Of the Menuet, and the Manner of
dancing it regularly.
at present, and for which we are obliged to Monsieur Pecour, who
so much improved it by changing the Form S, which was the
principal Figure, into that of Z, where the Number of Steps
limited keep the Daners in a Regularity, as will be shewn in the
End of this Chapter.AFTER your second Honour, you must make a Menuet
Step in returning to the Place where you made your first, forming
the fourth Part of a Circle, as shewn by (1), which brings you
up to your Lady again, to whom you present your Hand, as represented
by (2); and each make two Menuet Steps forwards, the Man's Hand
undermost to support the Woman's, as in Figure the First.AFTERWARDS you both make two Menuet Steps forwards,
as in the second Plate, keeping Hands.BY this third Figure you are shewn that the
Man makes a Menuet Step backwards, to let the Woman go by him,
and then a Menuet Step sideways, at the End of which he lets go
her Hand and makes a Menuet Step forwards, and the Woman makes
one also going down, as shewn by this written Figure, which directs
the Way, and names the Steps; afterwards they both make a side
Step slanting on the Right backwards, which sets them opposite
to each other, by the quarter Turn made at the first step of the
Menuet Step aside, as it is expressed: But in making this Step,
the right Shoulders of both Parties are shaded from each other,
and the Head turned a little to the Left, looking at each other,
which ought to be observed throughout the whole 
Course of the
Meneuet; but above all, without Affectation.
TO pursue the Figure as represented by this
Plate, two Steps (2) must be on the left Side, with the Body upright;
and in making two other Steps forwards at (3), the right Shoulders
of both should be shaded, the Man always to let the Woman pass
on the right Side of him, but both looking at each other: (What
I call shading the Shoulder, is drawing it a little backwards,
presenting the Body more full) but nevertheless still to make
their Steps forwards, as the Plate shews, which is the principal
Figure of the Meneuet: But when you have made five or six Turns,
you must from one Corner of the Room or other, looking upon one
another, present your right Hand in your Step forwards.BUT that you may the better apprehend it, when
you are going over, that is at the End of your last Step returning to the Left, raise
your right Arm to the Height of your Breast, the Hand turned as
represented by the two Arms: The Head being turned to the right,
looking at each other, you make a little Movement of the Wrist
and Elbow raised up, with a slight Inclination in presenting the
Hand, and still looking at one another, make a Turn quite round,
as represented and shewn by this Figure.HAVING let go the right Hand, you go forwards,
making a half Turn to present your left Hand, observing the same
Ceremonial as in the Right, as shewn by this Figure.
AND when you have let go the left Hand, you
must make a Menuet Step aside to the right obliquely backwards,
as here described (4), which brings you again into the principal
Figure, which you continue for three or four Turns; afterwards
you present both Hands, raising your Arms to the Height of your
Breast, with the Body bent.IN presenting Hands to the Woman, according
to my Opinion, which I have endeavoured to express in these two
Figures, and when you take Hands, you make a Turn or two, and
the Man makes a Meneut Step backwards, bringing his Woman up with
him, whose left Hand only he lets go to pull off his Hat: When
he has compleated his Meneut Step, he steps with his right Foot
aside in the second Position, and then they both 
make their Honours together,
the same as before they danced.I don't think it right to make a Menuet too
long; for though it has always been my Opinion, that every one
may be left to his own Discretion, yet it is both reasonable and
becoming to set some Limits; for though a Person dances never
so well, the Figure is still the same, therefore the shorter it
is made the better.AND when a Person is come to dance well, he
may now and then introduce some Graces, which I shall explain
in the following Chapter.
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