Theywantworldsofwaistcoatsandforestsoftrousersandpagodasoftallhatstopplinguptothestars。
ThusitiswiththelingeringMummersatChristmasinthecountry。IfourmorerefinedreviversofMiraclePlaysorMorriceDancestriedtoreconstructtheoldMummers\'PlayofSt。GeorgeandtheTurkishKnightIdonotknowwhytheydonottheywouldthinkatonceofpicturesqueandappropriatedresses。St。George\'spanoplywouldbepicturedfromthebestbooksofarmourandblazonry:theTurkishKnight\'sarmsandornamentswouldbetracedfromthefinestSaracenicarabesques。WhenmygardendooropenedonChristmasEveandSt。GeorgeofEnglandentered，theappearanceofthatchampionwasslightlydifferent。Hisfacewasenergeticallyblackedalloverwithsoot，abovewhichheworeanagedandverytalltophat；heworehisshirtoutsidehiscoatlikeasurplice，andheflourishedathickumbrella。Nowdonot，Ibegyou，talkabout\"ignorance\"；orsupposethattheMummerinquestionheisaverypleasantRatcatcher，withatenorvoicedidthisbecauseheknewnobetter。TrytorealisethatevenaRatcatcherknowsSt。GeorgeofEnglandwasnotblack，anddidnotkilltheDragonwithanumbrella。TheRat-catcherisnotunderthisdelusion；anymorethanPaulVeronesethoughtthatverygoodmenhaveluminousringsroundtheirheads；anymorethanthePopethinksthatChristwashedthefeetofthetwelveinaCathedral；anymorethantheDukeofNorfolkthinksthelionsonatabardarelikethelionsattheZoo。Thesethingsaredenaturalisedbecausetheyaresymbols；becausetheextraordinaryoccasionmusthideorevendisfiguretheordinarypeople。BlackfacesweretomediaevalmummerieswhatcarvedmasksweretoGreekplays:itwascalledbeing\"vizarded。”
MyRat-catcherisnotsufficientlyarroganttosupposeforamomentthathelookslikeSt。George。Butheissufficientlyhumbletobeconvincedthatifhelooksaslittlelikehimselfashecan，hewillbeontherightroad。
ThisisthesoulofMumming；theostentatioussecrecyofmenindisguise。
Thereare，ofcourse，othermediaevalelementsinitwhicharealsodifficulttoexplaintothefastidiousmediaevalistsofto-day。Thereis，forinstance，acertainoutputofviolenceintothevoid。Itcanbestbedefinedasaragingthirsttoknockmendownwithoutthefaintestdesiretohurtthem。Alltherhymeswiththeoldringhavethetrickofturningoneverythinginwhichtherhymstersmostsincerelybelieved，merelyforthepleasureofblowingoffsteaminstartlingyetcarelessphrases。WhenTennysonsaysthatKingArthur\"drewallthepettyprincedomsunderhim，\"and\"madearealmandruled，\"hisgraveRoyalismisquitemodern。Manymediaevals，outsidethemediaevalrepublics，believedinmonarchyassolemnlyasTennyson。Butthatolderverse-