Anecdotes of the manners and customs of London from the Roman invasion to the year 1700 (Volume 3); including the origin of British society, customs ... superstition, dresses, and amusements of the - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1811 Excerpt: ... CHAP. 1. AMUSEMENT Si Dtti.1 and monotonous would the circle of existence have been, had not the Divinity decreed moments when the1 mind, fatigued with thought seeks for relaxation in frivolity. It is of little importance what mode is adopted to employ those moments, provided every immoral and dangerous pursuit is avoided. Many of the Amusements of the aborigines of England would now be consi-' dered by their descendants as fatiguing and almost impossible, particularly those which re-1 quired strength and energy in the limbs, afhl long privations of rest. The natural suggestions of the human mind, unassisted by reflection and contrivance, produced dancing: every fortunate event occurring to individuals prompted the joyous leap, the contagious motion. Families thus infected introduced method, to avoid collision; and as some one or other excelled in the gracefulness or agility of their movements, imitation soon Vol.. Hi. » effected effected improvement. Singing originated from the same source; and the utterance of pleasing sounds being co-eval with the active expression of pleasure, the step unavoidably regulated the voice, and the voice the step. Instrumental assistance might have been the consequence of accident: any substance producing a heavy deep sound, when struck, marked pauses in the leap; but the pipe resulted from some exertion of the ideas. Judging from the circumstances already mentioned, and the modes of dancing, accompanied by rude drums and flutes in Savage nations at present, we cannot doubt our countrymen and women had their dances as early as they were aggregated. If the generality of the Celtic nations were in the habit of indulging upon all great occasions in the pleasures of eating and drinking, as it is asserted they were, their fea...