Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/444

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NOTES AND QUERIES.

[2 S. N 22,, MAY 31. '56.

nated as above, and respecting which is told the same legend as that which is quoted by HENRY KENSINGTON. H. E. C.

GL'NSTONS OF STOKE NEW1NGTON.

(2 nd S. i. 375.)

Some information respecting this family may be found in Milner's Life, Times, and Correspondence of the Rev. Isaac Watts, D.D. (Lond. 1834), at pp. 163. 167. 179. 310. 520. 524. The book is, unhappily, without an index.) See also Watts's Works, Barfield's edition, 4to., 1810. iv. 494. ; and Robinson's History of Stoke Newington, pp. 36. 56.; and an earlier but less ample account of that parish in Bibliotheca Topographica Britannica, No. ix. Lond., 1783, pp. 25. 38. 40. The arms of Gunston are Or, on a bend sable 3 stars (mul- lets ?) of six points argent. Milner says the arms of Gunston and Abney were painted by Dr. Watts on the window shutters of an apartment in the mansion built by Thomas Gunston at Newington, the site of which now forms part of Abney Park Cemetery. From a private note, made at the time by my great-grandfather, Joseph Parker, who was Watts's amanuensis, and afterwards steward and almoner to Lady Abney (previously Mary Gunston) and to her daughter, Elizabeth Abney, I find that her ladyship died January 12, 1749-50, and "was interred in a vault in New- ington Church, under the iron rails near the pul- pit." In a paragraph drawn up by Mr. Nathaniel Neal of the Million Bank (son of Daniel Neal the historian of the Puritans), and inserted in the Daily Advertiser of January 13, 1749-50, Lady Abney is described as " eminent for true greatness of mind ; in prosperity cheerful but not elated ; in adversity humble but not dejected ; ever stu- dious of her own duty and the welfare of others." It is added, " Her piety was free from supersti- tion, her charity from ostentation ; despising the vain things of this life, yet having no contempt of those who esteemed them ; seeking and expecting her own happiness in a future state, yet duly at- tentive to all the relations and concerns of the present." Another memorandum by Mr. Parker, mentions that Mrs. Elizabeth Abney "was buried, agreeably to her desire, by her mother, in New- ington Church ; and sixty-eight rings were given on the occasion." The newspapers of the day stated that she was " greatly and justly lamented, and most by those who knew her best." A few years ago (I believe in connexion with some re- pairs or alterations) the vault containing the re- mains of Mrs. Abney was opened, and the brass coffin-plate taken away. After remaining some time in private hands it was fixed in the church as a mural tablet. It is inscribed " Mrs. Eliza- beth Abney, died Aug 5 * 20 th, 1782, aged 78," and

has the arms of Abney and Gunston quarterly on a lozenge.

Have _ any of the decorations of the " painted in the Abney House been preserved?

room

Where are they ? Beccles.

S. W. Rix.

ORIGIN OF PANTOMIMES. (2 nd S. I. 313.)

The following is a second-hand answer to J. D.'s Query, it being the reply given in a popular pe- riodical some years back to a similar question. Perhaps some of yor readers will authenticate the information it gives :

"Pantomime was known to the Greek and Roman stages, being introduced on the latter by Pvlades and Bathyllus in the time of Augustus Caesar. 'From that time to the present different modifications of this kind of representation hae taken place, and the lofty scenes of ancient pantomime are degenerated now to the adventures of harlequin, pantaloon, &c. The first pantomime per- formed by grotesque characters in this country was at Drury Lane Theatre in 1702 ; it was composed l.y a Mr. Weaver, and called 'The Tavern Bilkers.' The next produced was ' The Loves of Mars and Venus.' In 1717 the first harlequinade, composed by Mr. Rich, was per- formed in the theatre in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and called ' Harlequin Executed.' Tffs performer, who acted under the name of Lun, was so celebrated for his compositions, and skill as a harlequin, that they soon became established in public favour. The harlequin of the French stage differed from ours, for he had license of speech. Many of the witticisms of Dominique, a celebrated harlequin in the time of Louis XIV., are still on record. The old cha- racter of zany was similar to our clown. The name of pantaloon is said to have been derived from the watch- word of the Venetians, piantaleone ; and that of harlequin lias originated, aa some say, from the following event: A 3 T oung Italian actor came to Earis in the time of Henry III. of France, and having been received into the house of the President, Achilles de Harlai, his brother actors called him harlequine, from the name of his master. Others that there was a bad knight named Harlequin, who was saved from perdition by fighting against the infidels, but condemned to appear nightly."

R. W. HACKWOOD.

The following brief and interesting notice of pantomimes appears in Dramatic Table Talk, vol. i. p. 117. :

"The inventors of this extraordinary art were two obscure Romans, named Pylades and Bathyllus, who, as we are told by Zosimus, were rivals in its profession, in the reign of Augustus Csesar. Pantomime was the name given to the performer, not, to the piece, and the admira- tion bestowed on this rank and species of comedian was, at one time, carried beyond that given to any other per- former. Cassiodorus, indeed, has thus designated them : ' Men whose eloquent hands had a tongue, as it were, on the top of each finger men who spoke while they were silent, and knew how to make an entire recital without opening their mouths men, in short, whom Polyhymnia had formed, in order to show there was no necessity for articulating, in order to convey our thoughts.' There is