ON EXERCISES. 367 



them to figure in the chorus, from whence they 

 are called figure dancers. The tumblers and 

 rope dancers are not worthy to be mentioned 

 here, as there is no talent required in their per- 

 formances, but merely the dint of practice. 



XL With regard to the dance of focicty, the 

 manner of it is greatly altered in Europe. For- 

 merly, for example, they danced in France and 

 elfewhere the pavan, a grave dance that came 

 from Spain , wherein the dancers made a ring 

 by pafling one before the other, like peacocks 

 with their long tails. The noblemen perform- 

 ed this ferious dance with a cap of flate and a 

 fword i the judges in their long robes, the prin- 

 ces in their mantles, and the ladies with the 

 tails of their robes trailing behind them. This 

 was what they called the grand ball. Such gra- 

 vity would appear highly comic in our days, as 

 all affe&ation is now laid afide, and nothing is 

 called ferious but what is really fo : fuch mi- 

 mickries of the majeftic, therefore, as thefe, 

 would be regarded as childifh and treated with 

 contempt. In the time of Lewis XIV^ they 

 ftill danced at court and at Paris, amiable vain- 

 queurs, pafiepics, larabands, courants, &c* 

 But all thclc grand matters have been dilmified, 

 and configned to the wardrobe of ancient gal- 

 lantry ; from whence, however, they may be 

 one day again brought forth, by inconftancy 

 and by the love of novelty. The modern prac- 

 tice of dancing is confined to the minuet and 



con t re 



