[Dixielandjazz] Charles Babbage's comments on Street Musicians -slightly OT?

[Robert Ringwald]

Gee, and he didn't even mention banjos...  


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Richoux" <tubaman at tubatoast.com>
To: "Bob Ringwald" <rsr at ringwald.com>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 4:41 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Charles Babbage's comments on Street Musicians -slightly OT?


> Hi all,
> 
> While doing some other research, I happened upon a portion of a book  
> by Charles Babbage (known as the inventor of the "Difference Engine" -  
> a very early sort of mechanical computer ) that is a very  longwinded  
> argument against the common London street musician of the mid 1800s.
> 
> http://books.google.com/books?id=2T0AAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA336&output=text
> 
> (you might need to have a Google account to read it. ) Here is a snip:
> 
>> During the last ten years, the amount of street music has so greatly  
>> increased that it has now become a positive nuisance to a very  
>> considerable portion of the inhabitants of London. It robs the  
>> industrious man of his time; it annoys the musical man by its  
>> intolerable badness; it irritates the invalid; deprives the patient,  
>> who at great inconvenience has visited London for the best medical  
>> advice, of that repose which, tinder such circumstances, is  
>> essential for his recovery, and it destroys the time and the  
>> energies of all the intellectual classes of society by its continual  
>> interruptions of their pursuits.
>>
>> Instruments of torture permitted by the Government to be in daily  
>> and nightly use in the streets of London.
>>
>> Organs. Bagpipes.
>>
>> Brass bands. Accordions.
>>
>> Fiddles. Halfpenny whistles.
>>
>> Harps. Tom-toms.
>>
>> Harpsichords. Trumpets.
>>
>> Hurdy-gurdies. The human [ Shouting out objects for sale.
>>
>> Flageolets voice in \ Religious canting.
>>
>> Drums. various forms. ( Psalm-singing.
>>
>> I have very frequently been disturbed by such music after eleven and  
>> even after twelve o'clock at night. Upon one occasion a brass band  
>> played, with but few and short intermissions, for five hours.
>>
>> Encouragers of Street Music.
>>
>> Tavern-keepers.
>>
>> Public-houses.
>>
>> Gin-shops.
>>
>> Beer-shops.
>>
>> Coffee-shops.
>>
>> Servants.
>>
>> Children.
>>
>> Visitors from the country.
>>
>> Ladies of doubtful virtue.
>>
>> Occasionally titled ladies ; but these are almost invariably of  
>> recent elevavation, and deficient in that taste which their sex  
>> usually possess.
>>
>> The habit of frequenting public-houses, and the amount of  
>> intoxication, is much augmented by these means. It therefore finds  
>> support from the whole body of licensed victuallers, and from all  
>> those who are interested, as the proprietora of public-houses.
>>
> 
>  I wonder what he might have thought about jazz musicians !!!
> 
> 
> more on Babbage here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Babbage
> 
> Dave RIchoux
> 
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