Refers to the marriage of the young danseuse Maria Mercandotti and Edward Hughes Ball.
Print shows Maria Mercandotti, in a ballet dress, holding up her skirt to catch a large gold ball kicked by three young women, including the figure of Lady Jane Paget, who stand in the forefront of a large crowd of women. On the ground is a fife on a paper inscribed "No more Notes to be had out of this fife." At left is a doorway labelled "Opera House" wherein her mother stands holding a candle and a large bag of money. Ms. Mercandotti is saying, "Mama! Mama! tis the Golden Apple--I dreamt of a Ball coming from Paris and here it is--come my ear ball cease your wanderings and in this Lap, repose yourself thyself now and for ever." Her mother replies, "Hold your frock up and you'll catch it my dear it's a much better plaything than the old Fife you had and know you are fond of Ball's."