The natural classification of the more important of the Parisian
theatres, about fifteen in number, is under four heads: opera--tragedy,
comedy, and drama--vaudeville--melodrama. The first division includes
the French opera, the Italians, the Opera Comique; the second, the
Français and the Odeon; at the Porte St. Martin and Ambigu Comique,
melodrama is the staple commodity, varied, however, with performances of
a lighter kind; whilst vaudevilles, broad farces, and short comedies
constitute the chief stock in trade of the remainder. At many of the
theatres an entire change in the style of the performances is of no
unfrequent occurrence. We have known the Gaité in the dolefuls, and the
Porte St. Martin abandoning its scaffolds, trap-doors, and other
melodramatic horrors, for fun, farce, and ballet. As a regular thing,
dancing is only to be seen at the Grand Opera. The license of each
theatre specifies the nature of the performances allowed it, but this
is a matter difficult exactly to define, and the rule is easy of
evasion. A better check, perhaps, is the jealousy with which one theatre
beholds another infringing on its attributes. Thus, some years ago, at
the Français, where the performances should be confined to tragedy, high
comedy, and drama, a play interspersed with songs was brought out. The
Vaudeville viewed this as a usurpation of its privileges, and forthwith
produced a piece called "La Tragédie au Vaudeville," saying that if the
Français sang vaudevilles, the Vaudeville was justified in singing
tragedy.

There are in Paris four Theatres Royal, subsidised by the French
government to the extent of about twelve hundred thousand francs, or
nearly £50,000. Rather more than the half of this sum goes to the Grand
Opera, nor is it too much, if we consider the enormous salaries paid to
the singers and dancers at that theatre, and the low prices of