Glissade
of the right foot behind to the fourth position aside—the left foot is brought to the third position behind—then the
pas de basque
is executed by the right foot, bringing it forward, and you recommence with the left. The
pas de basque
should be made in three very equal beats, as in the Mazurka. The lady performs the same steps as the gentleman, beginning by the
pas de basque
with the right foot. To waltz à deux temps to the measure of the Redowa, we should make each step upon each beat of the bar, and find ourselves at every two bars, the gentleman with his left foot forwards, and the lady with her right, that is to say, we should make one whole and one half step to every bar. The music is rather slower than for the ordinary waltz.
Phosphorus was Discovered in 1677.
148. Valse Cellarius
The gentleman takes the lady's left hand with his right, moving one bar to the left by
glissade
, and two hops on his left foot, while the lady does the same to the right, on her right foot; at the second bar they repeat the same with the other foot—this is repeated for sixteen bars; they then waltz sixteen bars,
glissade
and two hops, taking care to occupy the time of two bars to get quite round. The gentleman now takes both hands of the lady, and makes the grand square—moving three bars to his left—at the fourth bar making two beats while turning the angle; his right foot is now moved forward to the other angle three bars—at the fourth, beat again while turning the angle; the same repeated for sixteen bars—the lady having her right foot forward when the gentleman has his left toot forward; the waltz is again repeated; after which several other steps are introduced, but which must needs be seen to be understood.
149. Circular Waltz.
The dancers form a circle, then promenade during the introduction—all waltz sixteen bars—set, holding partner's right hand, and turn—waltz thirty-two bars—rest, and turn partners slowly—face partner and chassez to the right and left—pirouette lady twice with the right hand, all waltz sixteen bars—set and turn—all form a circle, still retaining the lady by the right hand, and move round to the left, sixteen bars—waltz for finale.
150. Polka Waltzes
The couples take hold of hands as in the usual waltz.
First Waltz.
The gentleman hops the left foot well forward, then hack; and
glissades
half round. He then hops the right foot forward and back, and
glissades
the other half round. The lady performs the same steps, beginning with the right foot.
Second.
The gentleman, hopping, strikes the left heel three times against the right heel, and then jumps half round on the left foot; he then strikes the right heel three times against the left, and jumps on the right foot, completing the circle. The lady does the same steps with reverse feet.
Third.
The gentleman raises up the left foot, steps it lightly on the ground forward, then strikes the right heel smartly twice, and
glissades
half round. The same is then done with the other foot. The lady begins with the right foot.
151. Valse a Deux Temps.
This waltz contains, like the common waltz, three times, but differently divided. The first time consists of a gliding step; the second a chassez, including two times in one. A chassez is performed by bringing one leg near the other, then moving it forward, backward, right, left, and round. The gentleman begins by sliding to the left with his left foot, then performing a chassez towards the left with his right foot without turning at all during the first two times. He then slides backwards with his right leg, turning half round; after which he puts his left leg behind, to perform a chassez forward, turning then half round for the second time. The lady waltzes in the same manner, except that the first time she slides to the right with the right foot, and also performs the chassez on the right, and continues the same as the gentleman, except that she slides backwards with her right foot when the gentleman slides with his left foot to the left; and when the gentleman slides with his right foot backwards, she slides with the left foot to the left. To perform this waltz gracefully, care must be taken to avoid jumping, but merely to slide, and keep the knees slightly bent.
Average Weight of Man's Brain, 3-1/2lbs, Woman's 2lbs. 11oz.
152. Circassian Circle
The company is arranged in couples round the room—the ladies being placed on the right of the gentlemen,—after which, the first and second couples lead off the dance.
Figure.
Eight and left, set and turn partners—ladies' chain, waltz.
At the conclusion, the first couple with fourth, and the second with the third couple, recommence the figure,—and so on until they go completely round the circle, when the dance is concluded.
153. Polka
In the polka there an but two principal steps, all others belong to fancy dances, and much mischief and inconvenience is likely to arise from their improper introduction into the ball-room.
There are a variety of other steps of a fancy character, but they can only be understood with the aid of a master, and even when well studied, must be introduced with care. The polka should be danced with grace and elegance, eschewing all
outré
and ungainly steps and gestures, taking care that the leg is not lifted too high, and that the dance is not commenced in too abrupt a manner. Any number of couples may stand up, and it is the privilege of the gentleman to form what figure he pleases, and vary it as often as his fancy and taste may dictate.
Man's Heart Beats 92,160 Times in a Day.
154. The Gorlitza
is similar to the polka, the figures being waltzed through.
155. The Schottische
The gentleman holds the lady precisely as in the polka. Beginning with the left foot, he slides it forward, then brings up the right foot to the place of the left, slides the left foot forward, and springs or hops on this foot. This movement is repeated to the right. He begins with the right foot, slides it forward, brings up the left foot to the place of the right foot, slides the right foot forward again, and hops upon it. The gentleman springs twice on the left foot, turning half round; twice on the right foot; twice
encore
on the left foot, turning half round; and again twice on the right foot, turning half round. Beginning again, he proceeds as before. The lady begins with the right foot, and her step is the same in principle as the gentleman's. Vary, by a
reverse turn
; or by going in a straight line round the room. Double, if you like, each part, by giving four bars to the first part, and four bars to the second part. The
time
may be stated as precisely the same as in the polka; but let it not be forgotten that
La Schottische
ought to be danced
much slower
.
156. Country Dances. Sir Roger de Coverley
First lady and bottom gentleman advance to centre, salute, and retire; first gentleman and bottom lady, same. First lady and bottom gentleman advance to centre, turn, and retire; first gentleman and bottom lady the same. Ladies promenade, turning off to the right down the room, and back to places, while gentlemen do the same, turning to the left; top couple remain at bottom; repeat to the end of dance.
157. La Polka Country Dances.
All form two lines, ladies on the right, gentlemen on the left.
158. The Highland Reel
This dance is performed by the company arranged in parties of three, along the room in the following manner: a lady between two gentlemen, in double rows. All advance and retire—each lady then performs the reel with the gentleman on her right hand, and retires with the opposite gentleman to places—hands three round and back again—all six advance and retire— then lead through to the next trio, and continue the figure to the end of the room. Adopt the Highland step, and music of three-four time.
159. Terms used to Describe the Movements of Dances.
The Human Body has 240 Bones.
160. Scandal—Live it down.
Should envious tongues some malice frame,To soil and tarnish your good name,Live it down!Grow not disheartened; 'tis the lotOf all men, whether good or not:Live it down!Him not in answer, but be calm;For silence yields a rapid balm:Live it down!Go not among your friends and say,Evil hath fallen on my way:Live it down!Far better thus yourself aloneTo suffer, than with friends bemoanThe trouble that is all your own:Live it down!What though menevilcall yourgood!SoChristHimself, misunderstood,Was nailed unto a cross of wood!And now shall you for lesser pain,Your inmost soul for ever stain,By rendering evil back again?Live it down!
161. Errors in Speaking
There are several kinds of errors in speaking. The most objectionable of them are those in which words are employed that are unsuitable to convey the meaning intended. Thus, a person wishing to express his intention of going to a given place, says, "I
propose
going," when, in fact, he
purposes
going. The following affords an amusing illustration of this class of error:—A venerable matron was speaking of her son, who, she said, was quite stage-struck. "In fact," remarked the old lady, "he is going to a
premature
performance this evening!" Considering that most
amateur
performances are
premature
, it cannot be said that this word was altogether misapplied; though, evidently, the maternal intention was to convey quite another meaning.
162. Other Errors
arise from the substitution of sounds similar to the words which should be employed; that is, spurious words instead of genuine ones. Thus, some people say "renumerative," when they mean "remunerative." A nurse, recommending her mistress to have a
perambulator
for her child, advised her to purchase a
preamputator!
163. Other Errors (2)
are occasioned by imperfect knowledge of the English grammar: thus, many people say, "Between you and I," instead of "Between you and
me
." And there are numerous other departures from the rules of grammar, which will be pointed out hereafter.
164. By the Misuse of the Adjective:
"What
beautiful
butter!" "What a
nice
landscape! "They should say, "What a
beautiful
landscape!" "What
nice
butter!" Again, errors are frequently occasioned by the following causes:
165. By the Mispronunciation of Words.
Many persons say
pro
noun
ciation
instead of
pronunciation
; others say pro-nun'-she-a-shun, instead of pro-nun-ce-a-shun.
166. By the Misdivision of Words and syllables.
This defect makes the words
an ambassador
sound like
a nam-bassador
, or
an adder
like
a nadder
.
167. By Imperfect Enunciation,
as when a person says
hebben
for
heaven
,
ebber
for
ever
,
jocholate
for
chocolate
, &c
168. By the Use of Provincialisms
or words retained from various dialects, of which we give the following examples:
169. Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Suffolk, &c
Foyne, twoyne, for
fine
,
twine
; ineet for
night
; a-mon for
man
; poo for
pull
.
170. Cumberland, Scotland, &c
Cuil, bluid, for
cool
,
blood
; spwort, seworn, whoam, for
sport
,
scorn
,
home
; a-theere for
there
; e-reed, seeven, for
red
,
seven
; bleedin' for
bleeding
; hawf for
half
; saumon for
salmon
.
171. Devonshire, Cornwall, &c
F-vind for
find
; fet for
fetch
; wid for
with
; zee for
see
; tudder for
the other
; drash, droo, for
thrash
, and
through
; gewse for
goose
, &c
172. Essex, London, &c
V-wiew for
view;
vent for
went;
vite for
white;
ven for
when;
vot for
what
. Londoners are also prone to say Toosday for
Tuesday;
noomerous for
numerous
; noospaper for
newspaper
, &c
The Musical Scale was Invented in 1022.
173. Hereford, &c
Clom for
climb;
hove for
heave;
puck for
pick;
rep for
reap;
sled for
sledge
.
174. Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, &c
Housen for
houses;
a-ioyne for
lane;
mon for
man;
thik for
this;
brig for
bridge;
thack, pick, for
thatch, pitch
.
175. Yorkshire, &c
Foyt for
foot;
foight for
fight;
o-noite, foil, coil, hoil, for
note, foal, coal, hole;
loyne for
lane;
o-nooin, gooise, fooil, tooil, for
noon, goose, fool, tool;
spwort, scworn, whoam, for
sport, scorn, home;
g-yet for
gate
.
176. Examples of Provincial Dialects
The following will be found very amusing:
177. The Cornish Schoolboy
An ould man found, one day, a young gentleman's portmantle, as he were a going to es dennar; he took'd et en and gived et to es wife, and said, "Mally, here's a roul of lither, look, see, I suppoase some poor ould shoemaker or other have los'en; tak'en, and put'en a top of the teaster of tha bed; he'll be glad to hab'en agin sum day, I dear say." The ould man, Jan, that was es neame, went to es work as before. Mally then opened the portmantle, and found en et three hunderd pounds. Soon after thes, the ould man not being very well, Mally said, "Jan, I'ave saaved away a little money, by the bye, and as thee caan't read or write, thee shu'st go to scool" (he were then nigh threescore and ten). He went but a very short time, and comed hoam one day and said, "Mally, I waint go to scool no more, 'caase the childer do be laffen at me: they can tell their letters, and I caan't tell my A, B, C, and I wud rayther go to work agen." "Do as thee wool," ses Mally. Jan had not been out many days, afore the young gentleman came by that lost the portmantle, and said, "Well, my ould man, did'ee see or hear tell o' sich a thing as a portmantle?" "Port-mantle, sar, was't that un, sumthing like thickey?" (pointing to one behind es saddle). "I vound one the t'other day zackly like that." "Where es, et?" "Come along, I carr'd'en and gov'en to my ould 'ooman, Mally; thee sha't av'en, nevr vear.—Mally, where es that roul of lither I broft en tould thee to put en a top o' the teaster of the bed,