mployment of which they have only been
deprived during quite recent years. His Grace took occasion to
complain of the frequency of such bills, and, being a true patriot,
charged the French Government with the despatch of agents to this
country especially to corrupt our manners. "He considered it a
consequence of the gross immoralities imported of late years into this
country from France, the Directory of which country, finding that they
were not able to subdue us by their arms, appeared as if they were
determined to gain their ends by destroying our morals; they had sent
over persons to this country who made the most improper exhibitions in
our theatres." Now it was true that the manager of the opera-house at
this time relied greatly upon the attractions of his ballet; operas
and opera-singers having for a while lost favour with the impresario's
subscribers and supporters. A leading dancer at this time, however,
was an Englishwoman--an exception to the rule that makes every
_premiere danseuse_ of French origin--Miss Rose, reported to be of
plain features, but of exquisite figure, and gifted with singular ease
and grace of movement. It is possible that Miss Rose had adopted a
scantier and lighter method of attire than had prevailed with
preceding dancers. She had been caricatured, yet not very unkindly, by
Gillray, the drawing bearing the motto, "No flower that blows is like
the Rose." The bishop's speech was not without effect. Indeed, he had
announced his intention upon some future day to move an address to the
king praying that all opera-dancers might be ordered out of the
kingdom, as people likely to destroy our morality and religion, and as
very probably in the pay of France. The manager of the opera-house
deemed it advisable to postpone his ballet of "Bacchus and Ariadne"
until new and improved dresses could be prepared for it. Upon the
entertainment being reproduced, it was found that there had been
enlargement and elongation of the skirts of the performers, with the
substitution of inoffensive white silk stockings for the reprehensible
hose of flesh-colour that had originally been assumed. Of course much
talk followed upon this, with great laughter and ridicule; caricatures
of the spiritual peers and the opera-dancers abounded. In a drawing by
Gillray, Miss Rose, with other _danseuses_, is depicted performing
what is called "_La Danse a l'Eveque_;" the ladies have assumed, out
of excessive regard for decorousness