"The American circus has a unique and often overlooked importance in American history. The first American circuses beg…"

"A parasitic society which, like the urban proletariat in the Rome Empire lives for bread and circuses and turns savag…"

"Clowns are the pegs on which the circus is hung."

"The way to go to the circus, however, is with someone who has seen perhaps one theatrical performance before in his l…"

"I remember in the circus learning that the clown was the prince, the high prince. I always thought that the high prin…"

"Circus, n. A place where horses,ponies and elephants are permitted to see men, women and children acting the fool."

"Philip Astley was a horseman with a British dragoon regiment from about 1759 and at first was the sole performer in t…"

"Take a look at those clowns And the tricks that they play In the circus of life Life is bitter and gay:There are clow…"

"America's first circus building was opened here at 12th and Market Streets, April 3, 1793. On that day the English eq…"

"If we wanted applause, we would have joined the circus."