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NYEP(D.752.025
10 Aug 1752:12,21 (279)
Of a Country Entertainment. From an ingenious modern
author. I am led by the regard which I bear to the ladies
and the Christmas holidays, to divert my readers with the
history of an entertainment, where I made one, at the house
of country Squire, this time twelve month.
When I went in, I found the dining room full of ladies. .
. [1 1/2 columns describing dining, conversations]
By this time the musick was come, and happy was the woman
that could first wipe her mouth, and be soonest on her legs.
In the dance some moved very becomingly, but the majority
made such a rattle on the boards, as quite drown'd the
musick, This made me call to mind your mettlesome horses,
that dance on the pavement to the musick of their own heels.
We had among us the Squire's eldest son, a batchelor and
captain of the militia. This honest gentleman believing, as
one would imagine, that good humour and wit did consist in
activity of body and thickness of bone, was resolved to be
very witty, that's to say very strong; he therefore not only
threw down most of the women, and with abundance of wit
hawled them round the room, but gave us several farther
proofs of the sprightliness of his genious, by a great many
leaps he made about a yard high, always remembering to fall
upon somebody's toes. This ingenious fancy was applauded by
every one, except the person that felt it, who never
happened to have complaisance enough to fall in with the
general laugh that was raised on that occasion. For my own
part, who am an occasional conformist to common custom, I
was ashamed to be singular, and so I e'en extended my mouth
into a smile, and put my face in a laughing posture too;.
His mother observing me to look pleased with her son's
activity and gay deportment, told me in my ear, he was never
worse company than I saw him: To which I answered, I vow,
Madam, I believe you.
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