Saturday, September 12, 2009
RANDOM ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA
DWARF- mediocre growth. in france a yolkless egg-dwarf gg.. blah blah 'recipes' 6 dwarf children
dwarfs in history-in austria in the 16th C, to please the empress, all giants + dwarfs brought to vienna + housed in 1 building. 'don't fear the giants', but dwarves bad, who teased, mistreated, and tripped the giants, + they pleaded to get away from their tiny enemies. later, another german princess promoted dwarf marriages like pets at court.
king of poland + duke of lorraine, very attached to his dwarf, nicholas ferry, known as bebe, for he was weak in mind + body(midget). 1 of 3 babies of peasants in vosges. he was 3 ft. + fame and died at 23.
more famous was richebourg, who died in 1858 at 90, 23 in in height, as a child a servant in the orleans family. in later years, their pensioner. during the revolution, went in + out disguised as a baby carrying messages. now, only sympathy for them in russia + turkey.
early history of british dwarves less studded with wonders than classical times. no philetas pf cos, dwarf tutor or the couple POSSESSED by julia, niece of augustus, coropas + julia's handmaid adromeda, their height 2 ft 4 in. a little less than the aztec dwarfs EXHIBITED(+ propably married) in london 20 yrs ago(1871?), the earliest known now by 'tom thumb' in an ancientt ballad in arthur's court did tom thumb live. 1st authentic historical was presented to queen henrietta by the duchess of buckingham, as he stept out of a pie at a banquet: jeffrey hudson of rutlandshire. b 1519 + only 1 1/2 ft from 8-13 fought 2 duels- 1 w/ a turkey cock + 2nd mr crofts, who he shot + died. twice prisoner. accused of being impoverished in the 'popish plot' died in prison i 1682 at 63 yrs
dwarfs at the same time, henrieta maria gibson + his wife Anne. married at the queen's wish. together they measured 7 ft, had 9 children, 5 who lived of normal stature. gibson a miniature painter to charles + drawing master to royal children. died at 75 in 1690.
last court dwarf- coppernin, lively imp to princess of wales, augusta, mother of george III. (dwarf tossing in older times)
of EXHIBITED dwarves, most celerated was the pole, boruwlaski, he was a yard + 3 in + a shorter sister, B was handsome + a wit + a scholar. traveled. b 1739 died in 1837, same yr, the line of publicly exhibited dwarves continued by the birth of the existing american pygmy, charles stratton, better known as 'tom thumb', better known as 'general tom thumb'. in 1844, he appeared in england, where his grace, vivacity, and good humor made him popular. also did paris. in 1863, married the very minute lavinia warren. b 1842. both now are retired.
