[93] A coupee is a motion in dancing, when one leg is a little bent, and raised from the ground, while a forward motion is made with the the other leg.
[94] Valentine and Orson, the two twin sons of Alexander, Emperor of Constantinople, in the old romance, were born in a wood.
[95] Cf. Molière's Le Sicilien, scene xiii.:—"Si votre pinceau flatte autant que votre langue, vous allez me faire un portrait qui ne me resemblera point."
[96] See the Vicar of Wakefield, Chap. XVI.:—"As for our neighbour's family, there were seven of them, and they were drawn with seven oranges, a thing quite out of taste, no variety in life, no composition in the world." The vicar's wife was painted as Venus, with two Cupids; the vicar, in gown and band, presenting her with his books on the Whistonian controversy. Olivia was an amazon, Sophia a shepherdess, "with as many sheep as the painter could put in for nothing."
[97] Compare Le Sicilien, scene xiii.:—"Adraste. Levez-vous un peu, s'il vous plaît. Un peu plus de la côté-là. Le corps tourné ainsi. La tête un peu levée, afin que la beauté du cou paraisse. Ceci un peu plus découvert. (Il découvre un peu plus sa gorge). Bon. Là, un peu davantage; encore tant soit peu.... Vos yeux toujours tournés vers moi, je vous en prie; vos regards attachés aux miens."
[98] This song was set to music by Daniel Purcell.
[99] Cf. Molière's Précieuses Ridicules, in which Mademoiselle Magdalen says, "Si d'abord Cyrus épousait Mandane, et qu'Aronce de plain-pied fût marié à Clélie!"
[100] Similarly, Beau Tibbs hated "immense loads of meat"—"extreme disgusting to those who are in the least acquainted with high life."
[101] "At the Theatre Royal to-morrow, being the 18th October, will be revived a Comedy called the Spanish Friar; or the Double Discovery. The part of the Friar to be performed by Mr. Estcourt; being the first time of his appearance on the English stage. Beginning exactly at half-an-hour after five o'clock" (Daily Courant, Oct. 17, 1704). Richard Estcourt was an excellent companion, and a favourite of Steele's, who praised him several times in the Spectator, and wrote an excellent and touching paper (No. 468) on his death in 1712, in the course of which he says: "When a man of his wit and smartness could put on an ... air of insipid cunning and vivacity in the character of Pounce in the Tender Husband, it is folly to dispute his capacity and success, as he was an actor."
[102] On March 8, 1705 (Daily Courant), there was acted at Drury Lane "a new opera (all sung after the Italian manner) called, Arsinoe, Queen of Cyprus. As it was performed before Her Majesty at St. James's on her birthday."