This is indeed a _golden gift_ for any _demoiselle_ of our readers'
acquaintance, for it blends the unusual qualities of elegance and
usefulness of the highest order. It is described in the title as "A
Manual of Elegant Recreations, Exercises and Pursuits," and numbers in
its contents, Moral deportment--the Florist--Mineralogy, Conchology,
Entomology, the Aviary, the Toilet, Embroidery, the Escrutoire,
Painting, Music, Dancing, Archery, Riding, and the Ornamental Artist.
Each of these subjects is treated of in separate chapters, in a neat
style, slightly scientific, and highly amusive; and the whole are
illustrated with upwards of _Six Hundred Engravings_, which are
appropriately chosen and admirably executed. Botany, Conchology,
Entomology, and the Aviary thus admit of scores of little cuts worked in
with the type; the female accomplishments of Embroidery, ornamental card
and basket work, contain many beautiful devices; and the "elegant
recreations" of Dancing, Riding, &c. are equally well illustrated by the
various forms, positions, &c.--Each subject has been treated of by a
master or mistress of the respective art, but the uniformity with which
the editor has marshalled them in his work, almost makes them resemble
the productions of one hand. We need not point out the merit of this
individual contribution; for the lady-pen must be omnipotent indeed
which could write equally well on every branch of female accomplishment.
By way of a seasonable extract we take part of a brief historical sketch
prefixed to the Dancing instructions, and a few of the hints:--
"From the death of Elizabeth, until after the restoration of Charles
II., the turbulence of the times, and the peculiar character of the age,
prevented this art, which flourishes only in 'the bowers of peace and
joy,' from making much progress; but in the days of the merry monarch
it began to revive, and advanced more, or less, in all the succeeding
reigns. The celebrated Beau Nash, who was, for a long time, M.C. at
Bath, may be considered the founder of modern ball-room dancing; which,
however, has been divested of much of its cold formality, and improved
in various other respects since the time of that singular person. It is,
nevertheless, a matter of regret, that the graceful and stately Minuet
has been entirely abandoned in favour of the more recently-invented
dances.
"The French country dances, or Contre-Danses (from the parties being
placed opposite to each other,) since called Quadrilles (from their
having four sides) which approximate nearly to the Cotillon, were
first introduced to France about the middle of Lewis the Fifteenth's
reign. Previously to this period, the dances most in vogue were La
Perigourdine, La Matelotte, La Pavane, Les Forlanes, Minuets, &c.
Quadrilles, when first introduced, were danced by four persons only:
four more were soon added, and thus the complete square was formed; but
the figures were materially different from those of the present period.
The gentlemen advanced with the opposite ladies, menaced each other with
the fore-finger, and retired clapping their hands three times; they then
turned hands of four, turned their own partners, and grand rond of all
concluded the figure. The Vauxhall d'Hiver was, at that time, the most
fashionable place of resort: the pupils of the Royal Academy were
engaged to execute new dances; a full and effective band performed the
most fashionable airs, and new figures were at length introduced and
announced as a source of attraction; but this place was soon pulled
down, and re-built on the ground now occupied by the Theatre du
Vaudeville. The establishment failed, and the proprietor became a
bankrupt. A short time after, it was re-opened by another speculator;
but on such a scale, as merely to attract the working classes of the
community. The band was now composed of a set of miserable scrapers, who
played in unison, and continually in the key of G sharp; amid the sounds
which emanated from their instruments, the jangling of a tambourin, and
the shrill notes of a fife were occasionally heard. Thus did things
continue until the French Revolution; when, about the time the Executive
Directory was formed, the splendid apartments of the Hotel de Richelieu
were opened for the reception of the higher classes, who had then but
few opportunities of meeting to 'trip it on the light fantastic toe.'
Monsieur Hullin, then of the Opera, was selected to form a band of
twenty-four musicians, from among those of the highest talent in the
various theatres: he found no difficulty in this, as they were paid in
paper-money, then of little or no value; whereas, the administrators of
the Richelieu establishment paid in specie. The tunes were composed in
different keys, with full orchestral accompaniments, by Monsieur Hullin;
and the contrast thus produced to the abominable style which had so long
existed, commenced a new era in dancing: the old figures were abolished,
and stage-steps were adopted;--Pas de Zephyrs, Pas de Bourrés, Ballotés,
Jetés Battus, &c. were among the most popular. Minuets and Forlanes were
still continued; but Monsieur Vestris displaced the latter by the
Gavotte, which he taught to Monsieur Trenis and Madame de Choiseul, who
first danced it at a fête given by a lady of celebrity, at the Hotel de
Valentinois, Rue St. Lazar, on the 16th of August, 1797; at this fête,
Monsieur Hullin introduced an entirely new set of figures of his own
composition.--These elicited general approbation: they were danced at
all parties, and still retain pre-eminence. The names of Pantalon,
L'Eté, La Poule, La Trenis, &c. which were given to the tunes, have been
applied to the figures. The figure of La Trenis, was introduced by
Monsieur Trenis's desire, it being part of the figure from a Gavotte,
danced in the then favourite ballet of Nina.
"To the French we are indebted for rather an ingenious, but in the
opinion of many professional dancers, an useless invention, by which it
was proposed, that as the steps in dancing are not very numerous,
although they may be infinitely combined, that characters might be made
use of to express the various steps and figures of a dance, in the same
manner as words and sentences are expressed by letters; or what is more
closely analogous, as the musical characters are employed to represent
to the eye the sounds of an air. The well-known Monsieur Beauchamp, and
a French dancing-master, each laid claim to be the original inventer
of this art; and the consequence was a law suit, in which, however,
judgment was pronounced in favour of the former. The art has been
introduced into this country, but without success. An English
dancing-master has also, we believe, with considerable labour and
ingenuity, devised a plan somewhat similar to that of the French author:
diagrams being proposed to represent the figures, or steps, instead of
characters.
"There are a variety of dances to which the term National may, with some
propriety, be applied. Among the most celebrated of these are,--the
Italian Tarantula, the German Waltz, and the Spanish Bolero. To dwell on
their peculiarities would, however, as it appears to us, be useless: the
first is rarely exhibited, even on the stage: the second, although it
still retains much of its original character, has, in this country, been
modified into the Waltz Country Dance, and all the objections which it
encountered, on its first introduction, seem to have been gradually
overcome, since it assumed its present popular form; and the graceful
Bolero is restricted to the theatre only, being never introduced to the
English ball-room.
"The manner of walking well is an object which all young ladies should
be anxious to acquire; but, unfortunately, it is a point too much
neglected. In the drawing-room, the ball-room, or during the promenade,
an elegant deportment, a 'poetry of motion,'--is, and ever will be,
appreciated. The step ought not to exceed the length of the foot; the
leg should be put forward, without stiffness, in about the fourth
position; but without any effort to turn the foot out, as it will tend
to throw the body awry, and give the person an appearance of being a
professional dancer. The head should be kept up and the chest open: the
body will then attain an advantageous position, and that steadiness so
much required in good walking. The arms should fall in their natural
position, and all their movements and oppositions to the feet be easy
and unconstrained. The employment of soldiers to teach young ladies how
to walk, which, we are sorry to say, is a practice adopted by many
parents and heads of seminaries, is much to be deprecated. The stiffness
acquired under regimental tuition, is adverse to all the principles of
grace, and annihilates that buoyant lightness which is so conducive to
ease and elegance in the young."
Besides the host of cuts incorporated with the text, each art has a
whole page embellishment exquisitely engraved on wood; the designs of
which are the very acme of taste. The head and tail, and letter pieces
of the chapters are in equally good taste; and taken altogether,
the "Young Lady's Book," either as a production of usefulness or
illustratration of art, is the finest production of its day. It has
been erroneously noticed, from its publication at this season, as an
"Annual," but it displays infinitely more pains-taking than either of
those elaborate productions--and is, we should judge, neither the labour
of one or two years.
We had almost overlooked the imitative Mechlin lace-facings, which would
deceive any Nottingham factor.
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