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MINUET.

Was I, in quality of a dancing-master, to offer even the
strongest reasons of inducement to learn this art, they could
not but justly lose much, if not all, of their weight, from my
supposed interest in the offering them; besides the partiality
every artist has for his art.

It would however exceed the bounds prescribed to modesty itself,
were I to neglect availing myself of the authority of others,
who were not only far from being professors of this art, but who
hold the highest rank in the public opinion for solidity of
understanding, and purity of morals, and who yet did not disdain
to give their opinion in favor of an art only imagined
frivolous, for want of considering it in a just and inlarged
view.

After this introduction, I need not be ashamed of quoting Mr.
Locke, in his judicious treatise of education.

"Nothing (says he) appears to me to give children so much
becoming confidence and behaviour, and so to raise them to
the conversation of those above their age, as dancing.
I think they should be taught to dance as soon as they are
capable of learning it; for though this consists only in
outward gracefulness of motion, yet, I know not how, it
gives children manly thoughts and carriage more than any
thing."

In another place, he says,

"Dancing being that which gives graceful motions to all our
lives, and above all things, manliness, and a becoming
confidence to young children, I think it cannot be learned
too early, after they are once capable of it. But you must
be sure to have a good master, that knows and can teach what
is graceful and becoming, and what gives a freedom and
easiness to all the motions of the body. One that teaches
not this, is worse than none at all; natural awkwardness
being much better than apish affected postures: and I think
it much more passable, to put off the hat, and make a leg
like an honest country-gentleman, than like an ill-fashioned
dancing-master. For as for the jigging, and the figures of
dance, I count that little or nothing better than as it
tends to perfect graceful carriage."

The Chevalier De Ramsay, author of Cyrus's travels, in his plan
of education for a young Prince, has (page 14.) the following
passage to this purpose.

"To the study of poetry, should be joined that of the three
arts of imitation. The antients represented the passions, by
gests, colors and sounds. Xe