| OCR Text |
Show THE COMPOSITION OF BALLETS. 223 with almost universal erudition, he was well fitted to enrich the stage with productions at once varied and natural. Things apparently of very small importance are often turned to great account in the hands of genius. Thus it has been seen that talented artists have greatly profited by the simple frescoes of Herculaneum, and from the time-worn bass reliefs of the Parthenon. The Torse of Belvidere has served as a model to crowds of painters and sculptors; indeed this precious relic of antiquity has formed a school., There are, however, men of great talent, w ho having first conformed themselves to certain styles, have afterwards left them, and entered upon others. Amongst these may be instanced Annibal Carracci, who, subsequent to studying Raphael, M . An-gelo, Titian, Correggio, and the antiques, created a style for himself, which has rendered him immortal. The same may be observed in literature. Theophrastus, the pupil of Aristotle, followed another style than that of his master. Menander, after studying the characters of the former, produced the most perfect comedies of antiquity, and which served as models to Terence, who was imitated by Moliere, till the latter, following the example of other great geniuses, traced out a way for himself, and became an original of the first order 3G. The tragedies of Corneille, who was the father of the French drama, are filled with poetic and tragic beauties, but the conduct of his plots is sometimes defective. He must, therefore, be examined with care ; nor should we suffer ourselves to be overcome by the enthusiasm of the poet. He is sometimes sublime, and often original; but his pieces have never any moral object in view, paying, at the same time, but little regard to certain theatrical regulations. The author of Cinna, Rodogune, Polieucte, and the |
