of the leading masks, stock characters, in Italian impromptu comedy.
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