The Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare (Volume 3) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1821. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Both the prompter, or book-holder, as he was sometimes called, and the property-man, appear to be regular appendages of our ancient theatres . such care for their garments, that they be not trode on; such eyes to their lappes, that no chippes light in them; such pillows to their backes, that they take no hurte; such masking in their ears, I know not what; such giving them pippins to pass the time; such playing at foot-saunte without cardes; such licking, such toying, such smiling, such winking, such manning them home when the sports are ended, that it is a right comedie to mark their behaviour." Masking, in the quotation from Gosson, must mean whispering secretly, although, I confess, I can produce no authority for such a use of the word. Boswell.] So also, the prologue to Mansion's Fawne, 1606: " nor doth he hope to win " Your laud or hand with that most common sin '* Of vulgar pens, rank bawdry, that smells " Even through your masques, usque ad nauseam." Again, in his Scourge of Villanie, 1599: " -- Disguised Messaline, " I'll teare thy maske, and bare thee to the eyne " Of hissing boyes, if to the theatres u find thee once more come for lecherers." Again, in Ben Jonson's Verses, addressed to Fletcher on his Faithful Shepherdess: The wise and many-headed bench that sits " Upon the life and death of plays and wits, " Compos'd of gamester, captain, knight, knights man, " Lady or ptuil, that wears maske or fan, " Velvet or taffata cap, rank'd in the dark " With the shops foreman, or some such brave sparke, " (That mayjudge for his six-pence) had, before " They saw it half, damn'd thy whole play." After the Restoration, masks, I believe, were chiefly worn in the theatre, by women of the town. Wright complains of the great number of masks in his t...