A Paradoxical Wedding

A Wedding there was, and a dance there must be;
And who should stand first thus all did agree
Old grandsire and grandma should lead the dance down;
Two fathers, two mothers should step the same ground;
Two daughters stood up and danced with their sires:
(The room was so warm they wanted no fires),
And also two sons, who danc'd with their mothers,
Three sisters there were and danc'd with three brothers,
Two uncles vouchsaf'd with nieces to dance,
With nephews, to jig indeed pleased two aunts,
Three husbands would dance with none but their wives,
(As bent so to do the rest of their lives),
The granddaughter chose the jolly grandson,
And bride, she would dance with bridegroom or none,
A company choice, their number to fix,
I told them all o'er and found them but six;
All honest and true, from incest quite free
Their marriages good--pray how could that be?

Source: The Lexington (KY) Gazette, 27 February 1790
Transcribed by pb, June 2000