The Rt. Hon. the Lady FANNY FIELDING.
N the fmooth dance to move with graceful mien, Easy with care, and fprightly tho' ferene,
To mark th' inftructions echoing ftrains convey,
And with just steps each tuneful note obey,
I teach; be prefent, all ye facred Choir,
Blow the foft flute, and strike the founding lyre:
When FIELDING bids, your kind affistance bring,
And at her feet the lowly tribute fling;
Oh may her eyes (to her this verfe is due)
What first themselves infpir'd, vouchsafe to view!
Hail loveliest art! that can't all hearts infnare, And make the faireft ftill appear more fair.
Beauty can little execution do,
Unless the borrows half her arms from you;
Few, like PYGMALION, doat on lifeless charms,
Or care to clafp a ftatue in their arms;
But breafts of flint muft melt with fierce defire,
When art and motion wake the fleeping fire:
A VENUS drawn by great Apelles' hand,
May for a while our wond'ring eyes command,
But ftill, tho' form'd with all the pow'rs of art,
The lifeless piece can never warm the heart;
So a fair nymph, perhaps, may please the eye,
Whilft all her beauteous limbs unactive lie,
But when her charms are in the dance difplay'd,
Then ev'ry heart adores the lovely maid :
This fets her beauty in the fairest light,
And fhews each grace in full perfection bright;
Then, as fhe turns around, from ev'ry part,
Like porcupines, fhe fends a piercing dart;
In vain, alas! the fond spectator tries
To fhun the pleafing dangers of her eyes,
For, PARTHIAN like, fhe wounds as fure behind,
With flowing curls, and ivory neck reclin'd
Whether her steps the Minuet's mazes trace,
Or the flow Louvre's more majestic pace,
Whether the Rigadoon employs her care,
Or fprightly Jigg displays the nimble fair,
At every step new beauties we explore,
And worship now, what we admir'd before;
So when NEAS in the TYRIAN grove,
Fair VENUS met, the charming queen of Love,
The beauteous Goddess, whilft unmov'd she stood,
Seem'd fome fair nymph, the guardian of the wood,
But when she mov'd, at once her heav'nly mien,
And graceful step confefs bright Beauty's queen,
New glories o'er her form each moment rise,
And all the Goddess opens to his eyes.
Now hafte, my Mufe, pursue thy deftin'd way, What dreffes best become the dancer, fay, The rules of drefs forget not to impart, A leffon previous to the dancing art.
The foldier's fcarlet glowing from afar,
Shews that his bloody occupation's war;
Whilft the lawn band, beneath a double chin,
As plainly speaks divinity within;
The milk-maid fafe thro' driving rains and fnows,
Wrapp'd in her cloak, and prop'd on pattens goes;
While the foft Belle immur'd in velvet chair,
Needs but the filken fhoe, and trufts her bofom bare:
The woolly drab, and English broad-cloth warm,
Guard well the horfeman from the beating ftorm,
But load the dancer with too great a weight,
And call from ev'ry pore the dewy fweat;
Rather let him his active limbs difplay
In camblet thin, or gloffy paduafoy,
Let no unweildy pride his fhoulders prefs,
But airy, light, and eafy be his drefs;
Thin be his yielding fole, and low his heel,
So fhall he nimbly bound, and safely wheel.
But let not precepts known my verfe prolong, Precepts which ufe will better teach than fong; For why should I the gallant spark command, With clean white gloves to fit his ready hand? Or in his fobb enlivening fpirits wear, And pungent falts to raise the fainting fair? Or hint, the fword that dangles at his fide, Should from its filken bondage be unty'd? Why should my lays the youthful tribe advise, Left fnowy clouds from out their wigs arife: So fhall their partners mourn their laces spoil'd, And fhining filks with greafy powder foil'd? Nor need I, fure, bid prudent youths beware, Left with erected tongues their buckles ftare, The pointed steel fhall oft their ftockings rend, And oft th' approaching petticoat offend.
And now, ye youthful fair, I fing to you,
With pleasing fmiles my useful labours view
For you the filk-worms fine-wrought webs difplay,
And lab'ring fpin their little lives away,
For you bright gems with radiant colours glow,
Fair as the dies that paint the heav'nly bow,
For you the fea refigns it's pearly store,
And earth unlocks her mines of treafur'd ore;
In vain yet nature thus her gifts beftows,
Unless yourselves with art thofe gifts difpofe.
Yet think not, Nymphs, that in the glitt'ring ball, One form of drefs prefcrib'd can fuit with all;
One brighteft fhines when wealth and art combine;
To make the finish'd piece compleatly fine;
When least adorn'd, another steals our hearts,
And rich in native beauties, wants not arts;
In fome are such refiftlefs graces found,
That in all dreffes they are fure to wound;
Their perfect forms all foreign aids defpife,
And
gems but borrow luftre from their eyes.
Let the fair nymph in whofe plump cheeks is feen A constant blush, be clad in chearful green; In such a dress the sportive fea-nymphs go; So in their graffy bed fresh roses blow: The lafs whofe fkin is like the hazel brown, With brighter yellow fhould o'ercome her own; While maids grown pale with fickness or despair, The fable's mournful dye fhould chufe to wear; So the pale moon ftill fhines, with pureft light, Cloath'd in the dufky mantle of the night.
But far from you be all thofe treach'rous arts, That wound with painted charms unwary hearts; Dancing's a touchstone that true beauty tries, Nor fuffers charms that nature's hand denies : Tho' for a while we may with wonder view The rofy blush, and skin of lovely hue, Yet foon the dance will caufe the cheeks to glow, And melt the waxen lips, and neck of fnow: So fhine the fields in icy fetters bound, Whilst frozen gems befpangle all the ground; B 4
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