Paper 58

A Selection of Balls from 1808

Contributed by Paul Cooper, Research Editor

This paper continues the theme of studying a selection of historical balls that were all held in the same calendar year, this time the year is 1808. The events have been selected based on the quality of information that has been recorded about them; most historical events offer no hope of reconstruction, in a few cases the newspapers recorded sufficient information that we might at least reconstruct a partial play-list of tunes and dances that were enjoyed. It's those fragments of information that we will explore further in this paper. There is no connecting theme to group the events, they're just a selection of balls held by the British aristocracy and gentry in the year 1808. There are so many references worth studying from 1808 that we have split the information into two separate papers; you are currently reading the first paper, the second is available here.

The tunes and dances that we'll consider further in this paper are:

• The Ridicule / La Ridicule
• La Belle Laitiere
• The Labyrinth
• French Country Dances / Cotillions
• The Runaway
• Madame Catalani's Waltz
• The Collizzi / The Colliggi

Figure 1. Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge c.1808. The Duke was the guest of honour at Mrs Robinson's two balls. Image courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.

Two balls held by the Hon. Mrs Robinson

We'll begin by considering two balls held by the honourable Mrs Robinson within a few days of each other in April 1808. The Morning Post newspaper for the 2nd of April 1808 printed of the first (with dance references in bold):

On Thursday evening, in Privy Gardens, the above Lady gave a magnificent Ball and Supper; the preparations corresponded with her well-known taste and elegance. There were no less than six rooms, each more superbly furnished than the other, thrown open about ten o'clock. The effect was rendered complete by the introduction of rare exotics and sweet-smelling shrubs. About half-past ten the merry dance of The Ridicule, was led off by the Honourable Mr Townshend and Lady Frances Herries. Among the couples there were the following: Lord James Murray ... Miss Finch Hatton, Lord M. Taylor ... Lady M. Townshend, Mr Montague ... Lady G. Cecil.

The supper took place at two o'clock; the dancing recommenced at three, and concluded at half past five in the morning. Among the company were noticed: His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, Duchess of Leeds... [a long list of notables followed]

The above fashionable Lady gave her second grand Ball on Tuesday evening; it decidedly ranked among the most elegant the season has yet produced. A suite of no less than seven rooms were thrown open about ten o'clock; about eleven the dancing commenced. The Ball was opened by Lord Clive and Lady D. Herbert, to the favourite tune of La Belle Laitiere. Among the couples were:- Marquis of Tweedale ... Lady Fitzroy, Lord Palmerstone ... Lady F. Herries, Lord Forbes ... Miss Cornwall, Mr Montagu ... Miss Thompson.

The supper which followed was most sumptuous. The mazy dance re-commenced about three o'clock; at six the party broke up. The Ladies were elegantly dressed; diamonds were much worn. Long waists and stomachers are gaining ground; many beautifully shaped women sported those nouvelle appearances. Among the company were the following: His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, The Portuguese Ambassador, Duchess of Grafton [a long list of notables followed]

The two events were held five days apart in April 1808. Most of the named guests (they're cropped from the lists above) were different across the two events, this suggests that attendance was limited by the size of the venue and that Mrs Robinson's social circle were distributed across the two events. The hostess was Catherine Robinson (1749-1834), she was a daughter of James Harris (1709-1780) who had married Hon Frederick Robinson (1746-1792) in 1785. She had no children of her own and so, a little unusually, other honoured guests were given the opportunity to lead off the first dance at each of the events. Both events were presumably held at the hostesses home in the Privy Gardens area of Whitehall, we've written of two 1803 balls held there by Mrs Robinson in a previous paper, you might like to follow the link to read more.

Two tunes have been named as having led off the dancing at these events, we'll study them shortly. The guest of honour at both of Mrs Robinson's balls was the Duke of Cambridge, brother to the Prince of Wales (see Figure 1).

The Duchess of York's Fete at Oatlands

Figure 2. The Duchess of York c.1808. Image courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons.

On Saturday se'nnight a grand Fete was given at Oatlands in honour of her Royal Highness's Birth-day. The preparations were unusually costly. The King, Queen, the Princesses Augusta, Elizabeth, Mary, Sophia, and Amelia; the Prince of Wales; Dukes of York, Kent, Clarence, Sussex, and Cumberland, were present. Indisposition only prevented the Duke of Cambridge from attending. Their Majesties and the Princesses arrived from two o'clock. The Duke and Duchess of York were in waiting to receive their illustrious relatives; from the bottom of the flight of steps leading into the great hall, the Duke escorted the Queen to the grand saloon. After viewing and admiring the improvements made on the lawns, &c. the Royal Party partook of a most sumptuous banquet, served up in a costly service of silver gilt plate. During the time of dinner, the Duke of York's band, in full uniform, played under the veranda on the green. The King wore the Windsor uniform. The Queen and the Princesses were dressed in plain white. His Majesty, it was remarked, looked uncommonly well, and possessed his usual flow of spirits. Their Majesties and the Princesses departed about eight o'clock, escorted, as usual by a party of dragoons. About nine o'clock the fun and merriment took place. The Duchess having ordered the Park gates to be thrown open, the populace (principally composed of the neighbouring peasantry) rushed in, and made the best of their way to the lower part of the house, wherein a vast number of tables were set out with hot fowls, veal, ham, beef, and mutton; together with abundance of strong ale and porter, all arranged with perfect order. After partaking of this good cheer, a magnum bonum (about six quarts) of excellent punch was placed upon each table. The lively notes of the fiddler aroused the lads and lasses about nine o'clock. The tables were instantaneously deserted for the library, where the Duchess led off the first dance called The Labyrinth, with the Hon. Colonel Upton. Her Highness never appeared to better advantage; she is improved in health, and is grown rather embonpoint than otherwise. The very awkward manner in which the country people paid their respects to the Heir apparent (in their going down the dance) excited the risibility of the Royal Party to an extreme degree. It was not until two o'clock in the morning that the music ceased, and then the company retired.

This event was held at Oatlands by and for the Duchess of York, we've written of a similar 1799 event held at Oatlands in a previous paper, you might like to follow the link to read more. We read of our event that the Duchess of York led off a dance named The Labyrinth, we'll read more of it shortly, and that the local peasantry had been allowed to attend. We're presented with the lovely anecdote of the awkward fashion in which the country people paid their respects to the Duke of York as they passed him in the dance, they evidently attempted to mimic the courtly conventions of the nobility, causing much merriment for those who observed. We're informed that a good deal of alcohol had already been imbibed by that point, presumably the dancing was conducted with good cheer. Most of the Royal Family had already left before the dancing began, it was just the Duke and Duchess of York who danced, their immediate retinue, and the local populace.

The Hon. Mrs Thomas Knox's Grand Ball and Supper

Figure 3. West end of Upper Grosvenor Street, 1808.

Three different newspapers all recorded the same event in May 1808. The hostess was the Hon. Diana Knox (1764-1839), the wife of The Honourable Thomas Knox (1754-1840). They had been married back in 1785, their fourth son would have recently turned 18 at the date of the ball. The ball was held in their home on Upper Grosvenor Street, a general view of which can be seen in Figure 3.

The Morning Herald for the 19th of May 1808 reported (with dance references in bold):

Mrs Knox's Ball and Supper, on Tuesday evening, in Upper Grosvenor-street, was attended by upwards of 400 persons of the first distinction and fashion. The Ball was opened a little before twelve o'clock, by the Hon. Mr. Eden and Lady Sarah Spencer, to the admired Air of Catalani's Waltz, followed by nearly 30 couple in two sets; the Supper was announced soon after two; dancing recommenced at half past three and continued tell seven. Among other distinguished Fashionable we noticed: His Highness the Duke of Gloucester, Duchesses Marlborough, Northumberland, Grafton, and Athol; ... [a long list of fashionables followed]

The British Press newspaper for the same day, 19th of May 1808, offered a slightly fuller account with some differing details (and with dance references emphasised in bold):

The Hon. Mrs. Knox gave a grand ball and supper on Tuesday night at her elegant house in Upper Grosvenor-street. The preparations for the evening displayed the greatest magnificence. The great hall and staircase were lighted by Roman and patent lamps, fixed upon bronze figures. Five rooms on the ground-floor were appropriated for supper. In the front parlour there was a horse-shoe table, set for 90 persons. The other rooms were arranged in the most effectual manner for the accommodation of the guests. The supper was hot, and served on services of the finest plate; nor was the humble buttock of beef the least admired of the viands, Green peas, new potatoes, and strawberries, were in great profusion, as was every other delicacy of the season. The grand drawing rooms were thrown open. They are hung with embossed pink paper, with a rich gold tissue open border, surrounded with gold mouldings, and lighted by Grecian lamps; the second room nearly to correspond. The front drawing-room was appropriated for dancing; a diamond-cut glass chandelier was suspended from the ceiling; opposite the chimney is a large glass, near ten feet high, in a rich gilt frame; a temporary drapery was put up along the windows, decorated with garlands of flowers. The floor was tastefully chalked in devices, with the shamrock at each angle. Mr Gow's full band was placed in this room. At eleven o'clock the ball was opened by Earl Kinnoul and Lady Sarah Spencer, to the tune of The Fairy Dance; the second dance, Miss Johnstone, was led off by the Hon. Mr Eden and Lady Perry; they then danced Tekeli; dancing was kept up with great spirit till past two. At four o'clock the company returned to the ball-room, when dancing was resumed with great spirit. It was six o'clock before they departed, highly gratified with their splendid entertainment. Amongst the company were: His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, ... [a list of fashionables followed]

The Morning Post that same day, 19th of May 1808, offered yet another account. This final narrative combines details of each of the other two (with dance references highlighted in bold):

Given on Tuesday evening, in Upper Grosvenor-street, was attended by 40 of the fashionable world. This elegant Lady's magnificent residence was fitted up for the occasion with an appropriate taste, and illuminated in a style of corresponding splendour. There was nothing novel in the interior decorations but what we have already detailed. Owing to the lateness of the hour when the company arrived, the dancing did not commence until half-past eleven o'clock; the first dance was the Fairy Dance, led off by the Hon. Mr Eden and Lady E. Spencer; next followed:

Lord Brownlow ... Lady H. Haye
Marquis of Tweedale ... Lady E. Percy
Colonel Macdonald ... Miss Thompson
Lord Saltoun ... Lady M. Taylor
Earl of Kinnoul ... Miss Seymour
Earl of Ilchester ... Lady M. Murray
Lord Brooke ... Miss Spencer Stanhope
Mr. Primrose ... Lady C. L. Gower

Although the suite of three rooms on the drawing-room floor are of the noblest proportions, and the whole were extremely well ventilated on the above occasion, still the heat was so excessive as to render dancing too great a fatigue, even for the Earl of Aboyne, who, at all times, has been considered as a constant leader in the merry round. There were not wanting, however, a sufficient number to make up two sets of about 15 couples each; they danced, with little intermission until half past three in the morning, at which time supper was announced. This entertainment was distinguished for every thing which luxury and taste could furnish; two hundred and thirty persons sat down at one time to table. The wines were excellent and rare. The dancing afterwards re-commenced; it was past six o'clock before the music ceased, and then the company thought of retiring. The party consisted of all the consequence and dash of high life, with a few exceptions. The families of Bedford, Bolton, Northumberland, Athol, Stafford, Downshire, Warwick, Cholmondeley, Mansfield, and Heathcote, were present. [The list of attendees continued]

Several important details emerge from across these accounts. We know that the music was provided by the popular Gow band, that some of the rooms were too hot to dance in, that dancing began somewhere between 11 and 12 at night, that around 30 couples danced across two sets of 15 couples, and that four different tunes have been named as being danced. We also have much of the menu of the supper that was served. The four tunes names were The Fairy Dance, Miss Johnstone, Tekeli and Catalani's Waltz; we've studied three of these tunes in previous papers, we will return to study the fourth shortly.

It's fascinating to compare the differences and similarities between these three accounts. It's unusual to find independent descriptions with this level of detail. Some of the reports were evidently wrong with respect to some of their minor details, it's no longer possible to discern which are the most reliable but the disparate accounts are largely compatible with each other. It's reasonable to assume that the same will be true of other ball narratives at a similar date, the published descriptions may be erroneous in small matters but they are probably of sufficient accuracy for our purposes. Perhaps the writer confused the identity of the leading couple, or named one tune as having been danced first where actually it was another... such minor errors are of little significance overall. We've studied another ball of 1809 which also enjoyed multiple descriptions in the press, our findings were similar then too; we'll encounter a further such example shortly below.

Two balls held by the Countess of Shaftesbury

Lady Shaftesbury (see Figure 4) was born Barbara Webb, she was the daughter of Sir John Webb. She married Anthony Ashley-Cooper (1761-1811), the Earl of Shaftesbury in 1786. Their daughter Lady Barbara Ashley-Cooper (1788-1844) would have turned 20 at around the date at which her parents hosted two balls in 1808, it's likely that the balls were held as her introduction to society. The two balls were held within around two weeks of each other in the summer.

Figure 4. An image believed to be of Barbara, Countess of Shaftesbury.

The Morning Post newspaper for the 23rd of June 1808 recorded of the first (with dance references highlighted in bold):

All the World of Fashion were assembled together on Tuesday night, at her Ladyship's residence in Portland-place. This mansion is extremely well adapted for magnificent fetes. The apartments are numerous, and of lofty proportions. Each room was superbly illuminated with Grecian lamps, at an early hour. The visitors not arriving until after 11 o'clock, the dancing did not commence until 12, when a nouvelle kind of cotillion, called a French Country Dance, was led off by the Hon. Keppel Craven, and Lady Barbara Ashley Cowper, the fair daughter of the Countess of Shaftesbury. Colonel Mercer, followed with Miss Johnstone. Four couple made up the set, the dance attracted great attention, and was warmly applauded even by clapping of hands. The usual English country dances which followed were preceded by two new ones, both composed by a Lady of distinction; one was the The Runaway, and the name of the other we could not learn. Among the couples that stood up were,

Earl Kinnoul ... Lady C. Herries
Lord Gower ... Lady C. Somerset
Mr. Montague ... Lady G. Cecil
Earl Percy ... Lady F. Pratt

The company partook of a most elegant supper about three o'clock. The desert was the most costly and abundant ever witnessed; of pine-apples there were actually several hundred, at four and five guineas a piece. The other fruits were equally rare and good. The Countess, on being complimented upon the exquisite taste and elegance displayed by a private circle, observed, that after having been so long isolated in a foreign country (France), could it be wondered at that she should endeavour to make her friends welcome on her return to a land of liberty. The dancing recommenced at four, and was kept up until near seven in the morning. The Duke of Cambridge, and ... [a list of fashionables attending followed]

Given on Wednesday Evening, was attended by the same degree of eclat as the one preceding. The company were not so numerous, owing, no doubt, to the cards of invitation not having been in general circulation until the morning of the day on which the Entertainment was given. The splendid arrangements which distinguished the first Ball were conspicuous on this occasion. It was half past eleven o'clock, ere the dancing commenced. Lady Barbara-Ashley-Cowper, Miss Johnstone, and two Gentlemen, led off with the French Cotillions, now so much the rage. Country dances commenced about one. The following were among the couples:

Marquis of Tweedale ... Lady Clive
Viscount Clive ... Lady F. Pratt
Earl Percy ... Miss Seymour
Hon. Mr. Clive ... Lady C. Percy
Marquis of Downshire ... Lady C. Greville
Mr. Montagu ... Miss Parry

A banquet, with covers for 150 persons, was prepared. The company sat down to table at half past two; it was seven in the morning when the music ceased; but the house was not entirely cleared until eight o'clock. The whole concluded with reels and strathspeys, in which Lady Barbara and Miss Johnstone, greatly excelled. Among the company were noticed: [a list of fashionables]

These two events both commenced with a new type of Cotillion or French Country Dance. We'll consider what that dance might have been below, it's a fascinating detail however. We're told that this dance at the first ball attracted applause from the audience even by clapping of hands, it must have been quite a performance. We're also informed that the food served was noteworthy, several hundred pineapples were provided at vast expense, it was presumably an entire crop from several glass-houses. The promise of exotic fruits was sometimes used to lure the aristocracy to an event, we've seen in a previous paper how Mrs Diana Beaumont could lure the royal family to her balls with the promise of pineapples, peaches, grapes, cherries, strawberries, apricots and nectarines from her Yorkshire estates.

We're also informed that several Country Dances were enjoyed, notably The Runaway which we'll investigate further shortly. The second ball is reported to have closed with the dancing of reels and strathspeys that were still being danced by the young Lady Barbara until around 7.00am. We've investigated the concept of reels and strathspeys in previous papers, you might like to follow the link to read more.

The Duchess of Bolton's Ball

The Duchess of Bolton was Katharine Powlett (1736-1809), she was the second wife of Admiral Harry Powlett (1720-1794) the 6th Duke of Bolton. She hosted a ball at her home in Grosvenor Square (a general view of which can be seen in Figure 5) in 1808 that chanced to be described by two independent accounts in the newspapers. The Daily Advertiser for the 13th of July 1808 wrote (with dance references emphasised in bold):

Figure 5. Grosvenor Square, 1800.

The Duchess of Bolton gave a Grand Ball and Supper on Monday evening at her elegant Mansion in Grosvenor-square. Near 300 distinguished Fashionables were present. The preparations on the occasion were in the most superb and elegant manner. The principal drawing-room was fitted up with great taste for dancing. The floor was beautifully chalked; in the centre were her Grace's crest, coronet, and arms; at each corner were vases with flowers, with trophies of war, dancing figures, &c. with a rich Vandyke border; round the room were a profusion of the choicest flowers; from the ceiling were suspended three most costly diamond-cut lustres, side lights, &c. A little before eleven o'clock the Ball was opened by Miss Parry and the Marquis of Tweedale, to the favourite Air of Madame Catalani's Waltz. The second dance was led off by the Marquis of Hartington and Lady Louisa Vane to the tune of the Runaway, followed by nearly [30?] couple in two sets. The supper, which consisted of all sorts of rich soups, and every delicacy of the season, was announced soon after three o'clock; it was prepared in three rooms on the ground floor; the principal dining parlour, back dinning parlour, and library, where covers were laid for 130. The formal apartment was set apart for the Prince of Wales and a Party who were expected, but were prevented in consequence of His Royal Highness having had the misfortune to sprain his ancle a few days since. Dancing was resumed at half-past four, and continued till nearly eight. The balcony facing the square was tastefully illuminated with variegated lamps. Among the company we noticed: His Royal Highness the Duke of Cumberland, His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, ... [a list of fashionables followed]

The two ladies named as having led off dances are Miss Parry and Lady Louisa Vane. I'm uncertain as to the identity of Miss Parry, I note that the Duchess's mother in law was a member of the Parry family, Miss Parry was presumably a relative. Whereas Lady Louisa Vane (1791-1821) was the Duchess's own grand daughter, it's a little surprising that she led off the second dance rather than the first.

The Morning Post newspaper for the 13th of July 1808 wrote of the same event (once again with dance references emphasised in bold):

On Monday evening her Grace gave a magnificent ball and supper, at her noble Mansion in Grosvenor-square. The company exceeded two hundred persons, comprising all the rank and fashion that remained in town. The interior decorations corresponded with the well known taste of the Hostess, but then nothing very new was displayed. There were variegated lamps, hung in simple festoons, suspended from balcony windows, which had a pretty effect on the outside of the house. The company beginning to arrive about eleven o'clock, the dancing commenced soon after with Prime of Life, a new dance composed by a Lady of distinction; it was much admired. The eldest daughter of the Earl of Darlington led off with the Marquis of Hartington. Fifteen couple followed: among whom were:

Marquis of Tweedale ... Miss Bouverie
Hon. Mr Mildmay ... Lady F. Pratt
Earl Percy ... Lady Ashley Cowper

The second dance was likewise a new one called The Colizze. It possessed much merit, and had certainly many claims to originality. A supper, the most abundant and excellent, the party partook of at half past two in the morning. The dancing was afterwards resumed, and kept up with proper spirit until near eight o'clock. Among the company there were:- The Dukes of Cumberland and Gloucester, ... [a list of fashionables followed]

This second description names two different tunes as having been danced, it also identifies the leading dancers as being the same couple who were reported to have led the second dance in the Daily Advertiser (The eldest daughter of the Earl of Darlington being Lady Louisa Vane). Of the four tunes that have been associated with this ball, we've written of one, The Prime of Life, previously; it may have been composed by Miss Bouverie, one of the dancers listed in the second report; you might like to follow the link to read more. The other named tunes are Madame Catalani's Waltz, The Runaway and The Colizzi; we'll read more of them shortly.

Once again we've observed that where multiple independent descriptions of a ball exist the specific details may vary. There can be little doubt that they describe the same event and that they are generally compatible, but the respective correspondents had a different memory of who led off the dance and which tune they danced to. The correspondents haven't simply made up information about the Ball, they seem rather to have unreliably recalled some of the details that were shared. Exactly who these correspondents were is a matter of speculation, I suspect they could have been minor guests who sought to make a little money by selling details to the newspapers and perhaps also tunes to the music shops. It seems unlikely that a hostess would invite a newspaper reporter to her event deliberately.

The Ridicule / La Ridicule

About half-past ten the merry dance of The Ridicule was led off by the Honourable Mr Townshend and Lady Frances Herries. (Hon. Mrs Robinson's first ball)

Two tunes or dances circulated around the years 1807 and 1808 under the name The Ridicule. The first was a Cotillion dance that was widely published c.1807, the second an English Country Dance widely published c.1808. It's not clear which of the two dances were enjoyed at our ball of 1808, arguments could be made in favour of either candidate. We'll consider both of the options here.

Figure 6. La Ridicule from William Campbell's c.1807 22nd Book. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD, b.96. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

The first candidate is a cotillion dance variously named as either The Ridicule or La Ridicule. This dance is noteworthy for several reasons, it stands out in the historical record as an anomaly, something quite different to most of the other dances that were popular at the same date. The first observation to make is that it is very clearly a Cotillion dance (see for example Figure 6), we'll explain more about cotillion dancing below shortly. Cotillion dance collections were regularly published in London in the late 18th Century but were rarely published thereafter, this particular dance was an exception. It's uncommon to find any Cotillion dances being published in London at all in the 1800s. What makes this particular dance noteworthy is that it was published within collections of regular Country Dances, publishers who restricted their activity to longways dancing made a rare exception within their works for this specific dance. The people who bought Country Dance collections were, presumably, expected to want the music for this specific Cotillion too. It's highly unusual to find Cotillion dances inserted into collections of Country Dances at this date, there was evidently something special about this particular example. Cotillion dances were figure dances, this means that dancers needed to know the figures before they could perform them; this in turn implied an element of rehearsal to the dancing. Perhaps Mr Townshend and Lady Frances Herries (the lead dancers at the Robinson ball), together with a group of their friends, had been practising this dance in the weeks ahead of the ball. If so, they weren't alone; our two 1808 balls hosted by the Countess of Shaftesbury commenced with the dancing of a nouvelle kind of cotillion, called a French Country Dance (we'll discuss this comment further below). The year 1808 may have seen several groups of friends memorising Cotillion dances as performance dances to open balls with; it's notable that four couples were named as having danced together at our Robinson event, this is precisely the number of couples that might be expected to dance a cotillion together. It therefore seems quite likely that a Cotillion dance was being danced at our ball.

The La Ridicule cotillion was published numerous times c.1807, the precise sequence of publication is unknowable but examples include: Skillern & Challoner's c.1807 5th Number, William Campbell's c.1807 22nd Book (see Figure 6), Dale's c.1807 10th Number, Goulding's c.1807 9th Number and in Walker's c.1807 29th Number. Those publications that included the dancing figures offered exactly the same sequence each time, as would be expected of a figure dance where knowing the correct figures is of paramount importance to the dancer (unlike in a longways country dance where figures were often chosen in-situ by the dancers themselves). We've animated a suggested arrangement of the Skillern & Challoner version from around 1807.

Figure 7. The Ridicule from Nathaniel Gow's c.1807 Countess of Dalhousie's Strathspey

The second dance named The Ridicule is in some respects as mysterious as the first. This country dancing tune was (according to Nathaniel Gow, see for example Figure 7) composed by Mrs Robertson of Ladykirk. Mrs Robertson was perhaps best known as the composer of Miss Johnston of Huttonhall's Reel, one of the favourite tunes of the early 19th century in London; Mrs Robertson was born Sarah Hunter, she had married William Robertson of Ladykirk back in 1792. The date at which our tune was composed isn't known, nor is its precise publication history. It's likely that the first publication was that of Gow and Shepherd in Edinburgh in their c.1807 Countess of Dalhousie's Strathspey publication (see Figure 7), a work that could have been issued a year or two earlier but is unlikely to have been issued later than 1807. They described the tune as being a Reel. This tune went on to be widely published in London in 1808, examples include Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1807 2nd Book, Button & Whitaker's c.1808 10th Number, Hannam's c.1808 5th Number, Monzani's c.1808 7th Number, Hime's c.1808 1st Number, Kelly's New Country Dances for the Year 1808 and James Platts's 1809 10th Number. It was also named in Thomas Wilson's 1809 Treasures of Terpsichore as being a popular tune. It's entirely possible that this tune was danced at our 1808 Robinson ball. A tune named The Ridicule was also danced at an 1807 ball held by Colonel Noel of Cavendish Square (Morning Post, 13th of July 1807), on that occasion five separate couples were named as having danced it, presumably it was Mrs Robertson's reel that was being danced, a Cotillion would be unlikely to involve more than four couples. We've animated suggested arrangements of Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1807 version of the reel, Button & Whitaker's c.1808 version and of James Platts's c.1808 version.

This all leaves us with a conundrum. Why were two completely different dances circulating under the same name at around the same date? They're not just different tunes under the same name, something not especially unusual, but completely different dance formats. We can only speculate as to a reason. My suspicion is that the Cotillion dance may have emerged first, it's certainly the more unusual of the two dances; one can almost imagine Nathaniel Gow hearing about The Ridicule as becoming popular, assuming the popular tune must have been the unrelated composition by Mrs Robertson, then hurrying that into print and promoting her tune further within the repertoire of the Gow band. However it came to be, both dance tunes were widely published in London approximately concurrently, both must surely have been being danced. Either could have been featured at Mrs Robinson's first ball of 1808.

La Belle Laitiere

The Ball was opened by Lord Clive and Lady D. Herbert, to the favourite tune of La Belle Laitiere. (Hon. Mrs Robinson's second ball)

The next tune to be named across one of our 1808 balls goes by the name La Belle Laitiere. It's a tune that we have written about before, albeit under a very different context.

Figure 8. The first 8 bars of The Shawl Dance from Steibelt's 1805 La Belle Laitiere (above) and of La Belle Laitiere from Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1806 1st Book (below).

Daniel Steibelt (1765-1823) was the composer of a successful 1805 ballet named La Belle Laitiere, or Blanche Reine de Castille. This ballet was the source of our country dancing tune of the same name. The ballet was performed at the King's Theatre Opera House to great acclaim; the Monthly Mirror magazine in 1805 wrote of it that: The new ballet of La belle Laitiere is a charming composition ... The airy manner of Parisot, in the French Princess, and her execution of the shawl dance (so much the fashion in France, and first introduced into this country by Madame Coralli, two seasons ago) is truly fascinating.. The 1814 Annecdotes of Music, Historical and Biographical wrote of the ballet that: On Saturday the 26th of January [1805], a new dance, called La belle Laitiere, ou Blanche, Reine de Castile, was first announced. The shawl dance of Mademoiselle Parisot was received with enthusiastic applause; and the castanet pas de deux, by Monsieur and Madame Deshaynes, with almost equal delight: but the music by Steibelt, which possessed great merit, particularly entitles this ballet to honourable mention in this work. Of all the performances within the ballet it was that of Mademoiselle Parisot (c.1775-1837) in the role of the French Princess who most excelled, her Shawl Dance would go on to be widely celebrated. The Morning Chronicle newspaper for the 7th of February 1805 recorded of Parisot's performance: Madame Parisot has a pas seul with a scarf, which she executes with a coquetry and archness peculiarly her own.; the Morning Herald for the 6th of February 1805 offered: The Shawl Dance by Parisot is a chef d'oeuvre, and the changes effected by this simple drapery were given with exquisite neatness and precision; the Evening Mail for the 11th of February 1805 went further: Without meaning to place in invidious contrast the merits of the great Performers upon whose exertions the popularity of this Ballet depends, we must give the chief praise to those of Parisot; the shawl dance affords her the opportunities for the display of that extraordinary grace and variety of attitude which are peculiar to this fascinating dancer..

Parisot's shawl dance took on a life of it's own, other performers would go on to perform it on stage elsewhere around the country and the associated score was financially valuable. The music seller Robert Birchall paid £100 to acquire the rights to the ballet (according to the an 1812 writ he issued related to the copyright of the tune that we'll return to in a moment). A country dancing tune circulated from 1805 named La Belle Laitiere, it was inspired by Steibelt's music for Parisot's shawl dance. Several references to the tune being used for social dancing survive from 1805; for example the Morning Post newspaper (27th of July 1805) reported of the Stoke Park Fete that the ball commenced at half past nine o'clock, with the favourite dance, La Belle Laitiere, the music for that ball was provided by Mr Gow's band. The Evening Mail newspaper for the 2nd of August 1805 wrote of a Ball at the Brighton Races at which dancing commenced at half past nine with the favourite French dance La Laitiere, it was recorded of a second Brighton Ball (British Press, 23rd of August 1805) that Mr Burke and the lovely Miss Martin led off the favourite dance La Belle Laitiere. The country dancing tune was popular and yet I find few references to it having been published by the London music sellers. The only copy I can find was issued by Wheatstone & Voigt in their c.1806 1st Book (see Figure 8); their version will be seen to differ somewhat from Steibelt's original (see also Figure 8). Birchall accused Wheatstone of copyright infringement in a case that would be tried before the Court of the King's Bench in 1812; we've written of this dispute elsewhere, you might like to follow the link to read more. Birchall described Wheatstone's score as having certain trivial and colorable alterations compared to Steibelt's original, to my untrained eye the differences look more significant than that, yet Wheatstone lost the dispute. Later copies of Wheatstone's book were issued without the problematic La Belle Laitiere tune being included, it was presumably removed at the demands of the court. Birchall claimed to have made frequent requests that Wheatstone desist in publishing music to which he owned the copyright, perhaps similar requests had deterred other music sellers from publishing (or continuing to publish) the tune through the years since 1805. The tune was named in Edward Payne's 1814 New Companion to the Ball room as remaining popular at that date, it seems likely that it remained available to musicians who wanted copies.

The dance enjoyed at the Robinson ball of 1808 was presumably the tune published by Wheatstone. This tune (or one of the same name) was also engraved on a barrel organ that was advertised for sale in 1808 (Coventry Herald, 9th of December 1808). We've animated a suggested arrangement of the c.1806 version of the dance by Wheatstone & Voigt.

The Labyrinth

the Duchess led off the first dance called The Labyrinth, with the Hon. Colonel Upton (Duchess of York's Fete)

Our next tune was featured at the Duchess of York's Fete in 1808, we're informed that the dancing opened with a tune named The Labyrinth. This tune is readily identified as it was widely published in London around the year 1808. I've no insight into the composer of the tune but it became known around the year 1807.

Figure 9. The Labyrinth from Button & Whitaker's c.1808 8th Number (above) and the 1806 Pandean Minstrels in Performance at Vaux-Hall (below). Lower image is courtesy of The V&A.

It was danced at several society events from 1807; examples include the Master of the Ceremonies Ball in Ramsgate (Morning Post, 26th of September 1807) and Mr Raikes's Ball of 1808 (Morning Post, 11th of January 1808) where The first dance was a new one, called The Labyrinth. About thirty couple stood up.. The Countess of Dartmouth held an 1808 public breakfast at Blackheath (Morning Post, 22nd of June 1808) at which Dancing commenced on the lawn, where one hundred couple led off the second dance, The Labyrinth and a ball was held at Brighton (The Star, 19th of October 1808) where Dancing in three sets, about forty couple in each, commenced at about half past nine o'clock. Lady Pomfret having called for the sprightly air of The Labyrinth. It was also danced at an event of 1811 held at Broadstairs (The Star, 21st of October 1811) at which the Duke of Clarence was reported to have joined in. If these reports are accurate then the tune was considered to be new at the start of 1808 and was generally being played in a sprightly fashion.

The tune itself was readily available. Most publications of the tune were largely the same, the bass line and repeat markers vary across the publications, as do the suggested dance figures but the tune itself is consistent. The precise sequence of publication is unknown but examples include: Skillern & Challoner's c.1807 5th Number, Goulding's c.1807 9th Number, Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1807 2nd Book, Monzani's c.1808 6th Number, Button & Whitaker's c.1808 8th Number (see Figure 9), Clementi's c.1808 5th Number, William Campbell's c.1808 23rd Book, Kelly's c.1808 New Country Dances for the Year 1808, Dale's c.1808 11th Number, Hime's c.1808 1st Number, Davie's c.1808 18th Number, Cahusac's c.1809 24 Country Dances for the Year 1809 and James Platts's c.1809 8th Number. It was also named in both Thomas Wilson's 1809 Treasures of Terpsichore and Edward Payne's 1814 A New Companion to the Ballroom.

Of those publications the one issued c.1807 by Charles Wheatstone is a little interesting for adding the annotation A Pandean Air. The Pandean Minstrels were a professional band that played at London's popular Vauxhall Gardens (and elsewhere) from around 1801 (see Figure 9), the tune was evidently either derived from their repertoire, or was printed by Wheatstone as they themselves arranged it. The minstrels were best known for performing at Vauxhall but were also regular performers at the The Pantheon assembly rooms and at society balls, they were at the height of their fame by our date of 1808. The Morning Chronicle newspaper for the 10th of February 1808 noted of a ball at the Pantheon that The Vauxhall Pandeans, in their Polish dress, a military band in full uniform, with Gow's famous Scotch band, are engaged to play the whole evening. They evidently wore a military style of uniform that evening (see Figure 9) and were accompanied by another band for the event. A theatrical performance was advertised later that year (Daily Advertiser, 8th of March 1808) at which The Vauxhall famous Pandean Musicians are engaged to play between the Acts; Lady Heathcote held a ball (Morning Herald, 18th of May 1808) at which The Pandean Band performed in the inner hall as the company entered, and it was reported of a royal ball (National Register, 21st of August 1808) that the Pandeans from Vauxhall being introduced after dinner, the juvenile part of the company were gratified by a rustic ball. The presence of the Pandean band at an event guaranteed that the music would be excellent. It is possible that our tune of The Labyrinth was originally from their repertoire and was adopted elsewhere after they made it successful.

We've animated a suggested arrangement of Button & Whitaker's c.1808 version (see Figure 9), of Skillern & Challoner's c.1807 version and of Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1807 version.

As an aside, the dancing master Thomas Wilson also created a country dancing figure that he named The Labyrinth for the 1811 editions of his An Analysis of Country Dancing publication. It's possible, though I suspect unlikely, that he named his figure for this tune and intended them to be danced together. I suspect however that this was merely a coincidental use of the same name. Nonetheless, modern dancers might like to dance Wilson's Labyrinth figure as part of their arrangements for our The Labyrinth tune.

For futher references to the tune, see also: Labyrinth (1) (The) at The Traditional Tune Archive.

French Country Dances / Cotillions

the dancing did not commence until 12, when a nouvelle kind of cotillion, called a French Country Dance, was led off by the Hon. Keppel Craven, and Lady Barbara Ashley Cowper, the fair daughter of the Countess of Shaftesbury. Colonel Mercer, followed with Miss Johnstone. Four couple made up the set, the dance attracted great attention, and was warmly applauded even by clapping of hands. (Countess of Shaftesbury's first ball)

Lady Barbara-Ashley-Cowper, Miss Johnstone, and two Gentlemen, led off with the French Cotillions, now so much the rage (Countess of Shaftesbury's second ball)

The two Shaftesbury balls of mid 1808 both began with dances variously described as French Cotillions, a nouvelle kind of cotillion and a French Country Dance. These references are deceptively important, they offer a glimpse of insight into a poorly documented period of social dance history that would ultimately see the Quadrille dance format become dominant in England in the later 1810s. We'll spend a little time here attempting to understand what might have been danced at these two society balls of 1808.

Figure 10. Two collections of French Country Dances issued by Michael Kelly c.1803

The Cotillion is a form of dance that was a little old fashioned in Britain in the early 19th century but was well understood. It had risen to prominence across the nation from the mid 1760s, several surviving English dance guides published c.1770 describe how to dance it. The dance form had originated in France but was adopted in Bath, London and elsewhere across the 1760s. Whether the Cotillion was still being danced in the style described in the 1770s by the 1800s is open to debate, we've explored some of these themes in a paper investigating a Cotillion Ball that was held in Bristol in 1799, you might like to follow the link to read more. Events described as Cotillion Balls were still being danced in England into the 1800s, especially at spa towns such as Margate and Bath. The Cotillion was usually danced in a square arrangement of four couples, it involved a sequence of choreographed dance figures which would vary from one Cotillion dance to the next, also a sequence of changes that would be performed in the same order from one Cotillion dance to the next. The dance involved specific steps and synchronised movement, it necessitated the practice or rehearsal of the dance before performing it in public. It was, in many respects, quite different to the longways Country Dances that were more commonly danced at balls.

The Cotillion dance declined in popularity across the 1790s however, it had largely fallen from favour by around 1800. It remained known of course, we've already investigated the La Ridicule Cotillion dance of 1807/1808 within this paper, that's an example of a specific Cotillion dance that was still being danced at the date of our balls.

One of the newspapers referred to the dancing of a French Country Dance at one of the 1808 balls. The term French Country Dance, when used by a specialist, referred to the more general class of dance of which the Cotillion was an example. They were usually (but not always) square dances for four couples, they may (or may not) have included the long sequence of changes that were expected in the typical Cotillion dance. Dancing masters sometimes described the Cotillion as being a type of French Country Dance, they would go on to describe the Quadrille dance of the 1810s using the same term, together with a range of convention defying circle and square dances including the celebrated Le Boulanger dance. The related term of figure dance was also used to describe a dance with scripted or choreographed figures, something a dancer would need to know and have rehearsed before participating in a dance. Thus a Cotillion dance might be described as being both a French Country Dance and also a French Figure Dance. We've investigated the concept of Figure Dances and French Country Dances in a previous paper, you might like to follow the link to read more.

Dances referred to as Cotillions were occasionally being danced at British society balls in the 1800s. The Duchess of Devonshire hosted a ball in 1803 (Morning Post, 9th of July 1803) at which Cotillions were described as being danced, her cotillions were said to be of a new stile of dancing just introduced (Morning Post, 18th of June 1803). We can only speculate as to what this new style of Cotillion dance could have been. One possibility is that she was dancing what would later be referred to as Quadrille dances. The same Duchess of Devonshire was also described as having initiated a cotillion dance at an otherwise dull Ball of 1804 (Morning Post, 21st of April 1804): The gay scene then degenerated into a mere tete-a-tete party, from which however it was soon rescued by the Duchess of Devonshire. Her Grace introduced French Cotillions, which were led off by Lady Harriet Cavendish, Lord Viscount Ossulstone, and Mr and Miss Johnstone. In these dances, all those who comprehended them joined the set.. It was reported that Lady Scott hosted a Ball in 1807 (British Press, 6th of June 1807) that commenced with a Cotillion dance, it was also reported of Mrs Edmonstone's Ball out in India in 1808 (Madras Courier, 13th of January 1808) that The ordinary course of Country Dances was pleasingly diversified by a Figure Dance or Cotillion, composed in a style of singular elegance, and executed in a manner which did ample justice to the composition. The Figure Dance was repeated at a late hour, by the particular request of the company.. Cotillions, or Cotillion-like dances, were evidently being rediscovered for use in elite ballrooms across the first decade of the 19th century, perhaps under the direct influence of the Duchess of Devonshire and her friends.

Our correspondents writing about the two Shaftesbury balls of 1808 seem not to have been dance specialists. Whoever wrote about the first ball didn't understand the term French Country Dance; they faithfully documented use of the term but considered the French Country Dance to be a new kind of Cotillion dance. Whereas, dance specialists had been describing the Cotillion as being a type of French Country Dance since at least as early as the 1760s. For example, a writer in The Public Advertiser back in 1768 (8th of March 1768) had commented: On account of the Royal Family, Nobility, and Gentry, now universally dancing the Cotillons, which are very elegant French Country Dances, lately introduced into the gay and fashionable World, at all their Assemblies, a very polite and brilliant Company is expected Tomorrow. The term French Country Dance was not widely used in Britain so it's not unreasonable for it to have been unfamiliar to a writer of the 1800s, whereas the term Cotillion was well known and understood. A non-specialist could describe the French Country Dance as being a type of Cotillion rather than the other way around, typical readers wouldn't be confused as they were unlikely to understand the technicalities either. This does offer an important observation for the modern reader however: we have to be careful when reading technical terminology in a historical document, the original user of that terminology may have meant something other than what the modern reader understands by the same phrase.

It's worth questioning whether the same specific dance was performed at both Shaftesbury events, or whether the two reports describe two different dances in the same style. The first event was held on Tuesday the 21st of June 1808, the second on Wednesday the 6th of July 1808, approximately two weeks later. The first was clearly a rehearsed performance, the audience were described as having applauded the performers at the conclusion of the dance; it's less clear that the second event also featured a performance. Two of the eight performers at the first ball are also named as having danced in the cotillion dance at the second ball, including the hostesses daughter, though the hint from the second event is that perhaps there were only four dancers involved (which would be very unusual in what was described as being a Cotillion dance, there were probably eight dancers). It seems likely to me that the same group of performers danced either exactly the same Cotillion-like dance at both events, or a minor variation on the same theme. It was probably a polished dance with fancy steps and crisp synchronisation which had been well rehearsed by a squad of friends in the weeks running up to the balls. This can't be proven of course, it's just a probability based on what we do know. It's also likely that there was relatively little overlap between the guests at the two balls, the second set of guests would have been as appreciative of the performers as those at the first (especially with the promise of luxurious exotic fruits to be enjoyed shortly afterwards).

So what might that dance have been? One possibility is that it was a regular Cotillion dance, perhaps even La Ridicule as described above. This is clearly possible. But the dance at the first ball was described as being a nouvelle kind of cotillion which hints at something other than a recognisably formulaic Cotillion dance. They might perhaps have danced a regular Cotillion in a highly polished style, or in an otherwise unusual form, perhaps omitting the Changes that were generally danced in Cotillions of earlier decades. It was clearly a performance piece of some description. The second ball was described as opening with French Cotillions, now so much the rage, note the plurality, it's hinted that more than one cotillion was danced. It's possible that a performance was made up from a group of cotillions danced in sequence, somewhat like the Quadrille sets that would become popular a few years later. Indeed, they may have danced a Quadrille in 1808, any observer of a Quadrille dance at this date would be likely to describe it as either a Cotillion or a French Country Dance. Another possibility is that they danced an off-formula Cotillion-like dance, several such French Country Dances are known to have been in circulation. It's unlikely to have been the celebrated Le Boulanger dance as that wasn't danced by eight people, wasn't very suitable as a performance and was sufficiently well known that it would probably have been referenced by name; it could however have been La Batteuse, an unusual French Country Dance that circulated from at least as early as 1812. Or they could have danced French Country Dances of the type published by Michael Kelly between about 1803 and 1806 in such publications as his Eight French Country Dances and his Fifteen French Country Dances (see Figure 10); in both cases these collections appear (it's not entirely obvious) to contain Cotillion dances arranged without the need for Changes and perhaps intended to be danced in a sequence like a Quadrille set of the later 1810s. Clementi & Co published collections of Cotillions of a similar form in both 1810 and 1811, some of which would go on to be be referred to as Quadrilles by 1817 when they were republished on a Quadrille Fan. Kelly's new style of Cotillion dances were dedicated to the Duchess of Devonshire, it's entirely possible that she had been dancing his French Country Dances at her ball of 1803 (mentioned above); one of her Cotillion dancers of 1804 was a Miss Johnstone (Morning Post, 21st of April 1804), perhaps the same Miss Johnstone who danced the Cotillions at our two Shaftesbury balls of 1808?

Ultimately we're unlikely to ever know exactly what was being danced at our balls, it's just fascinating to discover something out of the ordinary. Moreover, knowing that they were so much the rage we can imagine that these off-formula Cotillions were also being danced elsewhere at a similar date. This in turn provides additional evidence that the Quadrille dance, when it became popular in London from around 1816, didn't emerge unheralded. It's likely that the Quadrille was seen at first as being another type of French Country Dance, much like those danced in 1808, or like La Batteuse or Le Boulanger. Perhaps the success of the nouvelle cotillion dances performed at our two balls helped pave the way for the Quadrille revolution that would sweep the nation eight years later!

We've animated suggested arrangements of several of Michael Kelly's French Country Dances (see Figure 10) including his c.1804 No 1 or Pantaloon Figure and his No 2 or Chinese Figure.

The Runaway

The usual English country dances which followed were preceded by two new ones, both composed by a Lady of distinction; one was the The Runaway, and the name of the other we could not learn. (Countess of Shaftesbury's first ball)

The second dance was led off by the Marquis of Hartington and Lady Louisa Vane to the tune of the Runaway, followed by nearly [30?] couple in two sets. (Duchess of Bolton's Ball)

The next tune named as having featured at our 1808 balls was The Runaway, it was described as being a new one. Many tunes named The Runaway have been published for Country Dancing over the years but one particular tune was very widely published in London from around the year 1808, this popular and current tune was probably what was being danced at our event.

Figure 11. The Runaway from Skillern & Challoner's c.1808 7th Number

The word runaway could refer to a variety of different things: a runaway horse, runaway apprentice, runaway servant, runaway child, runaway slave, runaway soldiers and so forth. The most romantic use of the term must surely refer to a runaway bride; this was certainly the meaning of runaway with respect to a popular 1776 comedy named The Runaway that impressed theatre audiences of the late 18th century. This play was authored by Hannah Cowley (1743-1809), it was produced by David Garrick at Drury Lane from early 1776. It's possible that our Runaway tune was named in reference to the play, it's almost certain that some of the earlier tunes of the same name were so named. For example, Ignatius Sancho composed a tune named The Runaway for his 1776 Cotillions &c; another tune of the same name appeared in the Thompson collection of 24 Country Dances for 1779, another in Longman & Broderip's c.1781 2nd volume of their Compleat Collection of 200 Favorite Country Dances. Yet another appeared in Robert Ross's c.1780 A Choice Collection of Scots Reels or Country Dances & Strathspeys in Edinburgh. In Cowley's play the young Emily flees away from a forced marriage to the odious Mr Baldwin, escapes to the country and is found by a kindly widower; a young gentlemanly neighbour discovers that Emily is the very same lady that he had previously fallen for at a recent Masquerade Ball, various adventures ensue and eventually the couple end up married with a handsome fortune to live by. Whether or not the play inspired our tune is unknown, it's certainly possible that it did.

The tune we're interested in was well published in London between the years of 1808 and 1809. The precise sequence of publication is unknowable but examples include: Campbell's c.1808 1st Number, Skillern & Challoner's c.1808 7th Number (see Figure 11), Goulding's c.1808 12th Number, Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1808 3rd Book, Monzani's c. 1809 10th Number, Button & Whitaker's c.1809 12th Number, Clementi's c.1809 6th Number, James Platts's c.1809 9th Number, Dale's c.1809 13th Number, Goulding's collection of 24 for 1809, Cahusac's collection of 24 for 1809 and Ball's c.1809 1st Number. It was also named in Thomas Wilson's Treasures of Terpsichore for 1810 and in Edward Payne's 1814 A New Companion to the Ballroom. Yet another version of the tune was published in Edinburgh by Nathaniel Gow in his c.1810 Morgiana publication. Gow's tune was arranged in a different way to that of the London publications but it's essentially the same melody, it's just in a different key and appears intended to be played a little slower.

We're informed by the correspondent from the Shaftesbury Ball that The Runaway was composed by a Lady of distinction. We're not informed who she may have been but a couple of candidate composers do come to mind. One candidate would be Viscountess Ashbrook (c.1780-1810), the probable composer of Ferne Hill or The Tank and The Castillian Dance; another would be Lady Mildmay (d.1810, formerly Miss Bouverie), the composer of La Terza, The Nameless, Morgiana and perhaps also Prime of Life. Both candidates were ladies of distinction who had several successful tunes in circulation, albeit somewhat anonymously. It's perhaps notable that Gow published his version of The Runaway alongside both Morgiana and Prime of Life, this might hint that he knew all three of them to be by the same composer and that he had his versions from her directly. This is just speculation however. Gow credited the composition of Morgiana to Miss Bouverie, he did not do so for the other tunes in his collection. The composer could have been someone else entirely of course.

In addition to our two balls, the Runaway was also danced at a number of other social events around the year 1808. Examples include: Lord Altamort's Ball at Cambridge (Morning Post, 6th of July 1808) where it was the first dance of the evening and The dances were led by Mr Gow; Mr Penn's Fete Champetre (Morning Post, 9th of July 1808) where it was danced on grass and about twenty couple led off to the tune of The Runaway and a ball held by Mr Ellis of Portland-place (Morning Post, 6th of May 1809) where the first dance was led off by Miss Ellis and Lord Clinton to the lively tune of The Runaway. I've not discovered any later social references to the tune thereafter.

We've animated a suggested arrangement of the Skillern & Challoner version of c.1808 (see Figure 11), the Button & Whitaker version of c.1809 and the Wheatstone & Voigt version of c.1808.

For futher references to the tune, see also: Runaway (4) (The) at The Traditional Tune Archive.

Madame Catalani's Waltz

The Ball was opened a little before twelve o'clock, by the Hon. Mr. Eden and Lady Sarah Spencer, to the admired Air of Catalani's Waltz, followed by nearly 30 couple in two sets (Hon. Mrs Thomas Knox's Grand Ball and Supper)

A little before eleven o'clock the Ball was opened by Miss Parry and the Marquis of Tweedale, to the favourite Air of Madame Catalani's Waltz. (Duchess of Bolton's Ball)

The next tune to be referenced across our 1808 balls is Madame Catalani's Waltz. This particular tune is difficult to identify as at least four different tunes of that same name all circulated at around the same date. But before we investigate further let's first consider the performer after whom the tunes were named, Angelica Catalani (1780-1849) (see Figure 12). Catalani was perhaps the most celebrated singer of her generation, her performances at the Italian Opera House in London were a sensation, so too was the fee that she was paid to perform there between about 1806 and 1813!

Figure 12. Madame Catalani in Semiramide c.1808 (left) and Madame Catalani's Waltz from Button & Whitaker's c.1808 10th Number (right). Left image is courtesy of the Royal Academy of Music.

She was born in Italy and by the age of 16 was performing at La Fenice in Venice. The Prince Regent of Portugal lured her to Lisbon in 1804 to sing at the Italian Opera house there. Her fame grew and she performed in Madrid, Paris and elsewhere. She was signed by the managers of London' King's Theatre Italian Opera House in 1805 for, according to Wikipedia, a salary of £2000 [which was a vast fee]. The Morning Herald newspaper (24th of July 1805) jokingly speculated of her salary: Catalani, the celebrated Vocal Performer at Lisbon, has obligingly offered to exert her talents in this country at the moderate recompence of 4000l for the season, and a clear benefit. The Manager of the Opera has, it seems, thought proper to doubt the propriety of giving her so much cash for the Lady's notes.; they were doubtless pleased with the pun on the word notes (I'm pointing this out as we'll see the same monetary/musical joke repeated shortly). She arrived in London in 1806 to an expectant public, her fame having preceded her; the General Evening Post (11th of October 1806) explained Signora Catalani who has arrived in town, is about 24 years of age. She is handsome, and possesses a fine figure, rather inclining to the embonpoint. Her talents as a singer are of the first order, and her voice of remarkable compass; but she is not profound in her knowledge of music. Report says, that she is to have no less than 8000l for her performance next season at the Opera House; but this must be a most absurd exaggeration.. Her debut performance in December 1806 was a grand success, the Englishman newspaper (14th of December 1806) recorded: The Opera commenced last night under the happiest auspices. The celebrated Madame Catalani made her first appearance, in the Opera of Semiramide, to one of the fullest houses that has ever been seen at the opening of a season. Great as the public expectation was, we believe we can safely assert, that it was not disappointed by the efforts of this extraordinary woman. There was not a person who heard her who did not go away astonished at the extent of her powers, and the exquisite taste and judgement with which they were exerted. Her voice by far exceeds any that has ever been heard in this country. She is also an excellent actress. Such a combination of grace, beauty, and talent, has never before been exhibited to a British audience. The applause with which she was honoured throughout her performance was universal and enthusiastic., The Morning Chronicle newspaper the following day (15th of December 1806) continued the narrative: The first night of the new order of things was distinguished by the debut of the Catalani, who certainly of all the Artists we ever heard, is endowed by Nature with an organ of the greatest extent, mellifluence, and variety. It is the rare talent of Catalani to unite and appropriate to herself the talents of all other Lyric Performers. One is distinguished for the upper, and another for the lower tones of the voice; one is renowned for the powers of astonishing execution, another endears herself by the superior gift of affecting pathos. One is celebrated by the clearness of articulation, and another by the elegance of deportment. In Catalani we have the wonderful combination of all those graceful qualities, adorned by a form of beautiful expression, and engaging address.. It continued heaping further praise upon her of the same jubilant style. Her fame was secure, the crowds continued to flock to hear her sing over the next few years. She struggled, however, to be paid what she was owed by the Opera House and on several occasions would refuse to sing until that was remedied; one such episode came to an end in January 1808 when the Morning Post newspaper (4th of January 1808) reported of the theatre: All differences between the Manager and Madame Catalani having been amicably adjusted, the Opera season commenced on Saturday with Semiramide, in which that great and excellent warbler sustained the principal part with her wonted ability and success. Her greatness was never more conspicuously displayed, and she was warmly applauded throughout.. Perhaps the manager felt that the sum she had been promised was a little too high.

Madame Catalani was famed as a singer and, as with any stage performer, she would also be required to act in the Theatre's various stage productions. I've not however found any reports of her having danced on the stage, it's therefore a little unusual to find a social dancing tune named in reference to her. Where tunes are named for stage performers it's often because they had famously danced to that same tune; we've previously, for example, investigated Mrs Wybrow's Hornpipe and we've referred to Mademoiselle Parisot's Shawl Dance from La Belle Laitiere above. While it's possible that she did dance to one of the tunes named for her on the stage, this seems unlikely, the tunes were perhaps dedicated to her in her capacity as a celebrated performer. One of the first dated references to a Madame Catalani's Waltz that I can find appears in the Morning Post newspaper for the 6th of July 1807; an advertisement for Lavenu's music shop offered: Madame Catalani's Waltz, composed and arranged for the Piano-forte, by T. Haigh, 1s6d. I've yet to study a copy of Haigh's composition but my understanding is that this was a rondo publication; rondo arrangements of popular tunes were generally created after the tune was already a success, they would make something a little more impressive from what might have been just 16 bars of dance music. It's probable that the tune was already being danced to socially before July 1807; indeed, it was recorded as having been danced at The Ladies Townshends Ball of June 1807 (Morning Herald, 30th of June 1807). It was also danced at Mrs Thompson's Ball in 1807 (Morning Herald, 11th of July 1807), at Lady Heathcore's ball (Morning Herald, 27th of July 1807) and at the 1807 Wentworth House Fete (Morning Post, 26th of October 1807) in celebration of Lord Milton's coming of age. The tune was widely danced in 1808, in addition to the two balls we've been studying we could add Mrs Boehm's Ball and supper (Morning Herald, 8th of April 1808), The Lord Mayor's Fete (The Star, 19th of April 1808) where The Ball was opened soon after eleven o'clock, by his Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge and Miss Ainsley, (who officiated as Lady Mayoress), to the admired tune of Madame Catalani's Waltz and the Duchess of Chandos's Ball (Morning Herald, 3rd of June 1808). The Daily Advertiser newspaper (22nd April 1808) when writing of the Mayor's ball repeated the 1805 joke relating to notes: Catalani's Waltz was all the rage at the Easter Ball, at the Mansion-house, on Monday night. The city brokers, however delighted, would have given a preference to her notes. A tune named Madame Catalani's Waltz was evidently popular at society events, the confusion we have in identifying it is that several tunes of that name had all been published in London at around these dates. The tune that had been popular from mid 1807 probably remained so into 1808.

Figure 13. Madame Catalani c.1806 (left) and Madam Catalani's Waltz from Joseph Dale's c.1809 14th Number (right). Left image is courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

I know of at least four tunes all named Madame Catalani's Waltz that are viable candidates for our tune. In addition to these four were various minor tunes with such names as Madam Catalani's Favorite, Madame Catalani's Fancy and Catlani's Wriggle (such oddities were not widely published and warrant no further investigation). One of our candidate tunes was only (as far as I can discern) published in Hannam's c.1807 4th Number; Hannam was not one of the more significant music publishers and that tune seems not to have been published elsewhere, it's unlikely to have been the popular tune. Another candidate was published in Goulding's c.1811 23rd Number but once again not, so far as I can discern, anywhere else. The Goulding tune is probably not what we're looking for either; besides, Goulding & Co. also published one of the other candidates in their c.1809 15th Number making it a stronger candidate.

The first of our two stronger candidates was published in several works issued in London c.1808; these include Button & Whitaker's c.1808 10th Number (see Figure 12), Clementi's c.1808 5th Number and Walker's c.1808 16th Number. This same tune was also published a decade later in Monro's c.1818 Waltziana. The particular curiosity amongst these publications is that George Walker named the tune Pandean Waltz, by some called Madame Catalani's New Waltz, whereas Clementi & Co. named it Madame Catalani's new Waltz. It's only the Button & Whitaker publication (and Monro) who issued it under our simpler name of Madame Catalani's Waltz. This suggests that it was not thought, at least by Walker and Clementi, to be the original tune to have circulated under this name. It could nonetheless be the tune from our ball: the popular tune may not have been the first to use the name (so the word new may not be significant), or Walker and Clementi may have only discovered the original tune some time after the duplicately named tunes had already begun to circulate. Monro's publishing the tune a decade later may hint that this tune remained remembered and had therefore been the more popular, where the other strong candidate may not have done so. We've animated a suggested arrangement of Button & Whitaker's c.1808 version of this tune (see Figure 12).

The second strong candidate was published several times in London c.1809. Examples include: Dale's c.1809 14th Number (see Figure 13), Goulding's c.1809 15th Number, Goulding's collection of Twelve Country Dances for 1809 and Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1808 3rd Book. This tune seems to date to a little later than the first candidate but we're operating with estimated dates of publication and there's no certainty as to which came first. It seems likely that where Walker and Clementi were aware of an earlier Madame Catalani's Waltz it was this second candidate that they were referring to... and yet they seem not to have published this tune first themselves (at least not in the copies of their work that I have access to, my collections are incomplete however). We've animated a suggested arrangement of Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1808 version of this tune.

I'm unable to say which of the two candidates is more likely to have been danced at our balls of 1808, either candidate is possible. A further publication of interest would be Hodsoll's Collection of the Most Fashionable Country Dances for the Year 1807 which is understood to also contain a tune named Madame Catalani's Waltz; I've not studied this publication and don't know which variant it contains, it's likely to be one of the earliest tunes published under this name however, there's a good chance that Hodsoll published what would go on to be the best known version.

For futher references to the tune, see also: Madam Catalani's Waltz at The Traditional Tune Archive.

The Collizzi / The Colliggi

The second dance was likewise a new one called The Colizze. It possessed much merit, and had certainly many claims to originality. (Duchess of Bolton's Ball)

Figure 14. The Collizzi from Button & Whitaker's c.1809 12th Number. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD, g.230.aa ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The final tune that we found named across our 1808 balls is given as The Colizze. This tune is a bit of a mystery, it's only known from this one ball and has only been identified in two publications. There's also a mystery as to what the title refers to. It may perhaps reference the Dutch composer Johannes Colizzi (1742-1808), the music shop of Longman & Broderip had advertised sonatas by Colizzi for sale back in 1795 (Chester Courant, 1st of December 1795). Or perhaps it referenced the Le Colisée, a Colosseum like building constructed in Paris's Champs Elysées in 1769 to host fetes in honour of the Dauphin (later Louis XVI); this building was abandoned in 1778 and was dismantled shortly thereafter, it did however serve as the model for an equivalent building constructed in London's Regent's Park in 1835 (The News, 9th of August 1835). Several French dances were named in reference to this building, including La colisée by M. Battu, La promenade du colisee by M. Joly and Les plaisirs du colisée by Messrs Denis & Chevalier. Neither of these candidate explanations is particularly convincing. We're told that the tune was new in 1808 and neither seems a likely dedication for a social dancing tune of that date.

We also lack clues to the identity of the composer of this new tune. It was featured at a ball held by the Duchess of Bolton alongside a tune named Prime of Life, this second tune was probably composed by Miss Bouverie (later Lady Mildmay). We could speculate that Miss Bouverie also composed The Collizzi, there's no evidence for this beyond coincidence so it's just a possibility.

The two musical publications that I've found the tune in are Button & Whitaker's c.1809 12th Number (under the name The Collizzi, see figure 14) and in Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1806 1st Book (under the name The Colliggi). The Wheatstone & Voigt publication of c.1806 is interesting as several editions of this work are known to exist, dating these various editions is complicated, the edition that contained The Colliggi may date to as late as 1809. The word colliggi is every bit as difficult to understand as collizzi, there's no reason to think that it is the more correct name for the tune. The presence of this tune at our ball of 1808 is fascinating; it offers a reminder that just because a tune was not widely published we can't assume that it wasn't being danced socially, some relatively obscure (from a modern point of view) tunes were in fact somewhat popular.

We've animated a suggested arrangement of Button & Whitaker's c.1809 version of the dance (see Figure 14) and of Wheatstone & Voigt's c.1806 version.

Conclusion

In this paper we've reviewed what's known of seven different balls that were held in Britain in the year 1808. We've encountered several country dancing tunes that were named as having been danced at those events, we've further investigated the six such tunes that we've not studied in previous papers. We've also explored the phenomenon of the French Country Dance as it might have been experienced in 1808, we've considered how it may have helped prepare the nation for the subsequent Quadrille phenomenon of the following decade. We've encountered tunes derived from stage performances, tunes associated with professional bands, tunes composed by a lady of distinction and what might have been an older style of Cotillion dance. If you would like to hold a modern recreation of a ball of 1808 then the tunes and dances that we've studied in this paper might be very suitable for you to recreate at your event. If you have enjoyed this paper you might like to read the follow-on paper that investigates a further selection of Balls from 1808. And as always, if you've any additional information to share then do please Contact Us as we'd love to know more.