Masquerading

Rowlandson, Thomas, 1756-1827 · August 30, 1811

The comicalities of a masquerade at the beginning of the century, when this class of entertainment, although declining since the palmy days of the Pantheon and Madame Cornely's extravagances in Soho Square, was more prevalent than at present, are set forth with due observation of the leading characteristics. Prominent among the maskers is a lady-magician, with her divining-wand and a book of the 'black art,' confronting a nondescript necromancer and his zany. There is a nobleman wearing horns as a becoming decoration for his head ; and our old friend Punchinello, with a guitar, putting himself into grotesque contortions. There is a composite personage, a kind of Janus, an established feature in old bal masqrids, one side male and the other female. There is a Folly, a councillor, and the usual attendance of dominos, masquers, and characters, whose disguises are of a speculative description.