[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists; Bryan's Dict. of Artists; Ralph's Critical Review of the Public Buildings, Statues, and Monuments in and around London and Westminster, London, 1783.]
DANCE, GEORGE, the younger (1741–1825), architect, fifth and youngest son of George Dance, architect and surveyor to the city of London, was born in 1740–1, and learnt his profession in his father's office. He spent also some time in France and Italy, and studied in Rome. He was a member of the Incorporated Society of Artists, and in 1761 sent to their exhibition a design for Blackfriars Bridge. His father died in 1768, and he succeeded him in his office by right of purchase. His first important work was the rebuilding of Newgate in 1770, in which he displayed considerable skill—the severe, massive features of the exterior being thoroughly characteristic. He was successful also in the construction of the Giltspur Street prison and St. Luke's Hospital, but the front of Guildhall is less creditable to his taste. Dance was elected in 1794 a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and was one of the foundation members of the Royal Academy. He held also the office of professor of architecture at the Royal Academy from 1798 to 1805, but never lectured. In fact he seems to have devoted himself in his later years to art rather than to architecture, and his contributions to the Academy exhibitions in and after 1798 consisted solely of portraits drawn in chalk. These and others (in all seventy-two in number) were subsequently engraved and published, and have the reputation of being life-like, though 'wanting in drawing and refinement' (Redgrave). In 1815 he resigned the office of city surveyor, and after a lingering illness of many years died at Upper Gower Street, London, 14 Jan. 1825, being the last of the original forty Royal Academicians. He was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral.
Dance was author of 'A Collection of Portraits sketched from the Life since the year 1793, by Geo. Dance, esq., and engraved in imitation of the original drawings by Will. Daniell, A.R.A.,' folio, 1811 and 1814.
[Redgrave's Dict. of Artists of the English School, 1874; Annual Register, lxvii. 219; Burke's Extinct Baronetage, s. v. 'Holland.']
DANCE, alias Love, JAMES (1722–1774), comedian, eldest son of George Dance [q. v.], city surveyor and architect, was born on 17 March 1721–2. He entered Merchant Taylors' School in 1732, and five years later was admitted a member of St. John's College, Oxford. But he left the university without graduating, and, having assumed the name of Love, contrived to attract the favourable notice of Sir Robert Walpole by replying, in a smart poem entitled 'Yes, they are; what then?' to a satirical piece, 'Are these things so?' directed against the minister and attributed (wrongly) to Pope. Sir Robert, however, does not seem to have done much more for his advocate than feed him with false hopes, and at length, bankrupt and disappointed, Love betook himself to the stage and to the composition of light comedies. About 1740 he wrote and published an heroic poem on 'Cricket,' which is interesting as throwing light upon the history of that popular game, and his earliest contribution to dramatic literature was a piece entitled 'Pamela,' published in 1742. He performed at the theatres of Dublin and Edinburgh, and resided for some years as manager in the latter city, where (1754) he issued a volume of poems. In 1762 he was invited to Drury Lane Theatre, and retained his connection with that house during the rest of his life, part of which was spent at Richmond, where, with his brother's help, he built a new theatre, involving him in considerable loss. He died early in 1774, and it cannot be said that either as an actor or a writer he secured or deserved much success. Falstaff was his best character; his attempts to improve Shakespeare and Beaumont and Fletcher were wretched. His brother was Sir Nathaniel Dance [q. v.]
He wrote:
- 'Cricket; an heroic poem,' 1770 ('published about thirty years ago,' pref. to 2nd edit.).
- 'Pamela,' comedy, 1742.
- 'Poems on several Occasions,' 1754.
- 'The Witches,' pant. 1762.
- 'Rites of Hecate,' pant. 1764.
- 'The Hermit,' pant. 1766.
- 'The Village Wedding,' 1767.
- 'Timon of Athens,' altered, 1768.
- 'The Ladies' Frolic,' 1770.
- 'City Madam,' 1771.
- 'Rule a Wife and have a Wife,' altered, 1771.
[Baker's Biog. Dram. by Reed and Jones, i. 462; Robinson's Reg. of Merchant Taylors' School.]
DANCE, NATHANIEL. [See Holland, Sir Nathaniel, 1734–1811.]
DANCE, Sir NATHANIEL (1748–1827), commander in the service of the East India Company, son of James, the elder brother of Sir Nathaniel Holland [q. v.], and of George Dance the younger [q. v.], was born 20 June 1748, entered the East India Company's service in 1759, and, after continuous employment for nearly thirty years, obtained the command of a ship in 1787. In 1804 he was, by virtue of his seniority, commodore of the company's homeward-bound
