mean
and never did mean Punchinello. What is a Pagliaccio? A type long known
to the Italians, and familiar to the French as Paillasse. The
Pagliaccio visited Paris first in 1570. He was clothed in white and
wore big buttons. Later, he wore a suit of bedtick, with white and blue
checks, the coarse mattress cloth of the period. Hence his name. The
word that meant straw was afterward used for mattress which was stuffed
with straw and then for the buffoon, who wore the mattress cloth suit.
In France the Paillasse, as I have said, was the same as Pagliaccio.
Sometimes he wore a red checked suit, but the genuine one was known by
the colors, white and blue. He wore blue stockings, short breeches
puffing out a la blouse, a belted blouse and a black, close-fitting
cap. This buffoon was seen at shows of strolling mountebanks. He stood
outside the booth and by his jests and antics and grimaces strove to
attract the attention of the people, and he told them of the wonders
performed by acrobats within, of the freaks exhibited. Many of his
jests are preserved. They are often in dialogue with the proprietor and
are generally of vile indecency. The lowest of the strollers, he was
abused by them. The Italian Pagliaccio is a species of clown, and
Punchinello was never a mere buffoon. The Punch of the puppet-show is a
bastard descendant of the latter, but the original type is still seen
in Naples, where he wears a white costume and a black mask. The
original type was not necessarily humpbacked. Punchinello is a shrewd
fellow, intellectual, yet in touch with the people, cynical; not
hesitating at murder if he can make by it; at the same time a local
satirist, a dealer in gags and quips. Pagliacci is perhaps best
translated by 'clowns'; but the latter word must not be taken in its
restricted circus sense. These strolling clowns are pantomimists,
singers, comedians."

At the first performance of "Pagliacci" in Milan the cast was as
follows: Canio, Geraud; Tonio, Maurel; Silvio, Ancona; Peppe, Daddi;
Nedda, Mme. Stehle. The first performance in America was by the
Hinrichs Grand Opera Company, at the Grand Opera House, New York, on
June 15, 1893; Selma Kronold was the Nedda, Montegriffo the Canio, and
Campanari the Tonio. The opera was incorporated in the Metropolitan
repertory in the season of 1893-1894.

Rinuccini's "Dafne," which was written 300 years ago and more, begins
with a prologue which was spoken in the character of the poet