diversions, such as that of hunting, and the games of dexterity,
keep up the natural standard of strength and beauty, which
luxury and sloth are sure to debase.

Dancing furnishes then to the fair-sex, whose sphere of exercise
is naturally more confined than that of the men, at once a
salutary amusement, and an opportunity of displaying their
native graces. But as to men, fencing, riding and many other
improvements have also doubtless their respective merit, and
answer very valuable purposes.

But where only the gentlest exercise is requisite, the minuet
offers its services, with the greatest effect; and when
elegantly executed, forms one of the most agreeable fights
either in private or public assemblies, or, occasionally, even
on the theatre itself.

Yet I speak not of this dance here with any purpose of
specifying rules for its attainment. Such an attempt would be
vain and impracticable. Who does not know that almost every
individual learner requires different instructions? The laying a
stress on some particular motion or air which may be proper to
be recommended to one, must be strictly forbidden to another. In
some, their natural graces need only to be called forth; in
others the destroying them by affectation is to be carefully
checked. Where defects are uncurable, the teacher must show how
they may be palliated and sometimes even converted into graces.
It will easily then be granted that there is no such thing as
learning a minuet, or indeed any dance merely by book. The
dead-letter of it can only be conveyed by the noting or
description of the figure and of the mechanical part of it; but
the spirit of it in the graces of the air and gesture, and the
carriage of the dancer can only be practically taught by a good
master.

I have mentioned the distinction of a good master,
most assuredly not in the way of a vain silly hint of
self-recomdation; but purely for the sake of giving a caution,
too often neglected, against parents, or those charged with the
education of youth, placing children, at the age when their
muscles are most flexible, their limbs the most supple, and
their minds the most ductile, and who are consequently
susceptible of the best impressions, under such pretended
masters of this art, who can only give them the worst, and who,
instead of teaching, stand themselves in need of being taught.
The consequence then of such a bad choice, is, that young people
of the finest disposition in the worl