Masquerade Balls

To the Editor of the Town and Country Magazine Vol. 3 (1771) at 209-211

SIR,

Masquerades are now as much in vogue as your Magazine; and as fashionable things will naturally unite, let the following description of two masked balls that have occurred this month, find a place in your admired miscellany.

On the 12^th, between ten and eleven at night the doors of Carlisle house were opened, and before one o’clock were admitted about one thousand masks, who each for a while seemed more attentive to the place and novel brilliancy of the vast illuminations and well-fancied decorations of the apartments than to their own characters, or that of any other; this agreeable surprise was succeeded by a variety of humour and mirth, which lasted till near two o’clock; when the flood gates of profusion were thrown open, and displayed a new range of apartments and entertainments, equally desirable and amazing to every beholder.

“The golden bowls with sparkling wine are crown’d

“And thro’ the palace cheerful cries resound

“From guilded roofs depending lamps display

Nocturnal beams and emulate the day”

In short, the general good humour of the company was proof sufficient of the happiness that arose from the profusion and excellence of the provisions, the convenience of their disposition, and ready attendance of the waiters.

The principal characters of the masks were a very clumsy, unmannerly, waggoneer; two nimble, well-dressed morrice dancers, with bells, &c., a melancholy pantaloon; an excellent group compound of a diverting, factious punch, and a quack-doctor, with his comical toad-eater, recommending the medicines, and distribution from small boxes of pills, for the body natural or body politic, equally useful; a Pierrot, as foolish as need be; a very little droll Mungo; a windmill; two merry wives of Windsor; a very well sustained Sir John Falstaff; a French cook; a black and white beau, in the character of councellor W------ne; a pretty milk maid, with a little pail like a quart pot; two girls with flowers, a woman in rags, selling trifles well-dressed at a small expence; a thread-bare poet, more remarkable for his ugly nose than his wit; two neat figure dancers in striped silk; a smirking, smiling widow Wimfort; a jolly country dame in an old English riding habit, green turned up with rose-coloured satin; a broken backed harlequin, and a very genteel columbine; a grave Merlin; a Dutch sailor, and his frow; a watchman and his lanthorn; a chimney-sweeper, soon exchanged into a K---- of the B----, afforded some humour and reflection, two ugly witches; two Persian nabobs and a priest of the sun, richly dressed; an eastern huntress, with bow, arrows, and quiver, looking very becoming; a gentleman in the character of a nobleman, with another like a justice of peace, both with remarkable ornamental heads, came in search of his wife and forty beds, but failing in their expectations, his worship swore, if he could see the conductress, he would, in compensation for the scandal, procure a licence for harmonic meetings at her house, contrary to an act of Parliament, at another place, since he gave judgment against her; these were followed by a Jew in a character of an old cloaths man; a poor invalid; two quaker girls; a light horseman, that might be hid in a snuff-box; a creeping footman, dressed like Lord C-----’s running footman; a miserable pilgrim; a hussar; an Irish reaper; an union of Holland and France in one man; a gamestress dressed on the body with large cards, and the head with very little ones, to shew one was fit for children to play with, and the other for older people.--Besides these characters there were the following masks:

Mrs. Cr-----we, and Mrs. Bou-----o, the celebrated belles known by the name of the Mungos, were dressed as men, having borrowed the fierce smart hats of their friends as the superiors, they looked full as well, and as masculine as they do! Hum---ry Mar----e, with a mandolin in his hand, a l’Italian followed the smug-faced Mungos behind all the evening The Hon. Mr. Hob---rt and Mrs. Chol—ey were drest as fortune telling Gipseys with great propriety, and supported their characters with infinite wit and spirit. The Countess of Ber----ey was whimsically dressed with a head above her own –A Jocose mask knowing her ladyship, pulling her by the sleeve said, “Lord, ma’am, your head is very high still ‘tis not near so great a height as you have made your hus-----d’s. Mr. Tom Dun---s as a Medicin Francois, an exceeding droll figure, and the sage character well kept up. Lord Beau----p as a French grenadier, a good figure, without the air militarie. A Punchinello, Capt. Jo----s of the artillery; clever and active beyond description. A lady in the character of Lucretia, with propriety—of dress, supposed to be Lady G---------r, or Coun----ss P----y----. A well dressed quaker, never moved by the spirit even that of wine, Mr. J---------, many chattering Dons, and drunken Turks, with the usual impropriety of character—nameless.

The masqued ball on Thursday the 18^th at the Theatre Royal, in regard to magnificence, splendor, elegance, brilliancy and taste, beggars all description! The coup d’oeil in going in at the great door, can be compared only to the romantic idea of a fairy palace. It was even beyond imagination striking; and will perpetuate the taste of the managers to future ages. The suite of the French ambassador, in number twenty, were thunderstruck with admiration; such a spectacle and a profusion of belles, is alone to be seen in the capital of England.

There was infinite wit and spirit, in many droll and singular shapes, at this ball but in such a profusion as scarce to be collected in detail—Absurdity, dullness, and total mistake of character, was also very often to be seen, which had its effect in point of entertainment, and adds to the mirth of the place—Mother Shipton astride on horseback, was a capital masque, she had labels of advice tacked on her dress for the Coterie, smart, and replete with wit, one label attached to the parts immediately above the pommel of her saddle, signified, “That this was the cause of the increase of distemper amongst the horned cattle. Lady Moly----x, Mrs. Bou—e, Mrs. Cre---e, Lady Harriot Stan---pe, and Lady Mil---n, were in different fancy dresses, though in one respect resembling angels more than mortals. Lord Ber---y (the monkey that had seen the world) an excellent masque, taken for lord Hun----n, and would still be though so, had not mistaken politics, and want of place, sent his lordship to see the world a second time—Two Pierrots, one French, lively and smart, not the fool he seemed to be; but very teasing, supposed to be Mr. V------t, or the Hon. C---- G-----n.----Lady G--------r, in a light dress, run about the room all the evening, as if she had lost something. A wag asked her ladyship “if she hunted for her reputation?” adding “this is the wrong shop to find one believe me, ma’am.”--Two or three masques as French grenadiers; fine handsome fellows; and with the aid of the prigle stick, would make good English soldiers. Mr. C---s Tur—r having departed from the bill of right squadron in a storm appeared in a cork jacket, lest he should sink in the sea of patriotism! Mother Shipton is supposed to be an arch witch, that flew from Wales on a broomstick, and lighting at Mr. Col---n’s stables, Covent-garden theatre, stole his best horse, and left her broom at his friend’s Mr. Rice’s, as a pledge for wit and double entendre, till returned next season, when the masquerade scene will be acted; the two sisters (tautes charmantes) the Miss Her---ks, alike in dress, grace and beauty! a lady walking on her head with a very pretty pair of legs, &c., al fresco alarmed the tender hearted men, and even moved the old hardened Dons!--They were in fear lest she should catch cold! this odd topsy-turvy lady is certainly (though some say to the contrary) Lady Nameless; lord Edg---be, as a green parrot, prattled with more wit than e’er Poll did before!--Such a bird would be inestimable, if less ugly in face and figure.---Mrs. J-----n D--------r, in a dancing dress, elegance itself! she flirted al night with a pretty masque, a man’s figure, though without a beard; thought (by mistake) to be Capt. Faw---er.--There were many vestal virgins--in appearance! Par example; Miss Har---t La—sh, Miss Polly Jo----s, Mrs. Gar----er, Mrs. Char----e Hayes, the essence of the character!--Some more of greater rank supported the chaste part with propriety at the ball! very fine vestals--in dress, and quite new! Ass appeared to the eye.

The last character there, was that of an old woman drunk, who acted the part so much to life, that not being able to walk, she was carried out by the waiters. Thus ended the masquerade, mirth and wine to the last.--Love went away before to the Coterie, where he remains much exhausted! And Venus, in the character of Lady Mol---x, could not stay when her boy was gone—Finis Cornes opus, the supper was exquisite, and copious—many hundreds in the characters of hungry gentlemen and empty ladies, supported their parts with vigour--at table. There were masques still keeping up the thing, with spirit, of wine, till nine on Saturday morning.