THO' I fhall from time to time difplay the Lovers Vagabond in their proper Colours, I here publish an A&t of Indemnity to all Females who took them for fine Fellows 'till my Writings appeared, that is to fay, (for in a publick Act we must be very clear) I fhall not look back to any thing that happened before Thursday the 25th of February last past, that being the first Day of my Appearance in Publick.

I expect, therefore, to find, that on that Day all vagrant Defires took their leave of the Cities of London and Westminster.

IN order to recover Simplicity of Manners without the Lofs of true Gaiety of Life, I fhall take upon me the Office of Arbiter Elegantiarum. I cannot eafily put those two Latin into two as expreffive English Words: but my Meaning is, to fet up for a Judge of elegant Pleasures, and I fhall dare to affert, in the first place, (to fhew both the difcerning and feverity of a just Judge) that the greatest Elegance of Delights confifts in the Innocence of them; I expect, therefore, à Seat to be kept for me at all Balls, and a Ticket fent, that by my felf, or a fubordinate Officer of mine, I may know what is done and faid at all Affemblies of Diverfion; I fhall take care to fubftitute none, where I cannot be my felf prefent, who are not fit for the best bred Society; in the Choice of fuch Deputies I shall have particular regard to their being accomplished in the little Ufages of ordinary and common Life, as well as in noble and liberal Arts.

I

I have many Youths, who, in the intermediate Seafons between the Terms at the Univerfities, are under my Difcipline, after being perfect Masters of the Greek and Roman Eloquence, to learn of me ordinary things, fuch as coming in, and going out of a Room. Mr. Severn himself, whom I now make the Pattern of Good-breeding, and my top fine Gentleman, was with me twice a Day for fix Months upon his first coming to Town, before he could leave the Room with any tolerable Grace; when he had a mind to be going he never could move without bringing in the Words, Well Sir, I find I interrupt you; or Well I fear you have other Business, or Well I must be going; hereupon I made him give me a certain Sum of Mony down in Hand, under the Penalty of forfeiting Twenty Shillings every time upon going away he pronounced the Particle well. I will not fay how much it coft him before he could get well out of the Room. Some filly Particle or other, as it were to tack the taking leave with the reft of the Difcourfe, is a common Error of young Men of good Education.

THOI have already declared I fhall not ufe Words of Foreign Termination, I cannot help it if my Correfpondents do it. A Gentleman therefore who fubfcribes Aronces, and writes to me concerning fome Regulations to be made among a Sett of Country Dancers, must be more particular in his Account. His general Complaint is, that the Men who are at the Expence of the Ball, bring People of different Characters together, and the Libertine and Innocent are huddled, to

the

the Danger of the latter, and Encouragement of the former. I have frequently obferved this kind of Enormity, and must defire Aronces to give me an exa& Relation of the Airs and Glances of the whole Company, and particularly how Mrs. Gatty fets, when it happens that the is to pass by the Lover Vagabond, who, I find, is got into that Company by the Favour of his Coufin Fenny. For i defign to have a very strict Eye upon these Diversions, and it fhall not fuffice, that, according to the Author of The Rape of the Lock, all Faults are laid upon Sylphs; when I make my Enquiry, as the fame Author has it,

What guards the Purity of melting Maids
In courtly Balls and midnight Masquerades,
Safe from the treacherous Friend and daring Spark,
The Glance by Day and Whisper in the dark?
When kind Occafion prompts their warm Defires,
When Mufick softens, and when Dancing fires?

Thursday,

N° 4. Thursday, March 4.

The Dancer joining with the tuneful Throng, Adds decent Motion to the (prightly Song. This Step denotes the careful Lover, This The bardy Warrior, or the drunken Swiss. His pliant Limbs in various Figures move, And different Gestures different Paffions prove. Strange Art! that flows in filent Eloquence, That to the pleas'd Spectator can difpence Words without Sound, and, without speaking, Senfe.

9

T

Weaver's Hiftory of Dancing.

HE great Work which I have begun for the Service of the more polite Part of this Nation, cannot be fuppofed to be carried on by the Invention and Industry of a fingle Perfon only: It is, therefore, neceffary that I invite all other ingenious Perfons to affift me. Confidering my Title is The Lover, and that a good Air and Mien is (in one who pretends to please the Fair) as useful as Skill in all or any of the Arts and Sciences, I am mightily pleased to observe, that the Art of Dancing is, of late, come to take Rank in the Learned World, by being communicated in Letters and Characters, as all other parts of Knowledge have for fome Ages been. I fhall defire all thofe of the Faculty of Dancing, to write me, from time to time, all the new Steps they take in the Im

prove

provement of the Science. I this Morning read, with unfpeakable Delight, in The Evening Poft, the following Advertisement.

On Tuesday last was publish'd,

The Bretagne, a French Dance, by Mr. Pecour, and Writ by Mr. Siris; Engraven in Characters and Figures, for the use of Mafters, price 2s. 6d. Note, Mr. Siris's 'Ball Dances are likewife Printed, and his original Art of Dancing by Characters and Figures. All Sold by F. Walsh at the Harp and Hautboy in Catherine-Street in the · Strand.

·

TAKE this Dance in its full Extent and Variety, it is the belt I ever read; and tho' Mr. Siris, out of Modefty, may pretend that he has only tranflated it, I cannot but believe, from the Stile, that he himself writ it; and if I know any thing of Writing, he certainly penned the laft Coupée. This admirable Piece is full of Inftruation, you fee it is called the Bretagne, that is to fay, the Britain. It is intended for a Festival Entertainment (like Mr. Bays's Grand Dance,) that, upon Occafion of the Peace with France and Spain, the whole Nation fhould learn a new Dance together. Some of the best experienced Perfons in French Dancing, are to practise it at the great Room in York-buildings, where, it seems, the Master of the Revels lives. He, as it is usual, carries a White Wand in his Hand, and at a Motion inade with it to the Mufick, the Dance is to begin. I am credibly informed, that out of Refpect, and for Distinction

fake,