THE low Ebb to which Dancing is now fallen, is altogether owing to this Silence. The Art is efteem'd only as an amufing Trifle; it lies altogether uncultivated, and is unhappily fallen under the Imputation of illiterate and mechanick: And as Terence in one of his Prologues, complains of the Rope-dancers drawing all the Specta tors from his Play, fo may we well fay, that Capering and Tumbling is now preferred to, and fupplies the Place of juft and regular Dancing on our Theatres. It is therefore, in my opinion, high time that fome one fhould in to its affiftance, and relieve it from the grofs and growing Errors that have crept into it, and over-caft its real Beauties; and to fet Dancing in its true light, would fhew the Ufefulness and Elegancy of it, with the Pleasure and Inftruction produc'd from it; and also lay down fome fundamental Rules, that might fo tend to the Improvement of its Profeffors, and Information of the Spectators, that the firft might be the better enabled to perform, and the latter render'd more capable of judging, what is (if there be any thing) valuable in this Art.

come

many

TO encourage therefore fome ingenious Pen capable of fo generous an Undertaking, and in fome measure to relieve Dancing from the Difadvantages it at prefent lies under, I, who teach to dance, have attempted a fmall Treatife as an Effay towards an Hiftory of Dancing; in which I have enquired into its-Antiquity, Original, and Ufe, and fhewn what Efteem the Ancients had for it: I have likewife confidered the Nature and Perfection of all its feveral Parts, and how beneficial and delightful it is, both as aQualification and an Exercise; and endeavoured < to answer all Objections that have been maliciously rais'd against it. I have proceeded to give an Account of the particular Dances of the Greeks and Romans, whether religious, warlike, or civil; and taken particular notice of that Part of Dancing relating to the ancient Stage, and in which the Pantomimes had fo great a fhare: Nor have I been wanting in giving an historical Account of fome particular Mafters excellent in that furprizing Art. After which, I have advanced fome Obfervations on the modern Dancing, both as to the Stage, and that Part of it fo abfolutely neceffary for the Qualification of Gentlemen

and

and Ladies; and have concluded with fome fhort Remarks on the Origin and Progrefs of the Character by " which Dances are writ down, and communicated to one "Mafter from another. If fome great Genius after this ⚫ would arife, and advance this Art to that Perfection it feems capable of receiving, what might not be expected from it? For if we confider the Origin of Arts and ⚫ Sciences, we fhall find that fome of them took rife from Beginnings fo mean and unpromifing, that it is very ⚫ wonderful to think that ever fuch furprizing Structures <fhould have been raised upon fuch ordinary Foundations. But what cannot a great Genius effect? Who would: have thought that the clangorous Noife of a Smith's Hammers fhould have given the first rife to Mufick Yet Macrobius in his fecond Book relates, that Pythagoras, in: paffing by a Smith's Shop,found that the Sounds proceeding from the Hammers were either more grave or acute, according to the different. Weights of the Hammers. The Philofopher, to improve this Hint, fufpends different: Weights by Strings of the fame Bignefs, and found in like manner that the Sounds anfwered to the Weights.. This being difcover'd, he finds out thofe Numbers which produc'd Sounds that were Confonants: As, that two Strings of the fame Subftance and Tenfion, the one being double the Length of the other, give that Interval: ⚫ which is called Diapafon, or an Eighth; the fame was also effected from two Strings of the fame Length and "Size, the one having four times the Tenfion of the other.' By thefe Steps, from fo mean a Beginning, did this great Man reduce, what was only before Noife, to one of the most delightful Sciences, by marrying it to the Mathematicks; and by that means caufed it to be one of the most abstract and demonstrative of Siences. Who knows ⚫ therefore but Motion, whether Decorous or Reprefentative, may not (as it feems highy probable it may) be taken into confideration by fome Perfon capable of re⚫ducing it into a regular Science, tho' not fo demonftrative as that proceeding from Sounds, yet fufficient to entitle it to a Place among the magnify'd Arts.

NOW, Mr. SPECTATOR, as you have declared your felf Vifitor of Dancing-Schools, and this being an Undertaking which more immediately refpects them, I

⚫ think

think my felf indifpenfably obliged, before I proceed to he Publication of this my Effay, to ask your Advice, and hold it abfolutely neceffary to have your Approbation; and in order to recommend my Treatife to the Perufal of the Parents of fuch as learn to dance, as well as to the young Ladies, to whom, as Vifitor, you ought: to be Guardian.

Refpicere exemplar vita morumque jubebo

Servant

Doctum imitatorem, & veras hinc ducere voces. Hor

M

Y Friend Sir ROGER DE COVERLEY, when we laft met together at the Club, told me, that he had a great mind to see the new Tragedy with me, affuring me at the fame time, that he had not been at a Play thefe twenty years. The laft I faw, faid Sir ROGER, Was the Committee, which I fhould not have gone to neither, had not I been told before-hand that it was a good Church-ofEngland Comedy. He then proceeded to enquire of me who this diftreffed Mother was; and upon hearing that she was Hector's Widow, he told me that her Husband was a brave Man, and that when he was a School-boy he had read his Life at the end of the Dictionary. My Friend asked me, in the next place, if there would not be fome danger in coming home late, in cafe the Mohocks fhould be abroad. I affure you, fays he, 1 thought I had fallen into their hands last night; for I obferved two or three lufty black Men that follow'd me half way up Fleet-ftreet, and mended their pace behind me, in proportion as I put on to get away from them. You must know, continu'd the Knight with a Smile, I fancied they had a mind to hunt for I remember an honest Gentleman in my Neighbourhood,

me.;,

bourhood, who was ferved fuch a trick in King Charles the Second's time, ; for which reason he has not ventured himself in Town ever fince. I might have fhown them very good Sport, had this been their Defign; for as I am an old Fox-hunter, I fhould have turned and dodg'd, and have play'd them a thousand tricks they had never feen in their Lives before. Sir ROGER added, that if these Gentlemen had any fuch Intention, they did not fucceed very well in it: for I threw them out, fays he, at the End of Norfolkftreet, where I doubled the Corner, and got fhelter in my Lodgings before they could imagine what was become of me. However, fays the Knight, if Captain SENTRY will make one with us to-morrow night, and if you will both of you call upon me about four a-clock, that we may be at the House before it is full, I will have my own Coach in readiness to attend you, for John tells me he has got the ForeWheels mended.

THE Captain, who did not fail to meet me there at the appointed Hour, bid Sir ROGER fear nothing, for that he had put on the fame Sword which he made ufe of. as the Battel of Steenkirk. Sir ROGER'S Servants, and among the reft my old Friend the Butler, had, I found, provided themfelves with good Oaken Plants, to attend their Mafter upon this occafion. When we had placed him in his Coach, with my felf at his Left-Hand, the Captain before him, and his Butler at the Head of his Footmen in the Rear, we convey'd him in fafety to the Playhouse, where, after having marched up the Entry in good order, the Captain and I went in with him, and feated him betwixt us in the Pit. As foon as the Houfe was full, and the Candles lighted, my old Friend ftood up and looked about him with that Pleasure, which a Mind feafoned with Humanity naturally feels in its felf, at the fight of a Multitude of People who feem pleafed with one another, and partake of the fame common Entertainment. I could not but fancy to myfelf, as the old Man stood up in the middle of the Pit, that he made a very proper Center to a tragick Audience. Upon the entring of Pyrrhus, the Knight told me, that he did not believe the King of France himfelf had a better Strut. I was indeed very attentive to my old Friend's Remarks, because I looked upon them

ag

as a Piece of natural Criticifm, and was well pleafed to hear him at the Conclufion of almost every Scene, telling me that he could not imagine how the Play would end. One while he appeared much concerned for Andromache; and a little while after as much for Hermione: and was extremely puzzled to think what would become of Pyrrhus.

WHEN Sir ROGER faw Andromache's obftinate Refufal to her Lover's Importunities, he whisper'd me in the Ear, that he was fure fhe would never have him; to which he added, with a more than ordinary Vehemence, you can't imagine, Sir, what 'tis to have to do with a Widow. Upon Pyrrhus his threatning afterwards to leave her, the Knight hook his Head, and muttered to himfelf, Ay, do if you can. This Part dwelt fo much upon my Friend's Imagination, that at the clofe of the Third Act, as I was thinking of fomething elfe, he whifpered in my Ear, Thefe Widows, Sir, are the moft perverfe Creatures in the World. But pray, fays he, you that are a Critick, is this Play according to your Dramatick Rules, as you call them? Should your People in Tragedy always talk to be underftood? Why, there is not a fingle Sentence in this Play that I do not know the Meaning of

THE Fourth A&t very luckily begun before I had time to give the old Gentleman an Anfwer: Well, fays the Knight, fitting down with great Satisfaction, I fuppofe we are now to fee Hector's Ghoft. He then renewed his Attention, and, from time to time, fell a praifing the Widow. He made, indeed, a little Miffake as to one of her Pages, whom at his first entering, he took for Aftyanax ; but he quickly fet himself right in that Particular, though, at the fame time, he owned he should have been very glad to have feen the little Boy, who, fays he, muft needs be a very fine Child by the Account that is given of him.. Upon Hermione's going off with a Menace to Pyrrhus, the Audience gave a loud Clap ; to which Sir R OG ER added, On my Word, a notable young Baggage!

AS there was a very remarkable Silence and Stilness in the Audience during the whole Action, it was natural for them to take the Opportunity of these Intervals between the A&ts, to exprefs the Opinion of the Players, and of their respective Parts. Sir ROGER hearing a Cluster of

them