TO SMYRNA. 23 
the Greek women, afforded me infinite pleafure. 
They were about fifteen in number, the foremoft of 
which conduced the dance, by making fig ns with a 
garment fhe held in her hand. The art confuted 
in keeping an equal half-circle, to be obferved un- 
der all their different turnings. They likewife fe- 
veral times made a labyrinth, but immediately re* 
affumed their former Ration. There was fome* 
thing particular in this dance, which at firit fight, 
convinced me it was ancient, My conjeftures were 
confirmed by Mr. Peyfonell, the French Conful, 
who hath much knowledge in what relates to Gre- 
cian antiquities. He told me, that fome monuments 
of marble had been found, on which this dance 
Was feulptured. It is fo agreeable when danced 
by Greeks, dreffed in the ancient manner and con- 
formable to the dance, that no modern invention of 
this kind feems to equal it. The mufick ufed on 
this occafion did not appear to me to have been de- 
figned for it by the antients. What I afterwards 
heard them fing, feemed to me better applied. 
The hard frofl, which had laffed a whole week, 
(the like was not remembered by the oldeft men li- 
ving) was now fo far broke, that I in the afternoon 
°f the 2d of February could venture myfelf in the 
gardens, without the town, to fee what havock win- 
ter had made ampngfl my flowers, which I a fhqrt 
time before had feen in their glory. They had 
Withflood the cold pretty well, fo that Chryfanthe- 
n \ Um an d Calendula, with feyeral others, yet adorn- 
ed the fields; but fome of the Syngenefiffs had fuf- 
cred a little. Art has been but of fmall afiiftance 
to the gardens here, except in planting a few 
Giange-trees, which do not grow wild. Nature in 
is place is amiable ; but, if a little art tvas ufed, 
1 e S ai 'd?ns here would foon poffefs much greater 
. C 4 beauties 
