DAR 
1) . ‘i N 
Mhich they have added so much animation 
and dignity in their performance, that in- 
stances have occurred of personages of high 
rank, who, in the simple minuet, displayed 
such noble grace, as interested some of 
the spectators even to tears. This circum- 
stance serves to prove that the utmost care 
should be taken to prevent dancing from 
degenerating into the insinuating prelude 
to vice, as many of the expeiienced female 
performers on our different stages dress 
and exhibit their persons in a manner rather 
reprehensible, and at least remind us of 
the dancing-girls of the East, where sets 
of young and beautiful prostitutes, are 
taught the art of pleasing as a science, and 
to dance as a principal allurement. Some 
of those unfortunate beings are attached 
to the Gentoo temples, and the service of 
their priests, and tire fascinations of several 
have been sufficiently powerful to attract 
the affections of chiefs and princes ; others 
have acquired great wealth, and in the 
neighbourhood of Goa, is a village founded 
by them, where they i-eside and attend the 
rich when, they choose to send for them to 
their voluptuous aitertainments. These 
w-antons array themselves in the utmost 
splendour and extravagance, and are cer- 
tainly agreeable objects in the estimation 
of their countrymen ; but Europeans differ 
greatly in their opinions respecting their 
persons and dances, some pronouncing 
tlieir movements merely la-scivious, and 
others graceful and dangerous. These ob- 
servations are the more necessary since 
dancing has become a favourite spectacle 
at our theatres, and as many of the grand 
ballets arc attended with a considerable 
degree of pathos and effect, though fre- 
quently degraded by the extremity of ges- 
ticulation and distortion of the limbs, which 
can only be applauded for their difficulty, 
as they are directly opposite to the true 
principles of the art founded on ease, grace, 
and agility. 
Rope dancing, now classed witli the low 
amusements of a fair, or theatres pf the 
minor description, is of considerable anti- 
quity, and an art very difficult to acquire, 
as it is almost impossible even tp stand on 
the narrow diameter of a rope, extended 
several feet from the ground, without the 
utmost correctness of vision, and the total 
absence of apprehension ; when this cir- 
cumstance is recollected, it must be allowed 
that proficients in rope dancing, deserve 
the applause they universally obtain, par- 
ticularly when they unite their agile springs, 
with graceful movements of the arms and 
legs, and throw themselves on their backs 
at length on the rope, turn suddenly round, 
leap over garters, pass through hoops, or 
ascend the steep line of the rope to the 
spot where it is fastened. 
DANjEA, in botany, a genus of the Cry- 
togamia Filices class and order : fructifi- 
cation oblong, linear, transversely immersed 
in the front, parallel, many celled; cells 
in a double row, opening upwards ; seeds 
numerous, very minute. There are tw'o 
species, viz. the nodosa and alata. 
DANEGELT, a tax, or tribute on every 
hide of land, imposed on our ancestors the 
Saxons, by the Danes, on their frequent; 
invasions, as the arbitrary terms of peace 
and departure. It was first imposed as a 
continual yearly tax upon the whole nation, 
under King Ethelred, It was levied by 
William I. and II. but was released by 
Henry I. and finally abolished by King 
Stephen. No church, or church-land paid 
the danegelt, because, as is set forth in the 
ancient Saxon law, the people of England 
placed more confidence in the prayers of 
the church,' than in any militaiy defence 
they could make. 
DAPHNE, in botany, a genus , of the 
Octandria Monogynia class and order. Nar 
tural order Vepreculae. Thymelte®, Jus- 
sieu. Essential character ; calyx none ; 
corolla four-cleft, corollaceous, withering; 
including the stamens ; berry one-seeded. 
There are 28 species: these are shrubs about 
five feet high. D. Mezereum. Mezereon 
is a strong woody plant, putting forth 
branches on every side, so as to form a re- 
gular head. The flowers come out very 
early in the spring, before the leaves, in 
clusters all round the shoots of the former 
year, Tlie leaves are smooth and entire, of 
a pale green colour, about two inches long 
and three quarters of an inch broad. It is 
a native of Lapland, Sweden, penmark, 
Germany, Switzerland, France, and Great 
Britain. 
DARAPTI, among logicians, one of the 
modes of syllogisms of the third figure, 
w'hose premises are universal affirmatives, 
and the conclusion is a particular affirma^ 
five: thus, 
Dar- Every body is divisible; 
. AP- Every body is a substance ; 
Ti. Therefore some substance is di- 
visible. 
DARE A, in botany, a genus of theCryp- 
tpgamia Filices class and order. Fructifi- 
cation in scattered nearly marginal lines j 
