There is a very curious and ingenious, though not original, exhibition
in this ballet. Among the festivities at Kenilworth Castle, in honour
of the royal guests, a pantomimic "masque" of the gods and goddesses of
Olympus is introduced. The divinities, instead of appearing in genuine
Grecian attire, present themselves in the mongrel costume visual on such
occasions in the time of Queen Elizabeth. This is droll enough, but more
whimsical still is the style of their dancing. This, too, is meant as an
imitation of the limited choregraphic _savoir faire_ of the age. It is
as if Mons. Deshayes had triumphantly intended to portray the first
dawn of an art which he considers to have now reached the summit of
perfection. But who knows but the Monsieur _Un tel_ of 1931 may, with
equal boldness, parody the pirouettes of Monsieur Deshayes? Even the
music to this mythological interlude is borrowed from ancient scores;
a happy thought, which deserves commendation.--_Ibid._
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