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Show 192 THE CODE OF TERPSICHORE. while, until critics and connoisseurs inform him to what rank he belongs. These self-constituted artists, who would wish to adorn themselves with the laurels of talent, act like the pupil of the celebrated ancient, who, unable simply to represent the beauty and grace of Helen, dressed her in jewels and embroidery. " Y o u must paint her handsome, not rich," said his master. That which pleases the eye without satisfying the mind, is not received long. Scenery and embellishment naturally belong to Ballets. They should be appropriately varied, and whatever is introduced should be founded on the nature of the piece; every ornament must have a meaning and a reason 24. If it is a fault in plays to be continually changing the scene of action, even in the same act, so as to confuse the attention and spoil the interest, it is still more blameable, not to avoid such an error in Ballets, where pantomimic action, in certain situations, cannot, like words, either connect one scene with another, or show a reason for sudden changes. Hence, it appears, that whatever changes w e make, whatever novelty and variety we introduce into a Ballet, our first and principal care must be, not to break the thread of its history, which thread is represented and sustained by pantomimic gesture. This gesture is the only means in which the mind confides for an explanation of what is going forward ; and which is now interrupted and destroyed, by dancing continued to a most unreasonable length of time. To this practice, perhaps, principally may be attributed, the just complaints so frequently vented against the prevailing system of Ballet representation. |