ries and "masks"; the latter
were frequent in England, and are introduced by Shakespere in "Henry
VIII."

In Italy there appears to have been a kind of ballet in the 14th
century, and from Italy, under the influence of Catharine de' Medici,
came the ballet. Balthasar di Beaujoyeulx produced the first recorded
ballet in France, in the Italian style, in 1582. This was, however,
essentially a Court ballet.

The theatre ballet apparently arose out of these Court ballets. Henry
III. and Henry IV., the latter especially, were very fond of these
entertainments, and many Italians were brought to France to assist in
them. Pompeo Diabono, a Savoyard, was brought to Paris in 1554 to
regulate the Court ballets. At a later date came Rinuccini, the poet,
a Florentine, as was probably Caccini, the musician. They had composed
and produced the little operetta of "Daphne," which had been performed
in Florence in 1597. Under these last-mentioned masters the ballet in
France took somewhat of its present form. This passion for Court
ballets continued under Louis XIII. and Louis XIV.

[Illustration: Fig. 61.--Mlle. de Camargo. After a painting by
Lancret, about 1740 A.D.]

Louis XIII. as a youth danced in one of the ballets at St. Germain, it
is said at the desire of Richelieu, who was an expert in spectacle. It
appears that he was encouraged in these amusements to remedy fits of
melancholy.

Louis XIV., at seven, danced in a masquerade, and afterwards not only
danced in the ballet of "Cassandra," in 1651, but did all he could to
raise the condition of the dance and encourage dancing and music. His
influence, combined with that of Cardinal Richelieu, raised the
ballet from gross and trivial styles to a dignity worthy of music,
poetry and dancing. His uncle, Gaston of Orleans, still patronized the
grosser style, but it became eclipsed by the better. Lulli composed
music to the words of Moliere and other celebrities; amongst notable
works then produced was the "Andromeda" of Corneille, a tragedy, with
hymns and dances, executed in 1650, at the Petit Bourbon.

[Illustration: Fig. 62.--Pauline Duvernay at Covent Garden,
1833-1838.]

The foundation of the theatrical ballet was, however, at the
instigation of Mazarin, to prevent a lowering of tone in the
establishment of the _Academie de Danse_ under thirteen Academicians
in 1661. This appears to have been merged into the _Academie Royale de
Musique et de Danse_ in 1669, which provided a