| OCR Text |
Show 24 CODE OF TERPSICHORE. rally are, but not so much as wholly to conceal his nakedness. H e wore on his head a kind of crown, of considerable size, adorned with feathers of different colours. The other had nothing to distinguish him from a common warrior. The former, by his manner of dancing, and his various attitudes, expressed to the latter, that he came with a proposal of peace, and therefore, presented to him his calumet, or standard. After this they performed together the danoe of peace- The second dance, which was warlike, exhibited an assembly of savages, who appeared to be deliberating as to a war against some other nation or tribe. They represented in their different gestures all the horrors of a combat. Those whose opinions were in favour of war joined in the dance, and thus expressed their votes. The third dance was performed in the following manner :-the warrior, armed with a bow and quiver full of arrows, pretended to go in quest of the enemy, whilst the other sat down and beat a kind of drum or tymbal, not larger than a common hat. Having discovered the enemy, the warrior returns and informs his chief of it. H e then imitates a fight, wherein he pretends to have defeated the enemy ; after which both perform the dance of victory." A little episode of love introduced in this pantomime would almost turn it into a good modern ballet. The pleasures of dancing are universally known, at least to those who practice it: such as do not, cannot be deemed competent judges. Let us, therefore, now examine its utility. This is not the slightest of its advantages, nor that which must excite the smallest interest. Dancing was upheld, no less than music, as an object of much importance by the ancients. Religion claimed it as one of her chief ornaments on all solemn occsaions, and no festivals were given without uniting it to the other |
