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Show ON PANTOMIME. 117 was merely railing, according to his usual way, when he in his work gave a certain character of importance to dancing, and set a high value on the talent of the performer. His motive for writing on pantomimic representations cannot in any way be suspected; his ideas of it seem the same throughout; he no where contradicts himself; besides, he is not the only author that speaks with enthusiasm on these ancient spectacles. The illustrious Veronese, it is true, does not appear to have bestowed much thought upon this subject; but, it is no less true that dancing, Pantomime, and Ballets were, in his time, very far from that degree of perfection to which they have since been carried, both in France and Italy. What we are told of the ancients surprises us, but we have discovered many things that might have astonished them. Let us only require that which is reasonable and natural to make a Pantomime truly interesting and agreeable. Let us go no further; if we exceed those limits which art and good sense appoint, our efforts will unquestionably be fruitless. The outward motions of the body are effected by the influence of the inward operations of the mind. All gestures that indicate, in a clear and striking manner, the objects to which they refer, never fail of meeting with applause at a theatre. Beware, therefore, of making use of any that are trivial or ignoble ; copy the best models, but improve, if possible, on them in your imitation. M . Gioia, among other philosophers, observes, " I sen-timenti da communicarsi o riguardan oggetti esterni pre-senti o lontani," &c. (See Note 5.) The actor points out with his hands every part of his body, as also all objects at a distance from him, by stretching them towards the same. His eyes should accompany each motion, and, by adding to the general expression, 8 |