Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XI.—April, 1851—Vol. II.Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XI.—April, 1851—Vol. II.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
"Twopenny-hops" are much resorted to by the costermongers, men and
women, boys and girls. At these dances decorum is sometimes, but not
often, violated. "The women," I was told by one man, "doesn't show their
necks as I've seen the ladies do in them there pictures of high life in
the shop-winders, or on the stage. Their Sunday gowns, which is their
dancing gowns, ain't made that way." At these "hops" the clog-hornpipe
is often danced, and sometimes a collection is made to insure the
performance of a first-rate professor of that dance; sometimes, and more
frequently, it is volunteered gratuitously. The other dances are jigs,
"flash jigs"--hornpipes in fetters--a dance rendered popular by the
success of the acted "Jack Sheppard"--polkas, and country-dances, the
last-mentioned being generally demanded by the women. Waltzes are as yet
unknown to them. Sometimes they do the "pipe-dance." For this a number
of tobacco-pipes, about a dozen, are laid close together on the floor,
and the dancer places the toe of his boot between the different pipes,
keeping time with the music. Two of the pipes are arranged as a cross,
and the toe has to be inserted between each of the angles, without
breaking them. The numbers present at these "hops" vary from 30 to 100
of both sexes, their ages being from 14 to 45, and the female sex being
slightly predominant as to the proportion of those in attendance. At
these "hops" there is nothing of the leisurely style of dancing--half a
glide and half a skip--but vigorous, laborious capering. The hours are
from half-past eight to twelve, sometimes to one or two in the morning,
and never later than two, as the costermongers are early risers. There
is sometimes a good deal of drinking; some of the young girls being
often pressed to drink, and frequently yielding to the temptation.
From £1 to £7 is spent in drink at a hop; the youngest men or lads
present spend the most, especially in that act of costermonger
politeness--"treating the gals." The music is always a fiddle, sometimes
with the addition of a harp and a cornopean. The band is provided by the
costermongers, to whom the assembly is confined; but during the present
and the last year, when the costers' earnings have been less than the
average, the landlord has provided the harp, whenever that instrument
has added to the charms of the fiddle.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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