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Show 12 THE CODE OF TERPSICHOUE. Greeks and Romans in their dumb shews, &c. Dancing thus made rapid strides towards being perfected and rendered a more pleasing and imitative art; especially when united with pantomime. Dancing, pantomime, and histrionic splendour have, in our days, been carried to the highest point of perfection. With respect to magnificence, truth of imitation in costume and scenery, nothing can be compared to the theatres of the principal towns of Italy-none can be admitted to dispute with them the palm of excellence, but the opera of Paris, and the theatres of Drury Lane, and Covent Garden, of London. One reason that may be urged for Italian superiority in theatricals, is, that the inhabitants of that country greatly resemble their* ancestors, the Romans, when the universal cry was " Panem et Cir-censes !" The taste and style of the present decoration, the powers of our machinery, and the talent now displayed by performers, far surpass the infantine attempts of the ancients. Notwithstanding the vicious taste, and even ignorance, with which our forefathers are reproached by modern innovators, we have not extended much beyond them the principles of the art. Our execution is unquestionably more graceful, complicated, and bold than that of our old masters; but, is it not to them that we are indebted for our pre-eminence ? They afforded us the means of surpassing them; they showed us the paths that led to perfection; they pointed out the goal to us, and we attained it. I will prove this by quoting a few stanzas from Marino's celebrated poem of Adonis, which will also serve as an authority for what I have said concerning the origin of modern dancing, and Italian dancers. The amateur will find in them many interesting details, and the profes- |