THE DANCE OF BISHOPS; OR, THE EPISCOPAL QUADRILLE.* A DREAM. 1833. "Solemn dances were, on great festivals and celebrations, admitted among the primitive Christians, in which even the Bishops and dignified Clergy were performers. Scaliger says, that the first Bishops were called Præsules † for no other reason than that they led off these dances."- - Cyclopædia, art. Dances. I'VE had such a dream a frightful dream Though funny, mayhap, to wags 'twill seem, By all who regard the Church, like us, 'Twill be thought exceedingly ominous ! As reading in bed I lay last night- * Written on the passing of the memorable Bill, in the year 1833, for the abolition of ten Irish Bishoprics. † Literally, First Dancers. Scarce had my eyelids time to close, When the scene I had fancied before me rose As my dazzled eyes could hardly stand. For, Britain and Erin clubb'd their Sees To make it a Dance of Dignities, And I saw -oh brightest of Church events! A quadrille of the two Establishments, Bishop to Bishop vis-à-vis, Footing away prodigiously. There was Bristol capering up to Derry, There was Chester, hatch'd by woman's smile, While he who, whene'er the Lords' House dozes, Can waken them up by citing Moses*, The portly Tuam, was all in a hurry To set, en avant, to Canterbury. "And what does Moses say?". One of the ejaculations with which this eminent prelate enlivened his famous speech on the Catholic question. Meantime, while pamphlets stuff'd his pockets, As high on the floor as he doth on paper— Now high, now low, now this, now that, That none could guess what the dev'l he'd be at; Though, watching his various steps, some thought That a step in the Church was all he sought. But alas, alas! while thus so gay, * A description of the method of executing this step may be useful to future performers in the same line:-"Ce pas est composé de deux mouvemens différens, savoir, plier, et sauter sur un pied, et se rejeter sur l'autre.” — Dictionnaire de Danse, art. Contre-temps. A shadow, which came and went so fast, That ere one could say ""Tis there," 'twas past And, lo, when the scene again was clear'd, Ten of the dancers had disappear'd! Ten able-bodied quadrillers swept From the hallow'd floor where late they stept, On the Irish side of that grand Quadrille ! Nor this the worst: - still danc'd they on, But the pomp was sadden'd, the smile was gone; N. B.. As ladies in years, it seems, OF various scraps and fragments built, Where, if the Co. call'd in their shares, The quilt would look but shy, God wot. And thus he still, new plagiaries seeking, For, 'stead of Dick through others speaking, A Tory now, all bounds exceeding, Now best of Whigs, now worst of rats; One day, with Malthus, foe to breeding, The next, with Sadler, all for brats. |