1830.] The Musing Musician. 405 



unusual discoveries, I feel that I am indeed fixed. There I am, like 

 Prometheus, chained to a mahogany rock stuffed with horse-hair, with 

 the piano-forte preying upon me like a vulture. 



These reflections have been forced upon my mind by a circumstance 

 that occurred the other evening. I was engaged professionally to attend 

 a little party where the mistress of the ceremonies was understood to be 

 an advocate for regular hours, and I accordingly entertained strong 

 hopes of getting home by two or three o'clock. When I entered the 

 room, conceive my dismay and disappointment at beholding, ranged 

 before me, not less than a dozen of the most indefatigable and deter- 

 mined torturers of the fantastic toe that ever danced till seven, drank 

 coffee, and danced again. There were many others scattered about ; 

 but the dreadful dozen, that formidable twelve they were the jury by 

 whom my temper was to be tried the signs of the Zodiac through 

 which I was destined to travel. They were stars that did not think of 

 shining till the morning planets that would scorn to turn pale till 

 daybreak. I read my doom in their eyes they had dressed for my 

 destruction. Seeing that there was to be no mercy, I made up my mind 

 for mischief. After bowing to the multitude like one who is brought 

 forth to suffer some dreadful sentence for the benefit of society (the 

 parallel will not hold good, for I lacked the necessary nightcap how I 

 longed for it !) I took my seat with a smiling face and a desponding 

 heart. I was determined to endure calmly. I was quite patient the 

 very personification of an angler fishing for philosophic consolation. 



Dancing commenced. The company proceeded to take their pleasure 

 in pairs, entering the ark of happiness two and two ; each fop with a 

 female I with my piano. What a partner ! and to have it for life, 

 too, as appeared at length to be my lot. I bore my fate with calmness 

 nay, with contentment ; particularly as they commenced with some 

 shew of moderation, and allowed me nearly a minute and a half between 

 each quadrille. This playing and purring with me, however, was only 

 to enable them to devour me at last with the greater relish. They ap- 

 peared to regard me as a mouse instead of a musician. At least it never 

 seemed to enter into the imagination of anybody that I was anything but 

 a part of the instrument ; a piece of mortal machinery, that, when out 

 of order, might be tuned or wound up with wine and water. 



The situation of the frog renowned in fable presented itself to my 

 recollection, and I felt that their rapture was to be my ruin. I relieved 

 my mind in some degree from the pressure of sorrow, by inveighing 

 bitterly against the legislature, that, while it has provided such appro- 

 priate punishments for house-breaking, suffers heart-breaking to be 

 practised with impunity. 



It was now long past midnight, and they continued to glide and glis- 

 ten about the room, with as much vigour and brilliancy as if they had 

 only just commenced. I could read in every face at the termination of 

 a dance, f( to be continued in our next." Like authors who are paid by 

 the sheet, a conclusion was with them quite out of the question. They 

 appeared insensible to fatigue, and were evidently disposed to dance on 

 for ever. Life in their philosophy seemed so short, that it was hardly 

 worth while to leave off. A quadrille was their pursuit, their occupation 

 the object they were born for. There was nothing else in nature in 

 their eyes. People were created but to dance and die. The world itself 



