tracted the laureates. One of them found in it
inspiration for a ballad, "Lola, of the rolling black eye!" which was
sung at every music-hall in the Colony. A second effort regarded the
matter in its graver aspects. The first verse ran as follows:

She is more to be pitied than censured,
She is more to be helped than despised.
She is only a lassie who ventured
On life's stormy path ill-advised.
Do not scorn her with words fierce and bitter,
Do not laugh at her shame and downfall,
For a moment just stop to consider
_That a man was the cause of it all!_

Ludwig of Bavaria had done better than this. A lot better. Annoyed at
the innuendo it contained, Lola flourished her whip afresh and
threatened the bard with an action for damages.

The Victoria Theatre, Ballarat (where Lola Montez was to give the
diggers a sample of her quality), was a newly built house,
"reflecting," declared an impressed reporter, "every modern elegance.
In front of the boxes," he continued, "are panels, chastely adorned
with Corinthian festoons, encircling a gilded eagle emblematic of
liberty. Above the proscenium is an ellipse, exhibiting the Australian
coat of arms. The ceiling is ornamented by a dome, round which are
grouped the nine Muses, and the chandelier is the biggest in the
Colony. From the dress-circle there is direct communication with the
adjoining United States Hotel, so that first-class refreshments can be
procured without the slightest inconvenience. There are six
dressing-rooms; and Madame Lola Montez has a private and sumptuously
furnished apartment."

As the repertoire she offered was to include ("by special request")
the "Spider Dance," she took the precaution of sending a description
of it to the _Ballarat Star_:

The characteristic and fascinating SPIDER DANCE has been
performed by MADAME LOLA MONTEZ with the utmost success
throughout the United States of America and before all the
Crowned Heads of Europe.

This dance, on which malice and envy have endeavoured to fix
the stain of immorality, has been given in the other
Colonies to houses crammed from floor to ceiling with rank
and fashion and beauty. In Adelaide His Excellency the
Governor-General, accompanied by Lady McDonnell and quite
the most select ladies of the city, accorded it their
patronage, while the Free and Accepted Masons did Madame
Lola Montez the distingu