SIR,

'I am a Man in Years, and by an honest Industry in the World have

acquired enough to give my Children a liberal Education, tho' I was an

utter Stranger to it my self. My eldest Daughter, a Girl of Sixteen,

has for some time been under the Tuition of Monsieur _Rigadoon_, a

Dancing-Master in the City; and I was prevailed upon by her and her

Mother to go last Night to one of his Balls. I must own to you, Sir,

that having never been at any such Place before, I was very much

pleased and surprized with that Part of his Entertainment which he

called _French Dancing_. There were several young Men and Women, whose

Limbs seemed to have no other Motion, but purely what the Musick gave

them. After this Part was over, they began a Diversion which they call

_Country Dancing_, and wherein there were also some things not

disagreeable, and divers _Emblematical Figures_, Compos'd, as I guess,

by Wise Men, for the Instruction of Youth.

Among the rest, I observed one, which, I think, they call _Hunt the

Squirrel_, in which while the Woman flies the Man pursues her; but as

soon as she turns, he runs away, and she is obliged to follow.

The Moral of this Dance does, I think, very aptly recommend Modesty

and Discretion to the Female Sex.

But as the best Institutions are liable to Corruptions, so, Sir, I

must acquaint you, that very great Abuses are crept into this

Entertainment. I was amazed to see my Girl handed by, and handing

young Fellows with so much Familiarity; and I could not have thought

it had been in the Child. They very often made use of a most impudent

and lascivious Step called _Setting_, which I know not how to describe

to you, but by telling you that it is the very reverse of _Back to

Back_. At last an impudent young Dog bid the Fidlers play a Dance

called _Mol Patley_,[1] and after having made two or three Capers, ran

to his Partner, locked his Arms in hers, and whisked her round

cleverly above Ground in such manner, that I, who sat upon one of the

lowest Benches, saw further above her Shoe than I can think fit to

acquaint you with. I could no longer endure these Enormities;

wherefore just as my Girl was going to be made a Whirligig, I ran in,

seized on the Child, and carried her home.

Sir, I am not yet old enough to be a Fool. I suppose this Diversion

might be at first invented to keep up a good Understanding between

young Men and Women, and so far I am not against it; but I shall never

allow of these things. I know not what you will say to this Case at

present, but am sure that had you been with me you would have seen

matter of great Speculation.