138 HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL SKETCH OF 



for affected display. You must retain your self- 

 possession, for the movement is brisk ; but with 

 self-possession there is no fear of awkwardness. 

 The reel is called ; the sets are formed, three couple 

 in each, who generally agree to dance together. 

 The music commences, and off they bound. In 

 rapid succession, we have the chase, the hey, the 

 figure of eight, right and left, cross hands, down 

 the middle, grand round, cross again, and off the 

 whole party darts again, to recommence the intoxi- 

 cating reel. Has your glove come off ? then dance 

 ungloved, for you have no time to put it on again ; 

 the hands must move as briskly as the feet. And 

 as your pace quickens with intense delight, hark 

 how the fiddlers sympathize with your joy ! Their 

 stamps become quicker, the music plays with accel- 

 erated time, and bows and fingers move with a 

 rapidity which Paganini might envy but could never 

 hope to emulate. The powers of endurance are 

 taxed to the uttermost, and set after set retire ex- 

 hausted. The last set left generally contains some 

 unlucky wight of middle age, who ventures once 

 more to enjoy the luxury of the dance. Now, how 

 wickedly do his young companions (his partner, the 

 instigator) persevere ! How gayly do they strive, 

 by keeping him on his feet, to punish his presump- 

 tion in venturing among them. But they know not 

 that men of a certain age possess powers of endur- 

 ance beyond their tender years, and after a pro- 



