will invite us to go to her ball, no doubt, their golden calf, plagiarizing the paganbecause it is ber first ball, and she will find ism of the tyrants from whom they had but our name upon the list which she will bor- just escaped ; as the daughters of Shiloh row from one of her particular friends, who danced in the ebadow (you cannot call it is also a particular friend of ourselves. And the shade) of the graceful palm-trees, we shall go, in the first place, because Mrs. when the bold sons of Benjamin came out Smith's politeness deserves such an ac- from the dusk of the vineyards, and bore knowledgment; and, in the second place, them away to be brides of the tribe. When because we always enjoy the first coup d'eil Plato (who looked upon dancing as of diof a handsome suite of rooms, brilliantly vine invention, and held it to be worthy lighted, and made seducing with pretty the gravest consideration of the highest faces and charming dresses, iowers, and intellects) describes the triple dances of fine music; and, in the third place, because the Greeks, he gives us no bint of any. we have acquired a habit of going where thing at all resembling a ball. That certain persons of our acquaintance go. splendid and stately “ dance of the cranes," But Mrs. Smith does not care a button which Theseus disdained not to lead around whether we come to her house or stay at the altar of Apollo, and Plutarch in vain home, and we care as little, at heart, wbich endeavored to souud for its mystic meanwe do. And as Mrs. Smith feels about us, ing, was not less unlike a modern “Ger80 she will feel about nine-tenths of her man" than an average “leader of the guests ; and as we feel about Mrs. Smith's German" is unlike Theseus. And you may ball, so will nine-tenths of her guests feel go through a whole winter of New York, about it.

and a whole summer of Newport, missing And this, we contend, is not at all a satis- not a single ball, nor the least “ children's factory state of things. For Mrs. Smith's party," without seeing anything which ball being planned with care and anxiety, shall, in the remotest degree, remind you of and provided for at great expense, and pre- the Pyrrhic dance of the Spartans ; as, for pared with elaborate pains, ought to be instance, of that Trichoriac figure in which an entertainment, and we ought to be anx. old men opened the dance with singing, ious to go to it, and Mrs. Smith ought to “Of old we were brave in war ;" and the be decently proud of her hospitalities, and young men responded. “And we now are she ought to derive a reasonable amount so !" and the treble choir of the children of bonest complacency and agreeable satis- exultingly closed the proud national hymn, faction from ber efforts to please, amuse, “And we in our time sball be bravest of and gratify the circle of her friends and all !" acquaintances. In one word, Mrs. Smith's Women danced before the Greeks, and ball, postponed on account of Leot, ought danced for the Greeks, as they danced beto be a festivity when it is finally given, fore the Romans, as they dance now for and not an empty tedious frivolity. And

the dull lords of the East. Their grace why ebould it not be ?

and their beauty served to delight the inThere is nothing intrinsically more empty dolent gaze of their masters, or to swell and frivolous in the idea of a ball than in the pomp of pageants and of sacrificial the idea of a procession, or a spectacle, of shows; and, sometimes, in the simple vila parade of soldiers, or a regatta of yachts. lages of Hellas or of Italy, the rustic Greek etymologies give gravity, and the youths and maidens beat circles on the word we keep so lightly is weighted with grass with rude saltations, rejoicing in antique dignity. Not that the Greeks gave their youth, and health, and strength, and balls. They had too ow an estimate of in the simple music of their land. woman for that. They danced, of course, But it was reserved for Christendom to as all the world has danced from the be- emancipate and to refine the amusements ginning; as the beauties of Memphis danced as well as to sanctify and to harmonize around the sacred bull, Apis, feeding that the relations of the sexes, and the ball, in fortunate thunder-born beast with cakes which women were to dance with men, parand candies, and serving up to him, in ex- taking in an equal pleasure, and within quisite cups of gold and ivory, the wonder- one circle of self-respect, propriety, and ful Nile water, more delicious than wine; courtesy, belongs to modern Christendom as the Jews of the desert danced about The first ball was a protest, and a most

brilliant protest, against the degradation bave borrowed no triling portion of their
of woman, and history would have done lustre.
well to erase from ber tablets the record So far were our forefathers from esteem-
of a dozen conquerors in order to inscribe ing the ball to be a light and frivolous
there the name of the high-spirited prince institution, that the council of the church
who inaugurated this great social institu. assembled at Trent, in 1562, to decide upon
tion. We know of bim only that he was the great questions which then convuleed
an Italian, and that from Italy the ball the Catholic world, and to reorganize the
traveled westward. In the chronicles of shattered and shaken dominion of the Holy
the middle ages the ball alternates with See, thought it best to open their proceed-
the banquet and the tournament, and ings with a superb and stately ball. The fes
marks the gradual progress of the race in tival was put onder the patronage of Philip
all the finer arts of life. It was at a ball II. of Spain, and that sovereign opened the
that the noble Order of the Garter grew up ball in person. All the beauty of northern
out of an act of prompt and kingly gal. Italy was assembled, to delight and do
laniry, adorned with words most knightly, honor to the prince of the church and the
just, and honorable ; it was at a ball in right arm of Rome. The Cardinal Palla-
Ghent that the queen of Philip the Hand vicini does not give us a very detailed
some, of France, took such mortal spite, account of the affair, it is true, but he
from the sight of the splendid dresses worn satisfies us so far as to inform us tbat the
by the citizens' wives of Flanders, that she supper was excellent and elegant, the cos
never gave her lord any peace till he pro- tumes of the ladies enchanting, and the
claimed war against those rich and insolent dancing kept up with spirit far into the
parvenues; it was at a ball given by the night; which is, perhaps, as much as could
Duchesse de Berri that the young King be expected of a cardinal, though far less
Charles VI., presenting himself, with six than would bave been afforded to us by a
of his friends, masked as salvage men, was reporter for the daily press. Much more
set fire to by the torch of the Duke of precisc and abundant are the accounts that
Orleans, and escaped with his life only to have come down to us of the balls which
lose bis wits more hopelessly than ever, fascinated and amused the court of the
and give his kingdom over more completely Grand Monarque, and of his dissolute suc-
into the power of England; the lovely, cessors, in the days when France began
witty, and accomplished Marguerite de to lead the civilization of the world. la
Valois danced a minuet with such distract- those gay and glittering times, the ideas
ing grace, at a ball given by her brother of the ball and of the ballet were still very
Francis, that Don John of Austria, who much confounded ; and the first ballet, in
bad ridden post from Brussels to Paris which women ever appeared upon the
simply for the pleasure of seeing her, went modern stage, was performed in Paris, by
back too much crazed with admiration to personages of the higbest distinction. The
talk of anything else for weeks, in private, “ Triumph of Love" was worthily repre-
or before the council of state. And the sented, we are told (and who can doubt it ?),
most splendid dances of the modern stage by the niost charming ladies of the court,
can hardly vie with the fantastic and bril- who danced with the most accomplished
liant imaginations wbicb Braganzio di Botta of the court seigneurs. The Dauphin, the
summoned into existence to decorate the Prince de Conti, and the Duc de Verman-
magnificent ball given by bim, in 1489, to dois, made up the corps de ballet with the
Galeazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, on the Dauphiness, the Princess de Conti, Ma-
occasion of his marriage with Isabella of demoiselle de Nantes, and Mademoiselle
Aragon. The story of this wonderful ball de Poitiers,
is to be read in all the cyclopædias, so we Thiswas, no doubt, a most delightful spec-
shall not inflict it upon our friends, but we tacle, and it was with such spectacles as
beg to assure them that it is a story well these that the favorites of the king sought
worth the reading ; for, from the festival of to gratify their master. Bis own entertain-
Bragazzio, not only the fêtes champêtres ments were of a more imposing but bardly
of Louis XV. and the Regency, but the of so amusing a character, and as we have
ballets of France, and Germany, and Italy, spoken in rather disparaging terms of the
and the opera itself, may be considered to gayety of our own balls, we ought, in com-

mor justice to Mrs. Smith, and our other followed by an intermission, during which ball-giving acquaintances, to set forth the the Swiss guard brought in six tables Qovarnished story of a regal ball in the superbly served, and set them down, time of Louis XIV, as an eye-witness has each one being at liberty to belp himself recorded it. The ball was given on the during half an hour. Besides these tables, marriage of the Duke of Burgundy : a magnificent room, leading out of the

“The gallery of Versailles was divided gallery, was garnished with a vast number into three parts by two gilded balustrades. of vessels filled with all the essentials of a The middle part made the central ball- most exquisite collation. Some of the room, and there, on a dais covered with ex- princes entered this chamber, took a few quisite gobelin tapestry, chairs of crimson pomegranates, oranges, and comfits, and velvet, tasseled and trimmed with gold, went out again; the public were then adwere set for the king, the king and queen mitted, and everything disappeared in a of England, the Duchess of Burgundy, moment." and the royal family. On the other three Here we have "the one touch of nature sides of this central space were prepared making kin” the court of the Fourteenth rows of very rich arm-chairs for the foreign Louis with the youngest New York clamambassadors, foreign princes and prin- orous for supper! cesses, the dukes and duchesses, and the " In still another chamber, two maggrand officers of the crown, while seats nificent buffets were arranged, with all were arrayed bebind them for the high kinds of wines, cordials, and refreshing personages of the court and of the city. drinks; and there a great number of the To the right and left were amphitheatres royal servants gave any one whatever he filled with spectators; and, to avoid all wished during the whole time of the ball, confusion, erery one entered by a small which lasted till morning. The dancing, gilded turnstile. · In a separate circle during the whole time, was of the most sewere arranged the twenty-four violins, the rious, grave, and elevated character.'' six hautboys, and the six futes of the royal If the reader yawns over this account, orchestra. The gallery was lighted by written by a reverential admirer of the gigantic crystal lustres, and an immense Grand Monarque, who was, probably, only number of golden girandoles, filled with too bappy “to lean over the balustrade openormous wax candles. Every one invited posite to the king," and count the eight hunhad been ordered to come superbly dress- · dred embroidered and brocaded guests, ed; the least expensive coats word by the in the light of the royal countenance, he men cost three or four huudred dollars ; may imagine what it must have been to some being of velvet embroidered in gold stand for five mortal bours in the midst of and silver, and lined with brocade at fifty

that litto crowd to watch the ceremocrowns the yard, and others of cloth of nious dancing of the numerous "princes gold or silver. The ladies were still and princesses of the blood.” If we cannot more splendidly arrayed--their jewels rival the balls of the great Louis in splendor, making a magnificent show. Leaning over at least we may console ourselves with the the balustrade, opposite to the king, I thought, that it will be difficult for us to counted abont eight bundred persons, eclipse them in stupidity. Mrs. Smith whose costumes made up a most charming will have no Versailles gallery divided into spectacle.

three parts by gilded balustrades, wherein “The Duke and Duchess of Burgundy to exhibit herself and the princes and opened the ball with a coranto, then she princesses of her house-Dor will her took the king of England, and the duke guests be glorious in embroidered coats the queen of England, and the Queen of and diamond-bilted swords but she can England took the king of France, and then easily have better music than the violins, the king of France took the Duchess of bautboys, and flutes of the Grand Monarque Burgundy, and so they went on changing could make for him; and she may be sure and changing again, till all the princes and that her guests, let their misconduct at princesses of the blood had danced, each in supper be never so bad, cannot outdo the the order of his or her rank. As there were brilliant crowd of courtiers who“ pillaged not a few princes and princesses, this the collation in a few minutes." ceremony lasted a long time, and was Still it must be remembered tbat all the

ance.

balls of the ancien régime were not state crriosity. So flat and weary is the sorballs, and that those which were not state face of our so-called “ festive" life, that balls were far more delightful than any the mere chance of seeing a new house balls of wbich we have had any experience. affords a brief excitement quite disproporThe fêtes given by Fouquet to his royal tionate to the attractions, actual or probmaster at Vaux-le-Vicomte-the balls of able, of any house built, or likely to be Colbert at Sceaux-the delicious entertain-. built, in our city. ments provided for the court by the finan- Do these things prove, then, that all cier, Dupin, at Chenonceaux, the paradise amusement is frivolous, or simply that of Touraine-the ballets of Fontainebleau our people do not know how to amuse -these were the social wonders of the themselves ? Clearly, we think the latter ; most pleasure-loving and pleasure-seeking and we do not limit our criticism to the society that ever existed. And they were 80-called fashionable world. The vast wonders worth thinking of, because the middle classes, especially of our city popusecret of their fascination lay not at all in lation, blunder through life in a still the license of the age, bat in the artistic blinder and more dangerous way. skill with which they were devised and ar- The developments made in the course of ranged. Here, it seems to us, is the fatal the Bond-street tragedy--the revelations defect of our American society. We treat of Sir Pandarus in the post-office-the ex. our amusements as matters of no import- hibitions of “ gift ladies” and “gift gentle

Instead of endeavoring to make the men”-all point in one direction. For the entertainments of the social world really most excitable people on earth no adequate entertaining-instead of bestowing upon and legitimate excitements of a healthy them the thought and reflection which they nature are provided—to the people among deserve--those of our people, who think whom more opportunities of idleness and at all of entertaining, do not think in minchief exist than among any other, DO the least how they shall entertain, nor entertaining and refining occupations are, make any efforts to secure their object. in any sufficient measure, offered. They “ give a ball," and there is the end While our tradesmen and mechanics, our of it. The idea of imprinting upon that merchants and our professional men are ball any particular cachet of a character to working all day long, each in his vocation, make it peculiar in its charm, and to ren- they all and each seem wholly to forget that der it worth remembering, rarely enters they have left, in their homes, wives, sons, any one's brain. And so all of us, who do and daughters, placed by their efforts in not dance, drop into a monotonous round positions of ease, and relieved of any ab of exhausting conversation, carried on by sorbing cares, but almost unprovided with fits and starts in the intervals of dancing; just and commendable facilities for conand those, who do dance, dance under every suming proitably and pleasantly their possible disadvantage-crowded into an wealth of nervous life and fallow time. inadequate space, and jostled by spectators Yet one would say, that reflections of who are not " balustraded off,” as were the this sort might not unbecomingly be made courtiers at Versailles, but press into the by the heads of families; and we submit it centre of the quadrille and intercept the orb- to such persons whether the care of the it of the polkers at the most fatal tangents. amusements of a great people—the culture

And it is the natural consequence of of the arts which occupy with grace the this state of things, that nothing is so rare leisure earned by labor-be not worthy an ornament of an American ball-room as the gravest attention of sedate and earnest a face bright with the expression of posi- men ?-whether theatrical criticism, and tive enjoyment, or even absolutely free artistic criticism, and questions of mere from the desolate and lacklustre air of social entertainment and private pleasureintense ennui.

seeking, do not take upon themselves an Let any one announce a performance of aspect serious enough to demand a Lenten private theatricals, a fancy ball, or even sermon, when their relations to private an amateur concert, and, instantly, the happiness and to public virtue are thos whole world is eager with interest and suddenly flashed upon the mind ?

PUTNAM'S MONTHLY.

H Magazine of Literature, Science, and Art. 2

VOL. IX.-MAY, 1857.—NO. LIII.

THE TRAIL, THE TRACE, AND THE WAGON-ROAD;

BEING SKETCHES OF WILD LIFE WEST OF THE MISSOURI.

HE half- The tall pine-trees threw long shadbreed ows across the narrow mountain path,

had rid- when Kaya suddenly reined up: “Beden through the day bold the first water of the western with more than the slope,” he said ; “have I kept my usual recklessness faith?” “What does the wild man of his class. He mean?” cried Wilson. “You are thor. had pushed his gal- oughly versed in the eccentricities of

lant gray horse these worthy savages; it is still a long down the slopes of steep ravines, and way to the Mission; ask him to exurged him against the steep hillsides of plain himself.” Thus addressed, the the winding trail

, until the less vigorous New Englander turned to their guide, animals of the travelers were beaten to and requested him to tell them why he a walk.

bad halted. “It is not night,” he said ; VOL. IX.-29