Nicholas Cresswell, The Journal of Nicholas Cresswell (1774-1781), 55

Item

Title

Nicholas Cresswell, The Journal of Nicholas Cresswell (1774-1781), 55

Includes music itself or text of song

no

Identity of singers; solo/group

unclear. The music is referred as a "Negro tune"
solo

Voice/instrument

instruments
fiddle

Space/room

unspecified "a Ball"

activity

dancing

Ornamentation / improvisation

n/a

Geographical location

Alexandria, Virginia

Notable adjectives

Bacchanalian

Excerpt

A Couple gets up, and begins to dance a Jig (to some Negro tune) others comes and cuts them out, these dances allways last as long as the Fiddler can play. This is social but I think it looks more like a Bacchanalian dance then one in a polite Assembly.

Context

In this section of his journal, Cresswell talks about the town of Alexndria at the beginning of 1775, its agriculture and its people.

Bias of author

Cresswell was an English man visiting America with the goal of acquiring land to live in the future, as stated in the first entry of his journal. His text is often concerned with agriculture and the possibilities of improving the land and farming methods in the US. His writing is usually condescending, pointing out what he sees as the "immorality" or "backwardness" of the territories he visits. This is particularly true in descriptions of enslaved African Americans or Native American people.

Item sets