| Citation |
BG.774.019
28 Feb 1774:31 (986)
Extract of a letter from a bookseller in London to a
gentleman of musical turn here, dated Bagpipe-Ally Scotland
Yard, November 5, 1773.
We hear your chief governor is of late become passionately
fond of dancing! and to tunes of your composing,
particularly well suited to our Scotch instrument: Will you
be so good as to send him one or two of my musick books,
published for the current year! Paxton's almande and
Hallowell's cotillions that you write for, are quite
old-fashion'd and out of print; but new editions of them
with alterations, it is expected will appear the approaching
winter. The Hutchinsonian opera lately came out, called the
foxes unkennel'd, or rascalls discover'd; is in high vogue
with the great, at the West-end of the town! and in truth
all over the Kingdom. Oliver's gigg is also thought much
of, as being very uncommon, airy and gay, and well adapted
to the name on both sides the water; shall send one of each
of these to his honor and to his Excellency without waiting
for orders, requesting them at the same time, to pay you the
value they may estimate the work at, and in whatever
currency they please! though upon second thought I may not
do this without an instruction.
We hear much talk about a very great dancing master some
where in your country, a Mr. Duncan Moffatt Mac-Denbigh!
Who teaches grown folk to move the Jemmy forestep in the
true Rome-an-Harrisonian stile, and that he has in a very
short time taught Admiral MacMoody to move in the
superlative degree, to that famous old tune, the
lamentations of Ireland. Will you be so good as to
recommend me to this great doctor of musick, that I may have
his custom in my way; I publish 24 country dances every
year, besides minuets and reels, horns pipes and other
tunes, and all perfectly well suited to the wend instrument
that's getting so much into fashion among you.
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