of the Inoits, to all those of the Australians, and especially to
those of children." ²

"A tendency to burlesque and caricature . . . is one of the
earliest talents displayed by people in a rude state of society.
An appreciation of, and sensitiveness to, ridicule, and a love
of that which is humorous, are found even among savages,
and enter largely into their relations with their fellow men.
Primitive warriors amused themselves by turning their enemies
and opponents into mockery . . . caricaturing them in words.
. . . When the agricultural slaves were indulged with a day of
relief from their labours, they spent it in unrestrained mirth.
And when these same people began to erect permanent build-
ings, and to ornament them, the favourite subjects of their
ornamentation were such as presented ludicrous ideas. . . . In
fact, art, itself, in its earliest forms, is caricature; for it is only
by that exaggeration of features which belongs to caricature,
that unskilled draughtsmen could make themselves under-
stood." ³

It is certain, however, that in primitive times, no separation
was made of comedy and tragedy. Comedy may be very old,
but the separation of comedy from tragedy in formal works of
art is a comparatively recent occurrence. This is only what
should have been expected. Early comedy and tragedy inex-
tricably fused in works of art mark the first recognition of the
shortcomings of actual life simultaneous with the acceptance
for their positive content of things just as they are. Formal
comedy was certain to have been a later development than
formal tragedy. Formal comedy could not have arisen until
there had occurred in men's thoughts considerations of the
limitations of actuality and hence of the possibility of some sort
of progress.

In this connection, the origin of the fool or buffoon, which
is assigned an early date, is significant. The invention of intoxi-

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