a town of the county of Somerset, in the hundred of its own name, 152 miles from London, and three from Wellington. It was a borough, but lost its franchise many years ago. It was once a place where woollen cloths, serges, druggets, and other goods, were extensively made, but the trade has greatly fallen off of late years. There is a market on Friday. The population amounted in 1801 to 1667, in 1811 to 1637, in 1821 to 1930, and in 1831 to 2233.

MIMI, Mimes, in the ancient comedy, were buffoons or mimics, who entertained the people by taking off certain characters, and using such gestures as suited the persons or subjects they represented. There were upon the Roman stage female performers of this kind, called mimae. The word is derived from *mimus*, I imitate. Some of the mimae acted their parts to the sound of the *tibia*, and were called *mimanti*.

Mimi were also a kind of farces or ludicrous comedies, generally performed by one person. They had no acts, nor any exordium.

The mimae were introduced upon the Roman stage long after comedy and tragedy had arrived at their full perfection. The actor wore no mask, but smeared his face with soot, was dressed in lamb-skin, wore garlands of ivy, carried a basket of flowers and herbs in honour of Bacchus, and diverted the audience with apish tricks and ridiculous dances. This was the state of the mimae soon after their first introduction; but they underwent many alterations, which it would occupy too much room to relate, and which are not of sufficient importance to justify a detailed account.