Pen-Elayne on the Web

In Search of the Dancing Bear

I consider myself fairly adept at using search engines, but it seems like I'm completely stymied every time I try to look up a famous quotation. Today's example: don't remember who said it, but the context was women speaking in public sometime in the mid- to late 19th century, and a man observing the similarities between that phenomenon and a dancing bear, to wit, that one doesn't judge how well it's done, but marvels that it's done at all. If anyone can help me find the source of that quote and a website-ation, I'd be much appreciative.