Letter from Mary Delaney to Mrs Dewes, Delville, 30 March 1750-51

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

31-32

text excerpt

I told you I was to have a tiny ball on Monday; my company came at eleven exactly, as appointed; the fiddlers here before them. They had all breakfasted, and were eager to begin, which they did immediately. Seven couples. I never saw a happier set of dancers. I had all ages, from twenty-one to eight years old, Miss Anne Hamilton, the eldest ; and to keep her in countenance, and to gratify ourselves, Mrs. F. [Hamilton] and I made a couple for above half their dances. At one o'clock they found prepared for them in my dressing-room green tea, and orange-tea, and cakes of all kinds. In half an hour they returned to their dancing till half an hour after two, and then rested till dinner. I had one table which held eleven, and another of eight. The two Mrs. Hamiltons and Bushe were all the company besides the dancers. At 5 o'clock the fiddlers struck up again, and for two hours more they danced as briskly as if they had not danced at all. At 7 I made them leave off, and gave them tea, and played to them on the harpsichord, till they were cool enough to venture home.

excerpt from 'Letter from Mary Delaney to Mrs Dewes, Delville, 30 March 1750-51' pp. 31-32 (199 words)

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