simple melody, with a few chaste graces, she would have performed well, for she has a fine voice, with great compass and command. Her second song, "For sure a pair was never seen," was well sung, by keeping simply to the tune.The lady who played Donna Louisa (Mrs Kemble, I think, was her name) was extremely pleasing in her part. She acted with elegance, Her voice is sweet and simplicity, and ease. melodious, though not powerful; and she sung with taste. Upon the whole, I was very toler ably amused, and shall attend the theatre every evening I can during my stay in town.

I cannot conclude without observing how much matters are changed since I was a young fellow, and used to attend theatrical representations. A parcel of beardless, witless boys, from what I saw last night, seem to assume to themselves the privilege of being dictators of public taste. They applauded by loud clapping of hands, where they ought to have been silent; and the galleries, always ready to join in an uproar, followed the example, while the company in the pit and boxes stared with astonishment and pity. Young people at their in my time, were modest and diffident.-The impudence of some of the school-boys, with their lank hair over their shoulders, to me was mar

age,

vellous indeed!-Several of them, with great effrontery, put on the broad cock of their hats before, and boldly marched up to the side boxes, where the poor wretched creatures, the girls of the town (as I was told) were sitting, with a mother bawd at their head, like the mistress of a boarding-school; the young misses below looking up to the young masters, their dancingschool companions, and giggling at the frolic.

Had one of my sons done so, I would have whipped him severely, or sent him to the sea as a never-do-well.

As my friends in the country read your paper, your inserting this will save me a good deal of writing.

I am, &c.

JOHN PEPPERCORN,

[It is difficult to account for the versatility of manners and fashions in a country.-The weekly dancing assemblies, for many years, were the most fashionable and crowded resorts of elegant and polite company.-They suddenly became deserted; which gave occasion to the following paper.]

FOR THE

EDINBURGH EVENING COURANT.

SIR,

THE rapid decline of dancing in this country, and particularly in the capital, seems a matter of such serious moment to all admirers of the fair sex, that I hope a few observations on the subject, together with a hint tending to a means of reviving a spirit for this elegant art, will prove neither wholly useless nor impertinent. The fact will hardly be disputed: It is too well known, that not above three or four assemblies have been attended this winter; and of private balls we can, alas! enumerate only two. All hopes are now over. The week of preaching, which generally terminates the amusements of this place, is past, and we must now look upon the season as irretrievably closed. Not a marriage, hardly a flirtation has adorned it; bosoms of snow have heaved, and brightest eyes have rolled unheeded.-Never indeed have the ladies been more cruelly mortified. So negligent were the men, that one evening the ladies were driven to the sad resource of footing it with one another. Persons of a saturnine disposition found ample food for their spleen on this

Y

occasion; it appeared in their eyes a heinous offence, a violation of propriety, and an outrage against decency. It is notorious that the men have for several years been perversely obstinate in refusing to dance; even the limbs of the law decline the cause, and we no longer hear of an Advocate's ball. It is evident, unless some steps are speedily taken, the art itself must be lost among us. The minuet with its beautiful movement, the cheerful country-dance, the joyous jigg, the riotous reel, the boisterous bumpkin, the sprightly strathspey, and the courtly cotillion, will soon fall into everlasting oblivion. We seem scarcely sensible of what we are about to lose: In few situations does a fine woman appear to more advantage than when dancing. The whole person thrown into the most elegant and engaging attitudes is surely a most alluring spectacle; add to this, the complexion glowing with exercise, and the countenance enlivened with smiles and cheerfulness. This matter bears peculiarly hard upon my fair country women, as they are hereby prevented from displaying attractions which nature has lavishly bestowed up. on them. Perhaps in the fine texture of skin, and the brightness of bloom, the English ladies may equal ours; but I aver, that in neatness of ancle, and prettiness of foot, the Scots women

reign unrivalled. Sensible of these charms, whatever taste could invent, or art execute, has been employed in the decoration of the shoe. It has been stretched in the tambour, and has glittered with spangles and embroidery; every combination of colours has been used that could please or allure the eye; but all in vain; the men have continued motionless, and one would have imagined that an hereditary gout, or an universal sprained ancle had overspread the land. Long has it been the object of my thoughts to restore things to their ancient footing, and to bring the light fantastic toe once more into fashion. I have at last, after much reflection, hit upon an expedient which wears a flattering appearance of success. Desperate diseases, as some persons profound in speculation have remarked, require desperate cures. My cure is indeed a desperate one. My fair tender-hearted readers will, I fear, shudder with horror at the thoughts of it; in one word, I mean to effectuate my designs by poison. The Tarantula is a spider with eight legs, found in certain districts of Italy, whose bite has generally been reckoned mortal, unless proper assistance is procured. The only efficacious remedies yet found out are music and dancing. At certain notes the patient finds himself seized with an irresistible desire of skipping, leaping,