He who esteems the Virginia reel
A bait to draw saints from their spiritual weal,
And regards the quadrille as a far greater knavery
Than crushing His African children with slavery,
Since all who take part in a waltz or cotillon
Are mounted for hell on the devil's own pillion,
Who, as every true orthodox Christian well knows,
Approaches the heart through the door of the toes.
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Dancing in the chequer'd shade.
Dancing in the chequer'd shade.
Others import yet nobler arts from France,
Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance.
Others import yet nobler arts from France,
Teach kings to fiddle, and make senates dance.
Endearing Waltz--to thy more melting tune
Bow Irish jig, and ancient rigadoon.
Scotch reels, avaunt! and country-dance read more
Endearing Waltz--to thy more melting tune
Bow Irish jig, and ancient rigadoon.
Scotch reels, avaunt! and country-dance forego
Your future claims to each fantastic toe!
Waltz--Waltz alone--both legs and arms demands,
Liberal of feet, and lavish of her hands.
Come and trip it as ye go,
On the light fantastic toe.
Come and trip it as ye go,
On the light fantastic toe.
No Sane man will dance.
No Sane man will dance.
Dear creature!--you'd swear
When her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round,
That her steps are of read more
Dear creature!--you'd swear
When her delicate feet in the dance twinkle round,
That her steps are of light, that her home is the air,
And she only par complaisance touches the ground.
To brisk notes in cadence beating
Glance their many-twinkling feet.
To brisk notes in cadence beating
Glance their many-twinkling feet.
Come, knit hands, and beat the ground
In a light fantastic round.
Come, knit hands, and beat the ground
In a light fantastic round.
You've got to dance like nobody's watching and love like it's never going to hurt.
You've got to dance like nobody's watching and love like it's never going to hurt.
