Grimaldi

Grimaldi, Joseph (1779-1837), comedian, the son of an Italian dancing-master, was born in London. He appeared at Drury Lane theatre before he had completed his second year. His Memoirs were edited by Charles Dickers, who describes him as "the genuine droll, the grimacing, filching, irresistible clown." Grimm, Friedrich Melchior, Baron von (1723-1807), a German man of letters, was born at Ratisbon. He went to Paris as tutor to the Count de Schomberg, and there became intimate with Rousseau and the Encyclopeedists. His literary correspondence with the Duke of Saxe-Gotha and other German princes, which grew out of this connection, displays much critical acumen in its judgments on contemporary French literature. In 1776 Grimm became the minister-plenipotentiary of the Duke of Saxe-Gotha in France, and in 1795 he was employed by Catherine II. of Russia as her minister at Hamburg. He died at Gotha.