obtained by a competent skill, or at least tincture of the art,
the Chevalier Ramsay, has not exagerated its utility. Quintilian
has recommended it, especially in early years, when the limbs
are the most pliable, for procuring that so necessary
accomplishment, in the formation of orators gesture: observing
withall, that where that is not becoming, nothing else hardly
pleases.
But even independent of that consideration, nothing is more
generally confessed, than that this branch of breeding qualifies
persons for presenting themselves with a good grace. To whom can
it be unknown that a favorable prepossession at the first sight
is often of the highest advantage; and that the power of first
impressions is not easily surmountable?
In assemblies or places of public resort, when we see a person
of a genteel carriage or presence, he attracts our regard and
liking, whether he be a foreigner or one of this country. At
court, even a graceful address, and an air of ease, will more
distinguish a man from the croud, than the richest cloaths that
money may purchase; but can never give that air to be acquired
only by education.
There are indeed who, from indolence or self-sufficiency, affect
a sort of carelessness in their gait, as disdaining to be
obliged to any part of their education, for their external
appearance, which they abandon to itself under the notion of its
being natural, free, and easy.
But while they avoid, as they imagine, the affectation of
over-nicety, they run into that of a vicious extreme of
negligence, which proves nothing but either a deficiency of
breeding, or if not that, a high opinion of themselves, with
what is not at all unconsequential to that, a contempt of
others.
Such are certainly much mistaken, if they imagine that an art,
which is principally designed to correct defects, should leave
so capital an one subsisting as that of want of ease, and
freedom, in the gesture and gait. On the contrary, it is as
great an enemy to stiffness, as it is to looseness of carriage,
and air. It equally reprobates an ungainly rusticity, and a
mincing, tripping, over-soft manner. Its chief aim is to bring
forth the natural graces, and not to smother them with
appearances of study and art.
But of all the people in the world, the British would certainly
be the most in the wrong for not laying a great enough stress on
this part of education; since none have more conspicuously the
merit of figure and person; and it would in them be a sort of
ingratitude to Nature, who has done so much for them, not to do
a little more for themselves, in acquiring an accomplishment,
the utility of which has been acknowledged in all ages, and in
all countries, and especially by the greatest and most sensible
men in their own.
As to the ladies, there is one light in which perhaps they would
not do amiss to view the practice of this art, besides that of
mere diversion or improvement of their deportment: it is that of
its being highly serviceable to their health, and to what it can
never be expected they should be indifferent about, their
beauty, it being the best and surest way of preserving, or even
giving it to their whole person.
It is in history a settled point, that beauty was no where more
florishing, nor less rare, than among such people as encouraged
and cultivated exercise, especially in the fair sex. The various
provinces and governments in Greece, all agreed, some in a less,
some in a greater degree, in making exercise a point of female
education. The Spartans carried this to perhaps an excess, since
the training of the children of that sex, hardly yielded to that
of the male in laboriousness and fatigue. Be this confessed to
be an extreme: but then it was in some measure compensated by
its being universally allowed, that the Spartan women owed to it
that beauty in which they excelled the rest of the Grecian
women, who were themselves held, in that point, preferable to
the rest of the world. Hellen was a Spartan. Yet the legislator
of that people, did not so much as consider this advantage among
the ends proposed in prescribing so hardy an education to the
weaker sex. His views were for giving them that health and vigor
of body, which might enable them to produce a race of men the
fittest to serve their country in war.
But as the best habit of body is ever inseparable from the
greatest perfection of beauty, of which its possessor is
susceptible, it very naturally followed, that the good plight to
which exercise brought and preserved the females, gave also to
their shape, that delicacy and suppleness, and to their every
motion, that graceful agility which caracterized the Grecian
beauties, and distinguished them for that nymph-stile of figure,
which we to this day admire in the description of their
historians, of their poets, or in the representations that yet
remain to us in their statues, or other monuments of antiquity.
But omitting to insist on the Spartan austerity, and especially
on their gimnastic training for both sexes, and to take the
milder methods of exercise in use among the Grecians, we find
that the chace, that foot-races, and especially dancing,
principally composed the amusement of the young ladies of that
country; where, in the great days of Greece, no maxim ever more
practically prevailed, than that sloth or inactivity was equally
the parent of diseases of the body, as of vices of the mind.
Agreeable to which idea, one of the greatest physicians now in
Europe, the celebrated Tronchin, while at Paris, vehemently
declaimed against this false delicacy and aversion against
exercise; from which the ladies, especially of the higher rank
of life, derived their bad habits of body, their pale color,
with all the principles of weakness, and of a puny diseased
constitution, which they necessarily intail on their innocent
children. Thence it was that he condemned the using oneself too
much to coaches or chairs, which, he observed, lowers the
spirits, thickens the humors, numbs the nerves, and cramps the
liberty of circulation.
Considering the efficacy of exercise, and that fashion has
abolished or at least confined among a very few, the more robust
methods of amusement, it can hardly not be eligible to cultivate
and encourage an art, so innocent and so agreeable as that of
dancing, and which at once unites in itself the three great
ends, of bodily improvement, of diversion, and of healthy
exercise. As to this last especially, it has this advantage, its
being susceptible at pleasure, of every modification, of being
carried from the gentlest degree of motion, up to that of the
most violent activity. And where riding is prescribed purely for
the sake of the power of the concussion resulting from it, to
prevent or to dissipate obstructions, the springs and agitations
of the bodily frame, in the more active kind of dances, can
hardly not answer the same purpose, especially as the motion is
more equitably diffused, and suffers no checks or partiality
from keeping the seat, as either in riding, or any other method
of conveyance. At least, such an entertainment, one would
imagine, preferable, for many reasons, to an excess of such
sedentary amusements as those of cards, and the like.
Certainly those of the fair sex who use exercise, will, in their
exemption from a depraved or deficient appetite, in the
freshness or in the glow of their color, in the firmness of
their make, in the advantages to their shape, in the goodness in
general of their constitution, find themselves not ill repaid
for conquering any ill-habit of false delicacy and sloth, to
which so many, otherwise fine young ladies, owe the disorders of
their stomach, their pale sickly hue, and that languid state of
health which must poison all their pleasures, and even endanger
their lives. These are not strained nor far-fetched
consequences.
But even as to those of either sex, the practice of dancing is
attended with obviously good effects. Such as are blessed by
nature with a graceful shape and are clean-limbed, receive still
greater ease and grace from it; while at the same time, it
prevents the gathering of those gross and foggy humors which in
time form a disagreeable and inconvenient corpulence. On the
other hand, those whose make and constitution occasion a kind of
heavy proportion, whose muscular texture is not distinct, whose
necks are short, shoulders round, chest narrow, and who, in
short are, what may be called, rather clumsy figures; these will
greatly find their account in a competent exercise of the art of
dancing, not only as it will give them a freedom and ease one
would not, at the first sight, imagine compatible with their
figure, but may contribute much to the cure, or at least to the
extenuation of such bodily defects, by giving a more free
circulation to the blood, a habit of sprightliness and agility
to the limbs, and preventing the accumulation of gross humors,
and especially of fat, which is itself not among the least
diseases, where it prevails to an excess. Not that I here mean
any thing so foolishly partial, as that nothing but dancing
could operate all this; but only place it among not the least
efficacious means.
Nothing is more certain than that exercises in general,
diversions, such as that of hunting, and the games of dexterity,
keep up the natural standard of strength and beauty, which
luxury and sloth are sure to debase.
Dancing furnishes then to the fair-sex, whose sphere of exercise
is naturally more confined than that of the men, at once a
salutary amusement, and an opportunity of displaying their
native graces. But as to men, fencing, riding and many other
improvements have also doubtless their respective merit, and
answer very valuable purposes.
But where only the gentlest exercise is requisite, the minuet
offers its services, with the greatest effect; and when
elegantly executed, forms one of the most agreeable fights
either in private or public assemblies, or, occasionally, even
on the theatre itself.
Yet I speak not of this dance here with any purpose of
specifying rules for its attainment. Such an attempt would be
vain and impracticable. Who does not know that almost every
individual learner requires different instructions? The laying a
stress on some particular motion or air which may be proper to
be recommended to one, must be strictly forbidden to another. In
some, their natural graces need only to be called forth; in
others the destroying them by affectation is to be carefully
checked. Where defects are uncurable, the teacher must show how
they may be palliated and sometimes even converted into graces.
It will easily then be granted that there is no such thing as
learning a minuet, or indeed any dance merely by book. The
dead-letter of it can only be conveyed by the noting or
description of the figure and of the mechanical part of it; but
the spirit of it in the graces of the air and gesture, and the
carriage of the dancer can only be practically taught by a good
master.
I have mentioned the distinction of a good master,
most assuredly not in the way of a vain silly hint of
self-recomdation; but purely for the sake of giving a caution,
too often neglected, against parents, or those charged with the
education of youth, placing children, at the age when their
muscles are most flexible, their limbs the most supple, and
their minds the most ductile, and who are consequently
susceptible of the best impressions, under such pretended
masters of this art, who can only give them the worst, and who,
instead of teaching, stand themselves in need of being taught.
The consequence then of such a bad choice, is, that young people
of the finest disposition in the world, contract, under such
teachers, bad, awkward habits, that are not afterwards easily
curable.
Those masters who possess the real grounds of their art, find in
their uniting their practice with their knowledge, resources
even against the usual depredations of age; which, though it may
deprive them of somewhat of their youthful vigor, has scarce a
sensible influence on their manner of performance. There will
still long remain to them the traces of their former excellence.
I have myself seen the celebrated Dupré, at near the age of
sixty, dance at Paris, with all the agility and sprightliness of
youth, and with such powers of pleasing, as if the graces _in
him_ had braved superannuation.
Such is the advantage of not having been content with a
superficial tincture of this art; or with a mere rote of
imitation, without an aim at excellence or originality.
But though there is no necessity for most learners to enter so
deep into the grounds and principles of the art, as those who
are to make it their profession, it is at least but doing
justice to one's scholars to give them those essential
instructions as to the graces of air, position, and gesture;
without which they can never be but indifferent performers.
For example, instead of being so often told to turn their toes
out, they should be admonished to turn their knees out, which
will consequently give the true direction to the feet. A due
attention should also be given to the motion of the instep, to
the air of sinking and rising; to the position of the hips,
shoulders, and body; to the graceful management of the arms, and
particularly to the giving the hand with a genteel manner, to
the inflections of the neck and head, and especially to the so
captivating modesty of the eye; in short, to the diffusing over
the whole execution, an air of noble ease, and of natural
gracefulness.
It might be too trite to mention here what is so indispensable
and so much in course, the strict regard to be paid to the
keeping time with the music.
Nothing has a better effect, nor more prepossessing in favor of
the performance to follow, than the bow or curtsy at the opening
the dance, made with an air of dignity and freedom. On the
contrary, nothing is more disgustful than that initial step of
the minuet, when auckwardly executed. It gives such an ill
impression as is not easily removed by even a good performance
in the remaining part of the dance.
There is another point of great importance to all, but to the
ladies especially, which is ever strictly recommended in the
teaching of the minuet; but which in fact, like most of the
other graces of that dance, extends to other occasions of
appearance in life. This point is the easy and noble port of the
head. Many very pretty ladies lose much of the effect of their
beauty, and of the signal power of the first impressions, as
they enter a room, or a public assembly, by a vulgar or improper
carriage of the head, either poking the neck, or stooping the
head, or in the other extreme, of holding it up too stiff, on
the Mama's perpetually teizing remonstrance, of "hold up your
head, Miss," without considering that merely bridling, without
the easy grace of a free play, is a worse fault than that of
which she will have been corrected.
Certainly nothing can give a more noble air to the whole person
than the head finely set, and turning gracefully, with every
natural occasion for turning it, and especially without
affectation, or stifly pointing the chin, as if to show which
way the wind sits.
But it must be impossible for those who stoop their heads down,
to give their figure any air of dignity, or grace of politeness.
They must always retain something of ignoble in their manner.
Nothing then is more recommendable than for those who are
naturally inclined to this defect, to endeavor the avoiding it
by a particular attention to this capital instruction in
learning the minuet. It is also not enough to take the
minuet-steps true to time, to turn out their knees, and to slide
their step neatly, if that flexibility, or rise and fall from
the graceful bending of the instep, is not attended to, which
gives so elegant an air to the execution either of the minuet,
or of the serious theatrical dances. Nothing can more than that,
set off or show the beauty of the steps.
It should also be recommended to the dancers of the minuet, ever
to have an expression of that sort of gaity and chearfulness in
the countenance, which will give it an amiable and even a noble
frankness. Nothing can be more out of character, or even
displeasing, than a froward or too pensive a look. There may be
a sprightly vacancy, an openness in the face, without the least
tincture of any indecent air of levity: as there may be a
captivating modesty, without any of that bashfulness which
arises either from low breeding, wrong breeding, or no breeding
at all.
But to execute a minuet in a very superior manner, it is
recommendable to enter into some acquaintance, at least, with
the principles of the serious or grave dances, with a naturally
genteel person, a superficial knowledge of the steps, and a
smattering of the rules, any one almost may soon be made to
acquit himself tolerably of a minuet; but to make a
distinguished figure, some notion of the depths and refinements
of the art, illustrated by proper practice, are required.
It is especially incumbent on an artist, not to rest satisfied
with having pleased: he should, from his knowledge of the
grounds of his art, be able to tell himself why he has pleased;
and thus by building upon solid principles, preferably to mere
lucky hits, or to transient and accidental advantages of form or
manner, insure the permanency of his power to please.
There is a vice in dancing, against which pupils cannot be too
carefully guarded; it is that of affectation. It is essentially
different from that desire of pleasing, which is so natural and
so consistent even with the greatest modesty, in that it always
builds on some falsity, mistaken for a means of pleasing, though
nothing can more surely defeat that intention; there is not an
axiom more true than that the graces are incompatible with
affectation. They vanish at the first appearance of it: and the
curse of affectation is, that it never but lets itself be seen,
and wherever it is seen, it is sure to offend, and to frustrate
its own design.
The simplicity of nature is the great fountain of all the
graces; from which they flow spontaneous, when unchecked by
affectation, which at once poisons and dries them up.
Nature does not refuse cultivation, but she will not bear being
forced. The great art of the dancing-master is not to give
graces, for that is impossible, but to call forth into a nobly
modest display those latent ones in his scholars, which may have
been buried for want of opportunities or of education to break
forth in their native lustre, or which have been spoiled or
perverted, by wrong instruction, or by bad models of imitations.
In this last case, the master's business is rather to extirpate
than to plant; to clear the ground of poisonous exotics, and to
make way for the pleasing productions of nature.
This admirable prerogative of pleasing, inseparable from the
natural graces, unpoisoned by affectation, is in nothing more
strongly exemplified, than in the rural dances, where simplicity
of manners, a sprightly ease, and an exemption from all design
but that of innocent mirth, give to the young and handsome
villagers, or country-maids, those inimitable graces for ever
unknown to artifice and affectation. Not but, even in those
rural assemblies, there may be found some characters tainted
with affectation; but then in the country they are exceptions,
whereas in town they constitute the generality, who are so apt
to mistake airs for graces, though nothing can be more
essentially different.
But how shall those masters guard a scholar sufficiently against
affectation, who are themselves notoriously infected with it?
Nay, this is so common to them, that it is even the foundation
of a proverbial remark, that no gentleman can be said to dance
well, who dances like a dancing-master. Those false refinements,
that finical, affected air so justly reproached to the
generality of teachers, a master should correct in himself
before he can well give lessons for avoiding them to his pupils.
And, in truth, they are but wretched substitutes to the true
grounds and principles of the art, in which nothing is more
strongly inculcated than the total neglect of them, and the
reliance on the engaging and noble simplicity of nature.
It is then no paradox to say that the more deep you are in the
art, the less will it stifle nature. On the contrary, it will,
in the noble assurance which a competent skill is sure to bring
with it, give to the natural graces a greater freedom and ease
of display. Imperfection of theory and practice cramps the
faculties; and gives either an unpleasing faulteringness to the
air, steps, and gestures, or wrong execution. And as the minuet
derives its merit from an observation of the most agreeable
steps, well chosen in nature and well combined by art, there is
no inconsistence in avering that art may, in this, as in many
other objects of imitative skill, essentially assist nature, and
place her in the most advantageous point of light.
The truth of this will be easily granted, by numbers who have
felt the pleasure of seeing a minuet gracefully executed by a
couple who understood this dance perfectly. Nay, excellence in
the performance of it, has given to an indifferent figure, at
least a temporary advantage over a much superior one in point of
person only; and sometimes an advantage of which the impression
has been more permanent.
But besides the effect of the moment in pleasing the spectators;
the being well versed in this dance especially contributes
greatly to form the gait, and address, as well as the manner in
which we should present ourselves. It has a sensible influence
in the polishing and fashioning the air and deportment in all
occasions of appearance in life. It helps to wear off any thing
of clownishness in the carriage of the person, and breathes
itself into otherwise the most indifferent actions, in a genteel
and agreeable manner of performing them.
This secret and relative influence of the minuet, _Marcel_, my
ever respected master, whom his own merit in his profession, and
the humorous mention of him by _Helvetius_, in his famous book
DE L'ESPRIT, have made so well known, constantly kept in view,
in his method of teaching it. His scholars were generally known
and distinguished from those of other masters, not only by their
excellence in actual dancing, but by a certain superior air of
easy-genteelness at other times. He himself danced the minuet to
its utmost perfection. Not that he confined his practice to that
dance alone; on the contrary, he confessed himself obliged for
his greatest skill in that, to his having a general knowledge of
all the other dances, which he had practised, but especially
those of the serious stile.