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

[Jerry Gordon]

Or washboards...

 
On Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:43:10 -0700 "Robert Ringwald" <rsr at ringwald.com>
writes:
> 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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Jerry Gordon, Troy, NY - Webmaster for http://APlaceForJazz.org,
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