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.