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Show 156 THE CODE OF TERPSICHORE. Turcaret of Le Sage, LHomme a bonne fortune of Baron, all sparkling with wit and gaiety, would become vapourish and insignificant if changed into Ballets. The clever pieces of Marivaux, the amusing pieces by Collin d'Harle-ville (an author not sufficiently known and esteemed), together with the amusing comedies by Picard, would be flat and dull if represented by Pantomime. It is, therefore, a task of some difficulty, and requiring discernment, to select such subjects as will admit of Pantomime and dancing; they should be provided with a fund of interesting incidents, and the progress of the action should be sprightly and vigorous. N o composer can succeed well in his work, if he has not, in the first instance, made choice of an appropriate subject, which, while furnishing the means of employing and displaying his talent, delights and inspires him. Every thing depends upon the selection of subjects. It sometimes happens, that a subject of very unimportant appearance, and that seems destitute of the requisites for a Ballet, unpromising, in short, in every respect, may still be essentially useful; but it must contain the germ of production, the spark that gives the hint, and illumines and warms the composer so as to awaken his powers of invention. He then by some appropriate additions, some well contrived episodes and embellishments of his art, augments and adorns the principal action; and thus, upon a small foundation, raises a sumptuous edifice. As it is a peculiar mark of genius, says L. da Vinci, to produce a great work with small means, so is it a sign of mediocrity to produce but a small matter from a plentiful fund. Frequently a word, a sketch, a fragment of sculpture striking the mind of a talented artist, forms the foundation of a masterpiece. Subjects of universal interest and well known are very |