New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-03-23
infer q cause. A. the loafer observed In
kindred case, when you ind them sassengers
plenty, you don't SEQ no dogs mat HI.
DANCING IN THE Ol.D DOMINION

DANCING IN THE o. DOMINioS,r
We have repeatedly requested our fellow
creatures IN the Southern regions, and parti-
cularly in Virginia, not to give way TO lownoss
Of spirits and despair of mind. Our Cwn opin-
ion is that there is no reason under DC sun
why they should be continually bursting Into
tears, and moreover We think that they arc
precisely in that position in which it IL a re-
ligious duty to cultivate cheerfulDess. III THIS
can only be accomplished by resort TO
Ground Dances we believe that the end Will
Justify the means and that the German "mT
be accurately regarded rs moral agent We
are fully aware of the tremendous responsible
ity which we assume when we venture to dis
agree with Matron of Virginia; for we have
been more than twice informed that all the
women of that favored State are Female 10
mans of the purest Comedian pattern; all the
men being descended, of course, from either
Tberius or Caius Gracious Nevertheless, we
cannot help wishing that the Matron VINO Writes
to The Richmond Wing against dancing III gen,
eral, and Round Dances" in particular, had
given tone sligbtly less funereal to her lncui-
cations. Her description of the present condi-
ton of the State of Virginia is narrowing III
the extreme; and no amiable reader can rise
from its perusal without premonitory symp-
toms of hypochondiia. Virginia, whose VIC
Glorious foot ("yictoriOus foot" is good) has
$50 long rested on the tyrant's bosom, Is her
"self unclaimed, led captive by her former
"prostrate foe The blood streams from her
"many wounds. The laurel wreath torn from
cher brow lies at her feet believed with blood;
"she raises aloft her beauteous hands, and the
mountain ranges reGcho the clanking OF her
"manaces.r Under these painful circumstances,
what does she heart Above the sound OF lid
dies and of flutes, hoarse voice calling " Right
and Left;n "Balance;" Ladies' Chain;"
"Half Promenade" "Half Right and Lett;
&C. What does she sect The Maldens OF
Virginia in the tender grasp of the Chevaliers
of Virginia, actually indulging in the Polka,
the Schottisch, the Galopade, the Deux
Temps, the Redowa, the YarsOvienne, the
Mazourka, everything, in fact, in the light
fantastic line, which is tender, and close, and
confdng Well can we imagine Cornelia com
ing into the room and, calling out in tones OF
Indignation to the jewellers:
Yon have the Pyrrhic dance as YETI
Where ia tho Pyrrhic phalanx gonei
va such lessons why forget
Tie nObler aud the mancr one r.
To be sure. il we may trust to our own OBJ
servaton, this rebuke would probably be nm
needed; but the mind of the Matron evidently
needs relief, and this might little relieve 1t.
For she says of Virginia: She weeps! An,
"well she may! Bend down thy stricken head,
40 Queen, and wash thy chidren's crime away
" in mingled tears and blood"
There is something so grand, so digniiied, so
classical so pOetical, so affecting, so noble, and
we may even say 80 pretty, In this strenuous
appeal, that it seems wicked to print one word
in its dispalagement. We arc bound, never
theless. sternly to remember that figures OF
speech pay no taxes, and bring no money into
the Treasury that tears are useless Tor the
purposes of agricultural irrigation that signs
will never ill tho sails of ships and that while
the Queen continues Ito bend her stricken
head she has no good reason for expecting
crops of corn or crops of tobacco. If this ex-
cellent but perhaps over-sensitive lady can
show us any possible and practical good at all
likely 10 result from an indulgence in signs,
sack cloth, ashes, lamentations, and general
hanging of harps upon the willows, we promise
TO mingle our groans with hers, and to weep for
Virginia, even TO redness of eyes. At present,
It seems to us the Queen needs to be cheerful,
hopeful and industrious. She may be out of
health but will lachrymosc communications i'll
the Richmond newspapers restore her2 lit
tie brisk locomotion would be far better than
moping over the ashes of an extinguished
Rebellion. Cooking dinners, washing Dishes
sweeping rooms, constructing garments, teach
ing youDg ideas how to shoot-all this would
be infinitely better than suky melancholy
Dance away, demoiselles of Richmond, il you
can find nothing better to do! Tears are idle;
and as for blood, the wisest course is not to
use it for washing but to resort heartily to any
expedient which may promote the briskest cir
culation through its proper channels !