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Show THE COMPOSITION OF BALLETS. 253 to be found faithful portraits of mankind ; every character and passion is described in the liveliest colours. From these learned and witty novels of this great writer, w e may learn to delineate perfectly the magnanimity of a king, the prudence of the counsellor or courtier, the valour of the general, the virtue of the matron, the modesty of the virgin, the looseness of the courtezan, the knavery of a servant, the fidelity of a friend, the ecstacy of love and the jealousy that often attends it, the fury of despair and idiot simplicity, the misery of a miser and the munificence of a great mind, village rusticity and polite libertinism, &c. 39. " Though every person present at a scene becomes an actor in it, yet every one must not be equally affected at what is passing : thus, the soldier w ho witnesses the sacrifice of Iphige'nie ought to be moved by such an event, but certainly not so deeply as the brother of the victim. A woman present at the trial of Susanna, and w h o does not appear from any outward mark to be related to her, must not evince the same degree of affliction as the mother or sister of Susanna. Again, a young m a n appears with more spirit than an old one. A young m a n will appear totally absorbed at a pathetic scene ; while the m a n of more years and experience exhibits less feeling, though more consideration. When the features of a spectator are marked by sense and study, he docs not become so wrapt in imagination as one whose phi-siognomy exhibits a kind of idiot simplicity. Astonishment, as seen in the part of a king, is different from the same passion as displayed in an ordinary man." A person placed in the distance does not appear so visibly affected as he w h o is nearer to the spectator. Attention, as portrayed in him who sees, is different from that of him w h o hears. A person of lively temperament sees and hears with gestures differing from those of a melancholy character. These observations may, perhaps, appear too nice and over-laboured ; yet it is by this appropriate and universal expression, that a scene is rendered complete in all its parts ; the principal actors in a scene always exhibit the necessary feeling ; but it is over the secondary parts that this feeling should be spread and continued, thus rendering the picture an entire imitation of nature. And it is the Ballet-master's busiuess to give the instructions necessary for producing such an effect. 40. W e have thought it requisite to introduce here the following description of the Loves of Venus and Adonis-a picture by Albano :-Venus, impatient to try the effect of her charms upon the heart of Adonis, is beholding herself in a glass, and seems confident of the conquest. As she reclines upon the bank of a river, she is surrounded by Cupids and the Graces, w h o are still occupied in adorning her fhc God of Love is already singing the delights of the |