The lowest of the strollers, he was abused by them.

The Italian Pagliaccio is a species of clown, and Punchinello was never a mere buffoon.

The Punch of the puppet-show is a bastard descendant of the latter, but the original type is still seen in Naples, where he wears a white costume and a black mask.

The original type was not necessarily humpbacked.

Punchinello is a shrewd fellow, intellectual, yet in touch with the people, cynical; not hesitating at murder if he can make by it; at the same time a local satirist, a dealer in gags and quips.