OLD DANCING.
An "Old Subscriber," who loves a friend and a jest's prosperity, has
sent us a few leaves of "The Dancing Master," printed in 1728, which
form a curious contrast with Mr. Lindsay's elegant treatise, printed at
Mr. Clowes's _musical_ office. What will some of the quadrillers say to
the following exquisite morsel of dancing, entitled, "The Old Maid in
Tears?"--"Longways for as many as will".--(then the notes, and the
following instructions:)--"Note: Each strain is to be play'd twice
ov'er.--The first wo. holds her handkerchief on her face, and goes on
the outside, below the 3d wo. and comes up the middle to her place;
first man follows her (at the same time pointing and smiling at her) up
to his place. First man do the same, only he beckons his wo. to him.
First woman makes a motion of drying first one eye, then the other, and
claps her hands one after another on her sides, (the first man looks
surprizingly at her at the same time,) and turn her partner. First cu.
move with two slow steps down the middle and back again. The first cu.
sett and cast off."
As we love to keep up the dance, if we are not leading the reader a
dance, we give _A Dance in Hoops_, as described in a fashionable novel,
just published:--
When the whole party was put in motion, but little trace of a regular
dance remained; all was a perfect maze, and the _cutting_ in and out (as
the fraternity of the whip would phrase it) of these cumbrous machines
presented to the mind only the figure of a most formidable affray.
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