THE QUADRILLE. 279 



Gentlemen who dance cannot be too careful not to injure the dresses of 

 the ladies who do them the honour to stand up with them. The young 

 men of the present day are singularly careless in this respect, and when 

 they have torn a lady's delicate skirt, appear to think the mischief they 

 have done scarcely worth the trouble of an apology. 



A gentleman conducts his last partner to the supper-room, and having 

 waited upon her while there, re-conducts her to the ball-room. 



Never attempt to take a place in a dance which has been previously 

 engaged 



A thoughtful hostess will never introduce a bad dancer to a good one, 

 because she has no right to punish one friend in order to oblige another. 



It is not customary for married persons to dance together in society. 



THE QUADRILLE. 



The Quadrille is the most universal, as it is certainly the most sociable 

 of all fashionable dances. It admits of pleasant conversation, frequent 

 interchange of partners, and is adapted to every age, the young or old ; the 

 ponderous paterfamilias or his sylph-like daughter, may with equal pro- 

 priety take part in its easy and elegant figures. Even an occasional 

 blunder is of less consequence in this dance than in many others, for each 

 personage is in some degree free as to his own movements, not being com- 

 pelled by the continual embrace of his partner to dance either better or 

 worse than he may find convenient. 



People now generally walk through a quadrille. Nothing more than a 

 perfect knowledge of the figure, a graceful demeanour, and a correct ear 

 for the time of the music are requisite to enable any one to take a credit- 

 able part in this dance. 



as a '^'ntleman has engaged his partner for the quadrille, he 



iM emleavour to secure as his vis-d-vis some friend or acquaintance, 



ami slioul-1 tli>-n Ir.i'l his partner to the top of the quadrille, provided that 



of honour In- still vacant. He will place the lady always at hU ri 

 band 



Quadrille mu>ie is divided into ,-i-ht bars, for each part of the ti 

 two steps >hoiill l.e taken in every liar; every movement tlm^ invariably 



lit or f< ur B( 

 It U w.-ll not to h-arn too many new figures; the memory is Hal 



; among them ; besides which, il is doubtful whether your 



partner, or \ arne.l in tin- ma 1 1. r as yourself. MEM 



Are v fond of inventing ami teji,-hin_r new ti-ure^ ; but you will 



