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Show 88 THE CODE OF TERPSICHORE. CHAPTER VIII. OF THE SERIOUS DANCER, THE DEMI-CARACTERE, AND THE COMIC DANCER. IT is in vain that a dancer devotes himself to the serious or heroic branch, unless he is gifted with symmetry of form, and elevation of stature ; indispensable qualities to excel in this kind of dancing. Those whose persons approach nearest in height and shape to the statues of Apollo, or of Antinous, and of the Troadian Venus, or of Diana, are perfectly adapted to serious dancing ; but they would never do for the demi-caractere and the pastoral. They are too majestic. (See fig. 1, plate XIV.) All who wish to signalize themselves in this sort of performance must be of a noble, elegant, and elevated carriage, replete with dignity and gracefulness, but void of the least affectation. The serious is the most difficult branch of dancing, it requires a close study, and cannot be duly appreciated but by connoisseurs and men of a refined taste. H e w h o excels in it, deserves the highest applause. A correct execution of an adagio is the nee plus ultra of our art ; and I look on it as the touch-stone of the dancer. It is truly to be lamented that the finest style of dancing is now so much neglected, I might perhaps say completely laid by- The causes of this sad abandonment are |