The Mirror of the Graces: Containing General Instructions for Combining Elegance, Simplicity, and Economy with Fashion in Dress; Hints on Female Accomplishments and Manners; and Directions for the Preservation of Health and BeautyLady of distinction, active 19th century
History
The Mirror of the Graces: Containing General Instructions for Combining Elegance, Simplicity, and Economy with Fashion in Dress; Hints on Female Accomplishments and Manners; and Directions for the Preservation of Health and Beauty
Lady of distinction, active 19th century
Beauty, Personal; Clothing and dress -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century; Etiquette -- Great Britain
In short, in addressing my fair countrywomen on this subject, I would
sum up my advice, in regard to the choice of dances, by warning
them against the introduction of new-fangled fashions of this sort.
Let them leave the languishing and meretricious attitudes of modern
_ballet_-teachers to the dancing-girls of India, or to the Circassian
slaves of Turkey, whose disgraceful business is to please a tyrant for
whom they can feel no love.
Let our British fair also turn away from the almost equally unchaste
dances of the southern kingdoms of the continent, and, content with
the gay step of France, and the active merriment of Scotland, with
their own festive movements, continue their native country balls to
their blameless delight, and to the gratification of every tasteful and
benevolent observer.
While thus remarking on the manner of dancing, it may not be
unacceptable to add a few words on the dress most appropriate to its
light and unembarrassed motions.
Long trains are, of course, too cumbrous an appendage to be
intentionally assumed when proposing to dance; but it must also be
remarked, that very short petticoats are as inelegant as the others
are inconvenient. Scanty circumscribed habiliments impede the action
of the limbs, and, besides their indelicacy, show the leg in the least
graceful of all possible points of view. The most elegant attire for
a ball is, that the under garments should be absolutely short, but
the upper one, which should be of light material, should reach at
least to the top of the instep. It should also be sufficiently full
to fall easily in folds from the waist downwards to the foot. By this
arrangement, when the dancer begins her graceful exercise, the drapery
will elegantly adapt itself to the motion and contour of her limbs; and
falling accidentally on her foot, or as accidentally when she bounds
along, discovering, under its flying folds, her beautifully-turned
ankle. Symmetry and grace will be occasionally displayed, almost
unconsciously, and thus Modesty, taken unawares, will adorn, with
blushes, the perfect lineaments of female beauty.
What has been said in behalf of simple and appropriate dancing, may
also be whispered in the ear of the fair practitioner in music; and, by
analogy she may, not unbeneficially, apply the suggestions to her own
case.
There are many young women, who, when they sit down to the piano or
the harp, or to sing, twist themselves into so many contortions, and
writhe their bodies and faces about into such actions and grimaces,
as would almost incline one to believe that they are suffering under
the torture of the toothach, or the gout. Their bosoms heave, their
shoulders shrug, their heads swing to the right and left, their lips
quiver, their eyes roll; they sigh, they pant, they seem ready to
expire! And what is all this about? They are merely playing a favorite
concerto, or singing a new Italian song.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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