| Citation |
NP.783.020
25 Dec 1783:22,23 (10/477)
. . . [Long essay on dancing] Notwithstanding the
superstitious austerity of some people, who are so extremely
scrupulous in trifles as to express great disapprobations at
the diversion of dancing, I cannot but consider that polite
amusement as a pleasure; or if they like the term better, a
folly, of such an innocent kind that it cannot possibly
carry with it, the most distant probability of offending the
Supreme Majesty of heaven: since either to walk or to run;
to jump or to move onwards with a staid and stately gait,
with a stiff or a bended knee, are in themselves extremely
indifferent, both in respect to God and to ourselves. I
even think it vastly ridiculous that there should be found a
bigot of such extravagant sentiments as to persuade himself
that, in certain graceful attitudes of the body, in which
the practice of dancing entirely consists, he can discover
the least cause of displeasure to the Deity. It appears to
me, that those poor blind zealous must infallibly represent
to themselves the divinity under the idea of an old fretful
doting misanthropist, who puts himself out of temper, at the
smallest trifles, and runs stark mad at the sound of a
violin. It is greatly to be wished that those
reverendissimoes would more religiously observe the divine
precepts, and be less severe in their censures of the
innocent pleasures of life.
Dancing is no new invention, but hath long been in
practice amongst mankind as an agreeable recreation.
Antiquity itself boasts that great advantages were drawn
from it, in respect to the health and activity of our
bodies. As a testimony of it's great use to the gentlemen
of the sword, I shall produce the following lines:
. . . [Latin quotation]
For those with dances, who praise God aright,
The best of soldiers prove themselves in fight.
We read in the sixth chapter of the second book of the
prophet Samuel, that "David danced before the Lord with all
his might;" and in another part of the sacred volume are we
told of the high estimation set upon the dance among the
children of Israel; who, to testify their gratitude to their
great deliverer Judith, for the slaughter of Holosernes,
stiled, for this very action, by the high priest, and all
the antients, "the exaltation of jerusalem--the great glory
of Israel--rewarded her with a dance, in which she went
before all the people, leading all the women." The learned
Golias tells us that among the Greeks, there were five
different kinds of bodily exercises, called "Artes gymnasti
[ ]." Gymnastick arts, that were always accounted
extremely laudable, one of which was the dance. Homer calls
dancing an endowment, and a science, which he honors with
the [ ] of divine---Athineas and Lucian, [ ] remark that
the admirable Socrates was infinitely fond of dancing. How
great would have been my pleasure, to have beheld that
venerable philosopher jigging and whirling himself about in
a country dance, stepping in a minuet, or cutting capers in
a horn-pipe? For it is recorded in these authors, that in
spite of his very crooked legs, he would always make on in a
dance. Pyrrhus was so extremely fond of dancing, that he
became the investor of a certain kind of them, which
afterwards bore his name. The great Astinchus was
passionately fond this diversion, and the poet Pindar calls
Jupiter himself a dancer. The famous and severe legislator
of Sparta, Lycurgus, enjoined his citizens the practice of
dancing by law.
I think I have thus, from both sacred and prophane
history, furnished abundant proof, that dancing hath ever
met with the approbation of every rank, age, and nation,
except among a few hypocritical bigots in our own; who, in
the language of scripture, are very apt to strain at a gnat,
but swallow the camel.
. . . [Latin quotation]
While real crimes scarce meet the rigid judge's frown,
Sweet innocence is lash'd though all the streets in town.
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