HARLEQUIN, har1E-kin or -kwin (French, Italian arlecchinc), a word of doubt ful origin but probably from old French Hel lequin, Herlequin, the name of a demon figur ing in medimval legends; this again is supposed to be of German origin, its elements corre sponding to English %ell* and akin.* Ricco boni conjectures ('History of the Italian The atre)) that the dress of the harlequins is no other than the centunculus of the old Roman mimi or mimes, who were players in ridiculous pieces or farces of a loose character. The character of the ancient harlequin was a mix ture of extravagant buffoonery with great bodily agility. But in the middle of the 16th century his character was essentially changed. He be came a simple, ignorant servant, who tries very hard to be witty, even at the expense of being malicious. He is a chameleon, who assumes all colors and can be made, in the hands of a skilful actor, the principal character on the stage. He must excel in extempore sallies.
This account applies more particularly to the Italian harlequin. The gallant, obsequious French harlequin is • an entirely national mask. In the vaudeville theatre he is silent, with a black half-mask and reminds one throughout the representation of the grace and agility of the cat. In Great Britain, in the Christmas panto mimes, he became a lover and a magician; and in exchange for the gift of language, of which he has been deprived, he has been invested with a wonder-working wand. With this wand he protects his mistress, the columbine, against the clown and pantaloon, who pursue and en deavor to capture her, until the pursuit is brought to a termination by a good fairy. The harlequin wears a tight dress of bright colors and glittering with spangles. Consult 'A His tory of Pantomimes' (1901).