136 
COSTUME. 
on the ground all round, is put over the vest; but left open in 
front, as far as the bottom of the waist. The whole is then con¬ 
fined, with a fine Kashmere shawl. The sleeves of the gown are 
open in front of the arm, but closed at pleasure by little pine¬ 
apple-shaped gold buttons and loops. Over all this, in cold 
weather (which was the season in which I saw these ladies) is 
added the oimah, or short pelisse, of gold brocade lined with 
fur: it flows loose to the figure, with wide sleeves ; is open in 
front, reaching only a little below the knees; and has a superb, 
as well as comfortable appearance. However, when the fair 
Georgians sit or stand together, in this gorgeous apparel, the 
inflexible stiffness of their position, and total absence of motion 
in features or complexion, give them the effect, rather of large 
waxen images, which open and shut their eyes by mechanical 
ingenuity, than that of living, breathing, lovely women. 
In the course of the evening, at His Excellency’s, some of the 
Georgian young men of rank were prevailed on to show us a 
specimen of their national dance; but none of the ladies could 
be induced to take a part in it. Some noble Circassians who 
were present, very readily went through the evolutions of theirs; 
and the scene was far from uninteresting. It was not merely the 
amusement of an hour, but a spectacle which connects the his¬ 
tories of ages ; of one aboriginal people, with that of another; 
which exhibited the athletic, unconstrained limbs of natural man, 
in every attitude of vigour and agility. We might rather call it 
a game of exercise, than dancing. Though such are the dances 
of almost all barbarous, or half-civilised nations ; partaking, more^ 
or less, of the characteristics of a chivalric, savage, or brutal 
people, according to their progress towards that point of refine¬ 
ment when the dance, ceasing to be an exercise of strength, or a 
