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Show 40 THE CODE OF TERPSICHORE. flying away, leaping, and stooping. The attitudes also of the parry attacking were described ; the hurling of the javelin, and the postures when aiming a blow with the sword. Plato says that dancing, with all its varied corporeal exercises, draws its origin from an imitation of speech, described by the movements and gesticulations of every limb. (Vide Plat, de Leg.) 5. This kind of performance, bad as it is, has nevertheless, in our days, met with a zealous supporter, who'has had the boldness to insert, in a newspaper of Turin, an article where he speaks of the theatre Carignan, and much in favour of his beloved Grotesques. This singular amateur, after lavishing a thousand praises on dancers far beneath the middle order, adds :-" The grotesques, B. A. S. & c , must also be mentioned with praise, as performers who do their utmost to dignify this style of dancing, which, I know not why, was for some time almost generally proscribed in Italy, its native country. It often serves to give a relief to that tedious sameness of grave steps, which serious dancers have introduced." To the reader who is acquainted with the grotesque style, I will leave the task of commenting on these extraordinary words. Were the arts to possess no other connoisseurs and amateurs than such as are of this stamp, we should very soon fall back, I think, to the thirteenth century. Let us conclude with Boileau, that " Un sot treuve toujours unplus sot qui I'admire." It is, however, nearly the same style as that of the English clowns. 6. See Encyclopedic Frangaise, A R T . BAL. 7. Those who are desirous of knowing in detail what dancing was among the ancients, will gather much information from Lucian, Meursius, Scaliger, Cahusac, Menetrier, Bonnet, Burette, Brown, Baron and some others. 8. The dancer prepares for the performance of his step. He studies to adopt the most becoming way of holding his arms, body, & c , and of moving his legs, so as always to preserve a perfect harmony with each other. We now do precisely the same when on the point of beginning to dance, that every thing may be graceful and systematical. 9. The steps must keep exact time to the music, and responsivelv mark each bar, each cadence, &c. This unity is indispensable, and produces a very agreeable effect. Madame Leon excels in this part of her profession. 10. The dancer gradually introduces all that his art comprises. His execution must be progressive, and managed so as to give a kind of light and shade to |
