244 



CUSTOMS AND MANNERS. 



lous motions of the body, dire£lirig the view to every side with 

 an affe6led languor, and with such gestures as would excite 

 laughter in spleen itself. They speak like a treble, addressing 

 and treating each other as if they were nymphs." But my pen, 

 unaccustomed to such descriptions, whatever pains it might 

 take, would no doubt leave the portraiture imperfe6l. The 

 celebrated adventure which befel me a few days ago, will shew 

 that the copy resembles the original. 



My imagination being wholly occupied by what I had wit- 

 nessed, I could not do less, when I saw my host, than acquaint 

 him how much I had been surprized at this rare phenomenon. 

 He, who was very familiar with this description of beings, 

 replied to me carelessly, that these defe6ts, as they were not 

 carried to an excess, were little deserving of my notice ; but 

 that if I wished to be amused, and to form a competent idea 

 of the mode of thinking of these singular men, he would take 

 me that evening to a ball which was to be given, to celebrate 

 the birth-day of one of the parties. I gladly accepted his offer, 

 and as soon as the appointed time was arrived, we repaired to 

 the house of festivity. The entrance had fallen into decay 

 through the lapse of time. Having passed the court-yard, we 

 came to a hall which had not any other covering than the sky, 

 nor any other furniture beside the mouldy walls. We next pro- 

 ceeded to the parlour, which was regularly ornamented, and 

 lighted with several tapers. At one of the sides I perceived a 

 buffet covered with vessels of silver ; but that which engaged 

 all my attention, was a long bench, on which were seated a 

 great number of negro and mulatto women, arrayed in the 

 richest apparel. I could not help admiring this change of 

 conditions, on seeing, in the guise of seignoras, those who in 



our 



