Daniel Defoe

“ Some gentlemen then danced with ladies all in masks, and when they stopped nobody rose up to dance, but all called out, Roxana! Roxana! In the interval my Lord —— had brought another masked person into my room, whom I knew not, only that I could discern it was not the same person that led me out before. This noble person (for I afterwards understood it was the Duke of ——) after a short compliment led me out into the middle of the room. ”

“ They made their compliments to me in French and I replied in the same language. When the doors were opened they walked into the dancing-room, and danced such a dance as indeed nobody there had ever seen, and to an instrument like a guitar with a small low-sounding trumpet, which indeed was very fine, and which my Lord —— had provided.
They danced three times all alone, for nobody indeed could dance with them. The novelty pleased truly, but yet there was something wild and bizarre in it, because they really acted to the life the barbarous country whence they came ”

“ When I came there the room was full of company, but I ordered the folding-doors to be shut for a minute or two, till I had received the compliments of the ladies that were in the room, and had given them a full view of my dress.
But my Lord ——, who happened to be in the room, slipped out at another door and brought back with him one of the masks, a tall well-shaped person, but who had no name, being all masked, nor would it have been allowed to ask any person’s name on such an occasion. ”

“ In three of these I had tables placed, covered with wine and sweetmeats; the fourth had a green table for play, and the fifth was my own room, where I sat and where I received all the company that came to pay their compliments to me. I was dressed, you may be sure, to all the advantage possible, and had all the jewels on that I was mistress of. My Lord ——, to whom I had made the invitation, sent me a set of fine music from the playhouse, and the ladies danced and we began to be very merry, when about eleven o’clock I had notice given me that there were some gentlemen coming in masquerade. ”

“ I would have withdrawn and disrobed, being somewhat too thin in that dress, unlaced and open-breasted as if I had been in my shift, but it could not be, and I was obliged to dance afterwards with six or eight gentlemen, most, if not all of them, of the first rank; and I was told afterwards that one of them was the D—— of M——th.
About two or three o’clock in the morning the company began to decrease, the number of women especially dropped away home, some and some at a time, and the gentlemen retired downstairs, where they unmasked and went to play. ”

“ After I had danced with that noble person I did not offer to dance by myself, as I had before; but they all called out Roxana! again, and two of the gentlemen came into the drawing-room to entreat me to give them the Turkish dance, which I yielded to readily ”

“ I soon found myself thronged with admirers, and I received visits from some persons of very great figure, who always introduced themselves by the help of an old lady or two who were now become my intimates ”

“ As soon as they had shown their Georgian and Armenian shapes, and danced, as I have said, three times, they withdrew, paid their compliments to me (for I was Queen of the day) , and went off to undress. ”