University of Virginia Library

An Apologie for Danceing, Dedicate to all the active Proficients, but more peculiarly unto Mr. R. L.

My Muse, which fornerly was wont to prize
Ladies fair hands, white necks, red lips, black eyes;
Flyes with reformed wings and (as its meet)
Layes by the head to magnifie the Feet:
The subject of this half hours thought shall be
On dancing's regular Activity:
And it is fit this Quality should be
Exalted with the feet of Poetry:
For Schollars when their flameing souls advance
To write a Poem, all their spirits dance:
First I will tell you what the essential part
Of Danceing is, and then, Have at the Art:
It is an Act, if rightly understood,
Consisting of three parts, Time, Tune, and Mood;
Time limits, Tune doth regulate, the vigor
Of Mood, doth aptly form posture, and figure:
Thus are the parts distinguish'd, I shall next
Give you a Comment on this tempting Text
In orderly Gradations, not by leaps,
But soberly ascend to it by steps.
What can be more allicient then to see
Men move with mathematique majesty?
Whose glyding feet so press the buxom earth,
As if their Motion gave the Musique birth.
Where not alone the foot, but head, arm, thigh
Contribute to compleat the harmony;
It is a fit of order where our eyes,
Have glimpses of the Spheres Rotundities:
'Tis Musick to the sight, a swift and sweet
Concord of spirits; Language of the feet,
It moves the soul with such secret devotion,
That it compels the standers by to motion:
All creatures since the world (at first did start
From Chaos) are presented by this Art:
In motion or in station, look upon,
The active glory of the rising Sun;
Where time and tune do both (at once) confine
His flameing feet along th' Ecliptique line;
Exactly to a minute, some will say,
He danceth to, upon an Easter day.
The Moon doth more then he, for (like our Apes,
In Antiques) she appears in several shapes;
Whilst round about her, (by divine command)
In figure all the Constellations stand:
And he that will on Plinies volum call,
Shall finde much order in each Animal.
The whole Creation is a Dance, where men
Rise, walk, turn, side, so to their seats agen.
An Army is a Dance, where (though an Ocean,
Of mingled men) they measure all their motion;
Who (as the trumpets sound, or drums do beat)
Lead up, that is, March on, Fall back, Retreat:
But if it chance they by the Foe are foyld,
They'r all disfigured, and the dance is spoyld.
A Common-wealth's a Dance, (mark it) Her's one:
Leads up quick time, and doth as fast fall down:
This subtil fellow sides, and that is found,
(Or rather lost) to be still turning round:
But leaving these at each hand, in the middle
A man whose feet keep time to Fortune's Fiddle:
With a Coranto pace, the rest surprizes,
Sets best leg forward, makes a chase and rises:
I could enlarge upon it, but I must
In Dancing's use and the abuse be just;
In modest men, and virtuous women this
Cannot conduce to any thing amiss:
Besides, some Dances and some Dancers be
So grave, they move like a solemnity;
Rather then such as titilate the bloud,
With any Appetite that is not good:
The true intent of dancing to me seems,
Only an Artful perfecting the Limbes
In gracious postures, such as Nature would,
Her self have brought to pass if that she could.
This Art is necessary, if it were,
Only to make the Feet familiar
To walk the streets with hansomness, or come,
With civil motion to a strangers Room:
But (in a word) these active Recreations
Are antient, good, and practiz'd by all Nations:
Th' abuses are, where persons void of fame
And full of lust, use this to feed the flame:
What's this to th' Art? the Spider and the Bee
Extract, by one rule of Phylosophy:
And that which is an ornament in one,
May in another breed destruction:
I fear that Scripture phrase, where mischief's hid,
Hath done more hurt then ever dancing did:
All things may be corrupted, meat, drink, health;
The Seat of Justice, an whole Commonwealth:
If it be so, then I may boldly say,
That Danceing is as innocent as they.