Twice round the clock; or, The hours of the day and night in London . erefore, theleader has become the led, and I am grateful to him for his service ascicerone in introducing me to the domains of Terpsichore. Assume, 0 reader and spectator—to violate no academical privacy—that we are in the salle de danse conducted for so many years, and withso much success, by Mrs. Hercules Fanteague, late of the Royal each day, from morn till dewy eve, does Mrs. Fanteague— a little woman, who, at no remote period of time, has been pretty assisted by her husband, Mr. Hercules Fanteague, a d
Twice round the clock; or, The hours of the day and night in London . erefore, theleader has become the led, and I am grateful to him for his service ascicerone in introducing me to the domains of Terpsichore. Assume, 0 reader and spectator—to violate no academical privacy—that we are in the salle de danse conducted for so many years, and withso much success, by Mrs. Hercules Fanteague, late of the Royal each day, from morn till dewy eve, does Mrs. Fanteague— a little woman, who, at no remote period of time, has been pretty assisted by her husband, Mr. Hercules Fanteague, a diminutive gentle-man, with tight pantaloons and a kit, and a numerous family of sonsand daughters, who all appear to have been born dancing-masters andmistresses, give private instruction to ladies and gentlemen, who are asyet novices in the art, or who are too shame-faced to venture upon theordeal of public instruction. But, at nine oclock in the evening, com-mences the public academy—the hop, as some persons, innocent of NINE A DANCING ACADEMY. 281. 282 TWICE HOUND THE CLOCK. the bump of veneration, call it. There, in the tastefully yet cheaplydecorated saloon, with its boarded floor and flying cupids and sylphideson the panels—there, where the gas shines, and the enlivening strains ofa band, composed of a harp,, piano, and violin, are heard—there, in aremote section of the apartment—the pons asinorum of the dancing-school—the adult gentlemen, who are as yet in the accidence or rudi-ments of dancing, are instructed in the mysteries of the positions7and preliminary steps by Mrs. Hercules Fanteague. The dancing-mistress is obliged to be very firm and decided, not to say severe, withher awkward pupils ; for some are inclined to blush, and some to laughand whisper disparaging jokes to one another, and some to tie their legsinto knots and imitate the action of the old shutter telegraphs withtheir arms, and some to sink into a state of stony immobility and se
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Keywords: ., bookauthormcconnel, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookyear1859
