BALLS AND STATE BALLS
=Balls= are given in town and country by society at large, and these
invitation balls include Hunt Balls, Military and Naval Balls, Yeomanry
and Territorial Balls, Bachelors' Balls, etc.
* * * * *
=Public Balls= are those balls for which tickets of admission can be
purchased, although for many of these balls it is necessary to obtain
vouchers from the committees or patronesses, when held in town or at
watering-places.
Public balls include County Balls, Charity Balls, and Subscription
Balls, etc.
* * * * *
=In Town, Ball-giving= is in a way a science, and an amusement upon
which large sums of money are frequently expended.
* * * * *
=A Crowded Ball= is not always pronounced a good ball by the guests,
often the contrary, but then, again, what is termed a thin ball is open
to the accusation of not going off well, and falling rather flat; of not
being kept up with spirit, and of being considered a stupid ball, and so
on.
To hit upon a happy medium with regard to the number of guests is an
achievement in ball-giving which is only arrived at by a careful study
of the map of the county, and a judicious selection of night. This
selection is of paramount importance to the success of a ball, as when a
smarter ball is given at a smarter house on the particular evening
chosen by the giver of a less brilliant ball, the grander ball
extinguishes the lesser ball, through the most fashionable people merely
looking in at the one, and remaining the rest of the evening at the
other. This putting out as it were of the lesser light, occurs very
frequently during the London season to ball-givers moving in the same
sets. The guests who have been expected to add lustre to the lesser
balls appear but for a few minutes, and usually arrive rather early,
uncomplimentarily early, at perhaps a little before eleven, and remain
hardly half an hour in the rooms, making their way to another ball of
the same calibre, and remaining there perhaps another twenty minutes,
before arriving at the goal, viz. _the_ ball of the evening. Both ladies
and gentlemen follow this practice, thus, at a little after twelve, an
average ball-giver finds her rooms deserted by all but those who have
nowhere else to go. Although the flitting of the guests thus early is a
disappointment to the hostess, and although it does not prevent the
fleeting ball-givers from making suitable returns by placing the family
on their ball lists, it yet greatly mars the enjoyment of the ball, and
prevents its being looked back upon with anything approaching to
pleasure or satisfaction, the departure of the most eligible partners
being not the least of the vexations of the night.
These _contretemps_ are sometimes unavoidable; but, when practicable, it
is always best to postpone a ball rather than to allow it to clash with
a ball of greater pretensions.
An impromptu dance is often a great success, while an impromptu ball is
almost as certain to prove a great failure.
* * * * *
=The Difference between a Dance and a Ball= consists in the number of
the invitations issued, in the strength of the band, and the extent of
the supper arrangements.
At a dance the number of the guests varies from eighty to two hundred;
at a ball they vary from two hundred to five hundred.
At a dance a piano band is frequently engaged, while at a ball a full
band is requisite. At a ball the floral decorations are a great feature,
at a small dance they are often dispensed with. Ladies new to society as
it were, or whose circle of acquaintance is of a limited character, and
who do not number in that circle many ball-givers, and who yet desire to
form a ball acquaintance, frequently place their ball in the hands of
some intimate friend of higher standing than themselves, giving her
_carte blanche_ to form a ball list. When this plan is followed,
invitations are still sent out by the ball-giver; in every case the name
and compliments of the lady who forms the list are sent with the card.
This plan, although of advantage to the hostess, is often productive of
much unpleasantness to her unfashionable friends, who are naturally very
much affronted at being excluded from the ball list, which they usually
are, as a lady who undertakes to form a ball list for a friend is not a
little arbitrary as to the conditions under which she assumes its
management. She naturally wishes the ball to be confined to her own set,
to the exclusion of what she terms all outsiders.
Ladies are always more or less reluctant to yield up their ball to the
exclusion of their old friends, however anxious they may be to make new
ones. But when a ball is thus given it is thoroughly understood that
conditions, however stringent, must be complied with.
* * * * *
=A Hostess should receive her Guests= at the head of the staircase at a
ball given in town, and at the door of the ball-room at a country house
ball. She should shake hands with each guest in the order of their
arrival.
The ladies of a party should advance towards the hostess, followed by
the gentlemen of their party.
A lady and gentleman should not ascend the staircase arm-in-arm, or make
their entrance into the ball-room arm-in-arm. The gentlemen invariably
enter the ball-room after the ladies of their party, and never before
them, or arm-in-arm with them. A ball is usually opened either by the
hostess herself, or by one of her daughters.
* * * * *
=Opening a Fancy Dress Ball= simply signifies dancing in the first
quadrille. Opening a dance means dancing the first valse.
When a member of the Royal Family, or a foreign prince, is expected,
dancing should not commence until the arrival of the royal guest; and
when the royal guest is a lady, the host should open the ball with her,
having his wife or daughter as _vis-a-vis_. When the royal guest is a
prince, the hostess or her daughter should open the ball with him.
When a prince wishes to dance with any lady present, with whom he is
unacquainted, his equerry informs her of the prince's intention, and
conducts her to the prince, saying as he does so, "Mrs. A----, your
Royal Highness" or "Miss B----, your Royal Highness." The prince bows
and offers her his arm; the lady should curtsey and take it. She should
not address him until addressed by him, it not being considered
etiquette to do so. The same course is followed by a princess; strangers
to the princess should not ask her to dance, but the host has the
privilege of doing so. When more than one royal personage is present,
the one of the highest rank leads the way, with either hostess or host.
(See Chapter V.)
* * * * *
=Royal Guests= should be received by the host and hostess at the
entrance of the mansion, and by them conducted to the ball-room. At
ball-suppers the same precedence is strictly in force, the royal guests
leading the way with host or hostess (see p. 49).
The same etiquette should be observed on the departure of royal guests
as on their arrival.
* * * * *
=General Introductions= should not be made to royal guests, and
introductions should be made by request only.
Gentlemen present at a ball are expected to ask the daughters of the
house for one dance at least.
A hostess should use her own discretion as to any introduction she
thinks proper to make. When a ball is given in the country, the hostess
should endeavour to find partners for those young ladies who are
strangers to the general company. But when a ball is given in town, she
is not expected to do so, as in town the guests are supposed to be
acquainted with each other more or less, and to be independent of the
kind offices of a hostess.
* * * * *
=The Dances mainly in vogue at the moment= are, "Valses," "The Boston,"
"Two Steps," and "The Cotillon," in which handsome presents are given.
"Quadrilles" are danced at "State Balls," and at those balls at which
the King and Queen are present. Also at "Fancy Dress Balls." "Lancers"
are danced occasionally at "Hunt Balls."
* * * * *
=The Precedency observed= in sending guests in to supper is far more
punctiliously followed in the country than in town. The host should take
in the lady of highest rank present, and the hostess should endeavour to
send in the principal guests according to their individual rank; but in
town she generally leaves the guests to follow the host and lady of
highest rank according to their inclinations, a guest should not enter
the supper-room before the host has done so.
When a gentleman takes a lady in to supper, he should re-conduct her to
the ball-room as a matter of course; the fact of friends joining her in
the supper-room would not relieve him from this obligation. And the same
etiquette applies equally to a lady. She should return to the ball-room
only with the gentleman who has taken her down to supper, unless she is
engaged for the ensuing dance, when her partner might come in quest of
her; she should then return to the ball-room with him.
It is not usual for guests to take leave of a hostess at a London ball.
This remark applies to acquaintances of the hostess, and not to intimate
friends.
At a country ball the guests are on a more friendly footing than is
generally the case in town; and, therefore, make a point of taking leave
of the hostess if possible.
It is optional whether a host conducts a lady to her carriage or not. In
the country more is expected of him than in town in this respect, as at
a London ball, such a civility would involve a vast amount of exertion
which few hosts would be willing to undergo: ladies accompanied by an
acquaintance generally make their way to their carriages.
* * * * *
=The Custom of covering in Small Balconies= and the windows of the
drawing-rooms where a ball takes place, rendering the atmosphere of the
room almost insupportable from the total exclusion of air, is fast
disappearing. The space gained by this means for the accommodation of
the guests is totally disproportionate to the discomfort thereby
entailed upon them.
Ball-givers have at length realised the mistake of crowding two hundred
to three hundred people together into rooms not properly ventilated, and
it is now the rule, when covering in balconies, to introduce window
frames into the bunting covering, and to drape them with lace curtains,
etc., the windows of the ball-room being entirely removed.
Large blocks of ice are frequently placed in convenient spots for the
purpose of cooling the atmosphere, and coloured ice produces a pretty
effect.
Patent ventilators are also much in use, and the substitution of
electric lighting, on account of its emitting little heat, has become
general.
Ball-goers appreciate these alterations as only those who have
experienced the close, stifling atmosphere of an over-crowded ball-room
can do, and as half the London ball-rooms are only average-sized
drawing-rooms, the absurdity of excluding air from the ball-room with
yards of thick canvas cannot be too severely criticised.
Ball-givers, too, frequently issue far more invitations than the size of
their rooms authorises, under the mistaken idea that to have a great
crowd in their rooms is to give a good ball.
But experienced ball-givers limit the number of their invitations to
under two hundred, instead of expanding it to over three hundred.
* * * * *
=The Country Ball Season= ostensibly commences in November, reaches its
zenith in January, and terminates early in February.
The stewards of these balls are, as a rule, the representatives of the
various classes by whom they are attended; the members of the
aristocracy residing in the county heading the list of stewards, and the
members of the professional classes usually closing it.
The top of the ball-room is, as a rule, appropriated by the aristocratic
element, head stewards and "lady patronesses."
The enjoyment derived from country balls depends upon a variety of
circumstances, which do not influence in a like degree the ball-going
world of London.
* * * * *
=County Balls= are principally composed of a series of large parties
brought by different ladies in the neighbourhood where the ball is held;
but there are two classes of county balls, balls which are held in large
and populous towns and attended by the principal residents of the towns,
with only a small sprinkling of the county aristocracy and county
gentry.
There are also Hunt Balls and annual Charity Balls which take place
between October and February, and which are an amalgamation of both
classes of balls.
The neighbourhood where a ball is held is a sufficient indication as to
whether it is likely to be a smart one or not.
As a rule the leading ladies of a county lend their names as patronesses
and supporters of a charity ball, although it by no means follows that
they will personally attend it; but a long list of influential
patronesses materially increases the sale of tickets, which is the
result to be achieved.
A large attendance is not the primary object of a county ball, as the
sum raised by the sale of tickets is only required to defray the
expenses of the ball, although these are sometimes considerable,
especially when the decorations are elaborate, and the arrangements on a
grand scale, in which case there is not seldom a deficiency rather than
a surplus, which deficiency is defrayed by the stewards themselves.
To ensure a good ball considerable unanimity on the part of the county
ladies is demanded, and they usually meet and consult together previous
to fixing the date of the ball, to take into consideration the fixtures
of neighbouring county balls, and so avoid the possibility of the said
balls clashing with their own county ball, and also with a view of
perhaps attracting the house parties of their more distant neighbours to
swell the numbers at their own ball.
House parties invited for a ball vary from ten to twenty-five, as the
accommodation of a house admits.
It is not the province of the stewards of a ball to find partners for
either ladies or gentlemen, and therefore, if a lady does not form one
of a large party, but merely attends a county ball with a relative or
friend, and has not a large acquaintance amongst these present, she has
very little chance of obtaining partners.
Young ladies do not now return to their chaperons after each dance, or
after they have been to the tea-room.
A gentleman should offer his arm to his partner at the conclusion of a
dance to conduct her to the tea-room. In round dances, it is customary
to take frequent pauses, and not to race round the ball-room until the
music ceases.
At country balls programmes are invariably used; at London balls they
are never used, save at public balls.
County balls usually commence between nine and ten o'clock, sometimes a
ball is not opened until the most influential of the stewards and their
parties have arrived, but oftener than not the two first dances are over
before the arrival of the county magnates.
It depends upon the length of the drive at what time people arrive at a
ball; as a rule, they do not arrive later than 10.30 p.m.
The usual mode of conveying a house-party to a ball is by private
omnibus in addition to carriages and motor cars; but when these are
hired for the occasion the expense should be defrayed by the guests
themselves.
It is usual to leave a country ball not later than half-past two; the
most fashionable people invariably do so about that hour.
As a matter of course persons attending public balls take their ball
tickets with them.
* * * * *
=When attending a Military Ball=, or a Hunt Ball, it is usually the rule
to take the invitation card and hand it to the sergeant or official in
attendance.
It is sometimes stated on the invitation card that this is to be done,
although it is often taken for granted that persons will do so of their
own accord.
At balls given by private individuals, the invited guests should not
bring their invitation cards with them, unless in the case of a _bal
masque_, where they are sometimes requested to do so.
In giving a ball three weeks' notice is considered necessary, but with
regard to a dance a short ten days' notice would suffice.
* * * * *
=The Invitation Card= is the usual "at home" card, the word "Dancing"
being printed in the corner of the card.
The word "ball" should never be used on an invitation card, however
grand the entertainment; and the same form of invitation is employed
either in the case of a small dance or of a large ball, though in the
event of a small dance only being given, the words "Small" or "Early"
should be written or printed on the invitation card.
Invitations to a ball should be issued in the name of the hostess only.
When the host is a widower, with a grown-up daughter, the invitations
should be issued in their joint names.
When the host is a widower, or a bachelor, they should be issued in his
name.
Invitations issued by officers, members of hunt committees, bachelors,
etc., to their balls, either request the pleasure or the honour of Mrs.
----'s company; but this formula should not be used by ladies when
issuing invitations; the "at home" card should simply bear the word
"Dancing" on the bottom of the card, the hour and date filled in in the
allotted space, the name of the guest written at the top of the card.
In the case of a written invitation, it would be correct to use the
words "ball" or "dance" when alluding to the entertainment about to be
given, in a friendly note.
A lady or gentleman might ask for an invitation for his or her friend to
a ball given by an acquaintance, although the acquaintanceship were of a
slight character; but a lady or gentleman should not ask for an
invitation to a ball if unacquainted with the giver of it. The fact of
mutual friends having received invitations to a ball gives no claim upon
the hospitality of a stranger, therefore such requests are inadmissible.
The proper course for a person to pursue in the event of desiring an
invitation to a ball given by some one with whom he or she is
unacquainted, is to request some mutual friend to obtain one; and this
course is always followed.
* * * * *
=Cards should be left= by the guests present at a ball within the
current week if possible. (See Chapter III.)
* * * * *
=Gratuities= should never be given by the guests to the servants of the
house where a ball is given.
* * * * *
=State Balls.=--Two State Balls are annually given at Buckingham Palace
during the London season by command of His Majesty. Invitations are
issued by the Lord Chamberlain, but His Majesty previously revises the
list.
When ladies and gentlemen attend a State Ball at Buckingham Palace they
make their way to the ball-room _unannounced_; and there is no official
reception accorded to them, either by "Royalty" or by the Lord
Chamberlain.
Dancing does not commence until the arrival of the royal party, when the
guests rise and remain standing while the Royal Quadrille--with which
the ball opens--is being danced.
The King and Queen act as host and hostess on these occasions, but
confine their attentions to those with whom they are personally
acquainted.
Ladies attending a State Ball at Buckingham Palace should wear the usual
full evening dress; but they should not wear Court trains, or plumes, or
lappets.
Gentlemen attending State Balls should wear uniform or full Court
dress--dress coat, breeches and silk stockings, shoes and buckles;
trousers can only be worn as part of a uniform, and not with a Court
dress as generally worn at a levee.
A gentleman intending to dance should remove his sword, otherwise he
should not do so.
When the Court is in mourning, ladies attending a State Ball should wear
mourning according to the official notice which duly appears in the
_Gazette_.
Gentlemen should wear crape on the left arm, which is supplied in the
cloak-room of the Palace to those who have forgotten to provide
themselves with it, as it is imperative, when the Court is in mourning,
that a band of crape should be worn at either State Ball or State
Concert.
The balls given by the princes and princesses of the blood royal are not
State Balls, therefore Court dress is not worn by the gentlemen present.
They act as host and hostess at the balls given by them and receive
their guests, shaking hands with them as they are announced.
Ladies and gentlemen do not take their cards of invitation with them to
Buckingham Palace.