About twelve o'clock, I accordingly went thither, as I had promised,
when I found the rooms perfectly crowded. Among a number of very
agreeable ladies, several were to be distinguished for the elegance
of their figure, though there were no more than three remarkable for
beauty. These terrestrial divinities would not only have embarrassed
the Grand Signior for a preference, but even have distracted the
choice of the Idalian shepherd himself. The dancing was already begun
to an excellent band of music, led by Citizen JULIEN, a mulatto,
esteemed the first player of country-dances in Paris. Of the dancers,
some of the women really astonished me by the ease and gracefulness
of their movements: steps, which are known to be the most difficult,
seemed to cost them not the smallest exertion. Famous as they have
ever been for dancing, they seem now, in Cibber's words, "to outdo
their usual outdoings."
In former times, an extraordinary degree of curiosity was excited by
any female who excelled in this pleasing accomplishment. I remember
to have read that Don Juan of Austria, governor of the Low Countries,
set out post from Brussels, and came to Paris _incog._ on purpose to
see Marguerite de Valois dance at a dress-ball, this princess being
reckoned, at that time, the best dancer in Europe. What then would be
the admiration of such an _amateur_, could he now behold the
perfection attained here by some of the beauties of the present day?
The men, doubtless, determined to vie with the women, seemed to pride
themselves more on agility than grace, and, by attempting whatever
required extraordinary effort, reminded me of _figurans_ on the
stage, so much have the Parisian youth adopted a truly theatrical
style of dancing.
The French country-dances (or cotilions, as we term them in England)
and waltzes, which are as much in vogue here as in Germany, were
regularly interchanged. However, the Parisians, in my opinion, cannot
come up to the Germans in this, their native dance. I should have
wished to have had Lavater by my side, and heard his opinion of the
characters of the different female waltzers. It is a very curious and
interesting spectacle to see one woman assume a languishing air,
another a vacant smile, a third an aspect of stoical indifference;
while a fourth seems lost in a voluptuous trance, a fifth captivates
by an amiable modesty, a sixth affects the cold insensibility of a
statue, and so on in ever-varying succession, though all turning to
the animating changes of the same lively waltz. In short I observed
that, in this species of dance, the eyes and feet of almost every
woman appeared to be constantly at variance.
Without assuming the part of a moralist, I cannot help thinking that
Werter was not altogether in the wrong when he swore, that, were it
to cost him his life, no woman on whom he had set his affections,
should ever waltz with any one but himself. I am not singular in this
opinion; for I recollect to have met with the same ideas in a book
written by M. JACOBI, I think, a German author.
Speaking of the waltz, "We either ought," says he, "not to boast so
much of the propriety of our manners, or else not suffer that our
wives and daughters, in a complete delirium, softly pressed in the
arms of men, bosom to bosom, should thus be hurried away by the sound
of intoxicating music. In this _whirligig_ dance, every one seems to
forget the rules of decorum; and though an innocent, young creature,
exposed in this manner, were to remain pure and spotless, can she,
without horror, reflect that she becomes, the sport of the
imagination of the licentious youths to whom she so abandons herself?
It were to be wished," adds he, "that our damsels (I mean those who
preserve any vestige of bashfulness), might, concealed in a private
corner, hear sometimes the conversation of those very men to whom
they yield themselves with so little reserve and caution."
To the best of my recollection, these are the sentiments of M.
JACOBI, expressed twelve or fourteen years ago; yet I do not find
that the waltz is discontinued, or even less practised, in Germany,
than it was at the time when his work first appeared. This dance,
like every other French fashion, has now found its way into England,
and is introduced between the acts, by way of interlude I presume, at
some of our grand private balls and assemblies. But, however I may be
amused by the waltzing of the Parisian belles, I feel too much regard
for my fair country-women to wish to see them adopt a dance, which,
by throwing them off their guard, lays them completely open to the
shafts of ridicule and malice.
Leaving this point to be settled by the worthy part of our British
matrons, let us return to the Parisian ball, from which I have been
led into a little digression.
The dancing continued in this manner, that is, French country-dances
and waltzes alternately, till four o'clock, when soup was brought
round to all the company. This was dispatched _sans façon_, as fast
as it could be procured. It was a prelude to the cold supper, which
was presently served in another spacious apartment. No sooner were
the folding-doors of an adjoining room thrown open, than I observed
that, large as it was, it could not possibly afford accommodation to
more than half of the number present. I therefore remained in the
back-ground, naturally supposing that places would first be provided
for all the women. Not so, my friend; several men seated themselves,
and, in the twinkling of an eye, deranged the economy of the whole
table; while the female bystanders were necessitated to seek seats at
some temporary tables placed in the ballroom. Here too were they in
luck if they obtained a few fragments from the grand board; for, such
determined voracity was there exhibited, that so many vultures or
cormorants could not have been more expeditious in clearing the
dishes.
For instance, an enormous salmon, which would have done honour to the
Tweed or the Severn, graced the middle of the principal table. In
less than five minutes after the company were seated, I turned round,
and missing the fish, inquired whether it had proved tainted. No: but
it is all devoured, was the reply of a young man, who, pointing to
the bone, offered me a pear and a piece of bread, which he shrewdly
observed was all that I might probably get to recruit my strength at
this entertainment. I took the hint, and, with the addition of a
glass of common wine, at once made my supper.
In half an hour, the tables being removed, the ball was resumed, and
apparently with renewed spirit. The card-room had never been
deserted. _Mind the main chance_ is a wholesome maxim, which the good
lady of the house seemed not to have forgotten. Assisted by a sort of
_croupier_, she did the honours of the _bouillotte_ with that
admirable sang-froid which you and I have often witnessed in some of
our hostesses of fashion; and, had she not communicated to me the
secret, I should have been the last to suspect, while she appeared so
indifferent, that she, like those ladies, had so great an interest in
the card-party being continued till morning.
As an old acquaintance, she took an opportunity of saying to, me,
with joy in her eyes: "_Le jeu va bien_;" but, at the same time,
expressed her regret that the supper was such a scramble. While we
were in conversation, I inquired the name and character of the most
striking women in the room, and found that, though a few of them
might be reckoned substantial in fortune, as well as in reputation,
the female part of the company was chiefly composed of ladies who,
like herself, had suffered by the revolution; several were divorced
from their husbands, but as incompatibility of temper was the general
plea for such a disunion, that alone could not operate as a blemish.
To judge of the political predilection of these belles from their
exterior, a stranger would, nine times out of ten, be led into a
palpable error. He might naturally conclude them to be attached to a
republican system, since they have, in general, adopted the Athenian
form of attire as their model; though they have not, in the smallest
degree, adopted the simple manners of that people. Their arms are
bare almost to the very shoulder; their bosom is, in a great measure,
uncovered; their ankles are encircled by narrow ribbands in imitation
of the fastenings of sandals; and their hair, turned up close behind,
is confined on the crown of the head in a large knot, as we see it in
the antique busts of Grecian beauties.
The rest of their dress is more calculated to display, than to veil
the contours of their person. It was thus explained to me by my
friend, the _ci-devant Comtesse_, who at the same time assured me
that young French women, clad in this airy manner, brave all the
rigour of winter. "A simple piece of linen, slightly laced before,"
said she, "while it leaves the waist uncompressed, answers the
purpose of a corset. If they put on a robe, which is not open in
front, they dispense with petticoats altogether; their cambric
_chemise_ having the semblance of one, from its skirt being trimmed
with lace. When attired for a ball, those who dance, as you may
observe, commonly put on a tunic, and then a petticoat becomes a
matter of necessity, rather than of choice. Pockets being deemed an
incumbrance, they wear none: what money they carry, is contained in a
little morocco leather purse; this is concealed in the centre of the
bosom, whose form, in our well-shaped women, being that of the
Medicean Venus, the receptacle occasionally serves for a little gold
watch, or some other trinket, which is suspended to the neck by a
collar of hair, decorated with various ornaments. When they dance,
the fan is introduced within the zone or girdle; and the handkerchief
is kept in the pocket of some sedulous swain, to whom the fair one
has recourse when she has occasion for it. Some of the elderly
ladies, like myself," added she, "carry these appendages in a sort of
work-bag, denominated a _ridicule_. Not long since, this was the
universal fashion first adopted as a substitute for pockets; but, at
present, it is totally laid aside by the younger classes."
The men at this ball, were, for the most part, of the military class,
thinly interspersed with returned emigrants. Some of the generals and
colonels were in their hussar dress-uniform, which is not only
exceedingly becoming to a well-formed man, but also extremely
splendid and costly. All the seams of the jacket and pantaloons of
the generals are covered with rich and tasteful embroidery, as well
as their sabre-tash, and those of the colonels with gold or silver
lace: a few even wore boots of red morocco leather.
Most of the Gallic youths, having served in the armies, either a few
years ago under the requisition, or more recently under the
conscription, have acquired a martial air, which is very discernible,
in spite of their _habit bourgeois_. The brown coat cannot disguise
the soldier. I have met with several young merchants of the first
respectability in Paris, who had served, some two, others four years
in the ranks, and constantly refused every sort of advancement. Not
wishing to remain in the army, and relinquish the mercantile
profession in which they had been educated, they cheerfully passed
through their military servitude as privates, and, in that station,
like true soldiers, gallantly fought their country's battles.
The hour of six being arrived, I was assailed, on all sides, by
applications to set down this or that lady, as the morning was very
rainy, and, independently of the long rank of hackney-coaches, which
had been drawn up at the door, every vehicle that could be procured,
had long been in requisition. The mistress of the house had informed
two of her particular female friends that I had a carriage in
waiting; and as I could accommodate only a certain number at a time,
after having consented to take those ladies home first; I conceived
myself at liberty, on my return, to select the rest of my convoy. To
relieve beauty in distress was one of the first laws of ancient
chivalry; and no knight ever accomplished that vow with greater
ardour than I did on this occasion.