The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-22 00:00:00

BA LLET.

Paris academies exalted dancing into a find art, and pro-
cured recognition for ballet from the capitals of Europe ;
and to these may now be added the ones of the Western
Hemisphere also.
__ .

Some of the premieres artistes chosen to interpret ballet
to the New World were performers of considerable talent,
refinement, and ladylike demeanour.
There appears to be two classes of ballet—the classical
and the sensual.

Elucation has extended to sculptors, painters, and lat-
terly dauseuses, a certain license to use the beauty and
powerful influences of the human form for the expression,
by pantomimic action, of emotions that stir the aspirations
and passions of the soul.
Is it quite fair to attribute the attraction merely to pretty
ankles? When Imllet was still quite novel hero, an im-
partial spectator, whmrobserved the house, as well as the
performance, could not but see that this was not quite cor-
rect. The audience could then—although some of their
critical censors could not—discriminate the difference be-
tween ladylike self-possession and the brazen-faced assur^
:moo of the demi-monde.

A true dansouse appeals to the same sense of the beau-
tiful as painters and sculptors; and although ballet has
not yet quite clearly worbd out its definition, has not
risen to the rank of the find arts, is not estimated with its
stereotyped branches, yet ballet pure, poetry, painting, and
sculpture are of the suns family, and alike appeal to these
tastes which education, travel, and general study
of the fine arts have refined.

The initiation of the applause and demonstration of the
audience very evidently showed that they recognised the
ease and ladylike self-possession of that Italian girl before
them, her quiet dignity and elegance. They caught the
meaning of that pantomime, which was so exquisite, deli-
cate, and expressive. It could not be mere facial or phy-
sical beauty or toilet tricks that pleased the on-lookers—
for the beauty of her face had faded—her physical beauty
was eclipsed by her ligurantes. She was rather worn-look-
ing ; yet one saw that all eyes were attracted to and
centred upon that light, gracile figure, as it bent like a
water-lily dipped by the wiud in acknowledgment of the
warm approval that her womanly art, soft feminine grace,
and gentleness had elicited.
Mademoiselle S—had a distinct characteristic talent.
Wile was younger, more fiery, champed the bit like a race
horse before the start, was ambitious, possessed mere of
the light comedy of ballet; flowed, with life, vigour, and
impromptu; and had that sparkling vivacity native to a
Parisieune and Champagne wines ; but Signora was more
spirituelle. The French woman was agile, lithe, athletic,
daring, &Acne ! but the Italian interpreted her music with
a lightness, a delicate minuteness, very pleasing to behold,
regular, regular as the terza rinta of Italy's great poet.
Fier statue postures that faded in an instant after expres-
sion, the eye of sensibility quickly caught at the moment.
These and other impressions, a warm poetical imagination
received at the time, while under the heart-glow of musi-
cal spell, which it is difficult to retain, recall, define, or (:)-
press, when that influence is removed and the emotions
have cooled.

East Indian and Turkish dancing girls appeal directly
to tho grosser passions ; but the daughters of Italy rarely
lend their youth and beauty to such degradation. Yet it
must be confessed that one branch of the ballet, in Paris,
has of late degenerated. The shameless abandon and
sensual arts of the second-class ballet are certainly not very
conducive to good morals. Eve, fresh from the hands of
her Creator, was the Incarnation of Perfect Innocence, no

doubt, and the Perfection of Physical Beauty; but after
her intrigue with Satan, her most unfortunate and ever-

- .
lamentable discovery of Shame, womankind, and humanity,
through her sex's unconquerable curiosity, obtained
most pernicious knowledge of evil and good, that bits
rendered clothing of some kind a necessary institution
ever since. Marble may sometimes, but flesh never cent
do without any drapery.— Wilkes' Spirit of the Times.

The Albion says:--"The new club-house of the
Union League Club, corner of Madison Avenue and
T wenty-sixth-street, was thrown open for the inspection
of members of the press on the 2d inst. The building
was erected for club purposes by Mr. Leonard W. Jerome,
and the Union League Club have completed and fitted it
for their use at an expense of $50,000. The appointments
are all of the most elegant description, and the new club-
house will compare favourably with any similar edifice on
either side the Atlantic, not even excepting the fabled
Carlton, London."

Births.
HEATHCOTE —On the 20th inst., at Stamford, Mrs. Gilbert
V. Heatheote, of a son.
STANLEY—On the 21st inst., at 20, Lowndes-square, the
Lady Constance Stanley, of a daughter.
SMYTH—On the 19th inst., at Dorrington, Wilts, the Wife
of Colonel Henry Smith, C. 8., of a son.

Marriages.
FEAST —BRIDGER— 011 the 16th inst., at St. Saviour'g
South Hampstead, Walter W. Feast to Rosa, sewn
daughter of the late Mr. Wm. Bridger, of Edmonton.
STO CHLEY —BAXTER —On the 18th inst., at St. James's
Church, Gravesend, Mr. James T. Stockley, of BronVi
ton, S.W., to Ellen, only daughter of R. Baxter, En., °
Gravesend.

Deaths.
BOOTH—On the 20th inst., in London, Lieut.-Gen. Or,"/'
Booth, Colonel of the 15th Regiment of Foot, aged 7, •
EAGLETON— On the 16th inst., at Bolton, Rutland, Job
Eagle.on, Esq., aged 80.
11ARSHALL—On the 18th inst., at Gidlow, Wigan, JOllll

Stewart Marshall, Esq., aged .36.
NlGoux On the 19th inst., at Marseilles. Colonel Th° •
M'Goun, Controller of Military Finance, Madras Presi-
dency, aged 61.
NORMAN—On the 19th inst., at Tottenham, Miss Norgial/'
aged 69.
REEVE—On the 17th inst., at Richmond, Surrey. Sir Th°°'
Newby Reeve, aged 75.

London : Printed and Published by WILLIAM ANDOW4
of No. 112, Strand, Printor, at Tait SUN Office, No 1' of
Strand, In the Precinct of the Ss voy, in the OollaW
Middlesex.—Wednesday, April 22, 1868.