In England the ballet may be said to have reached its apogee on the 12th of July 1845. On that memorable day four of the foremost dancers of the age, Marie Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi, Fanny Cerito and Lucille Grahn, danced a _pas de quatre_ before Queen Victoria. The bringing together of such a glittering constellation of stars on a single stage is best told in the words of the impresario who conceived and accomplished the achievement. “With such materials in my grasp as the four celebrated _danseuses_, Taglioni, Carlotta Grisi, Cerito and Lucille Grahn, it was my ambition to unite them all in one striking _divertissement_. But ambition, even seconded by managerial will, scarcely sufficed to put such a project into execution. The government of a great state was but a trifle [Illustration: FANNY CERITO IN _Ondine_] compared to the government of such subjects as those whom I was _supposed_ to be able to command; for these were subjects who considered themselves far above mortal control, or, more properly speaking, each was a queen in her own right--alone, absolute, supreme.... But there existed difficulties even beyond a manager’s calculations. Material obstacles were easily overcome. When it was feared that Carlotta Grisi would not be able to leave Paris in time to rehearse and appear for the occasion, a vessel was chartered from the Steam Navigation Company to waft the sylph at a moment’s notice across the Channel; a special train was engaged and ready at Dover; relays of horses were in waiting to aid the flight of the _danseuse_ all the way from Paris to Calais. In the execution of the project the difficulty was again manifold. Every twinkle of each foot in every _pas_ had to be nicely weighed in the balance, so as to give no preponderance. Each _danseuse_ was to shine in her peculiar style and grace to the last stretch of perfection; but no one was to outshine the others, unless in her own individual belief. Lastly, the famous _Pas de Quatre_ was composed with all the art of which the distinguished ballet-master, Perrot, was capable.