The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-11-06
1.-THE FIRST NEGRO MINSTREL.
The BIacEtened Face which Come
Before the Christy's or Anybody

EIHe.
Charles G.. Leland's London Letter.
One can understand why negro minstrelsy
should exist in America, where the black man
and his humor Is understood, but why OF all
wonders the Englishman, whose ideas OF fua
rarely embrace anything new, should care for
the grotesqueries OF Mr.. Jones 10 to me a puz-
Zle. One sees and hears more OF the burnt
cork and banjo here than In our own country.
AT horse races, fairs ana regattas one band OF
'wretched cockneys with blackened faces sue
ceeds another, announcing In song that
"Hi ham from old virglnny,"
or quite as often singing ditties which have
nothing to do with darkness.
very lately critic in London paper asked
II II was necessary for men 10 be corkod In
order 10 sing Scotch nongs. But tho negro
minstrel Is not only to be found at falrs-ho
perambulates London, he sings In the streets,
rs he has done for thirty or forty years. II 10,
however, an odd thought, yet q true one, that
the very lrst niger minstrel YVES an English
man and that England had the article long be-
fore America was discovered. Ana this Is the
story as given In the history OF the Fltz
Warines; Long ago, in the eleventh century.
there was vely comical and ugly knight
named John de la RaunPagne.
Now II comes TO pass that Fulko Fit2 Warine,
having recovered his castle OF Wilmington
(Which castle by chance visited In July, was
lnmenting over the loss or Andulf de Bracy,
who had fallen Into the hands OF King John
and was prieoner In the Shrewsbury Castle
(readers OF "Ivanhoe" Will remember De
Bracy the Norman asked John de Ia Raun-
payne 10 rescue the captiye). SNOW John do Ia
Raunpagne knew enough OF tabor, harp,
fiddle, cltple and joglery, ana he caused his
hair and all his body 20 DO entirely dyed as
black as Jet, 20 that nothing was white except
his teeth.
E5"And he hung around his neck very hand.
some tabor, and rode through the town OF
Shrewsbury 10 the gate OF the castle; and by
mouy one wac no looked at. John came be-
fore tho King and ealuted him. The King
ntRtd him whep"e no came? Sire said he, Il
am mn Ethiopian minstrel born In Ethiopia
said tho Kings Are all the people Ia your loud
OF your cOlorY' Yes, my lord, man and woman
And John made great mlnstrelsy all the day."
Tho negro was not however, unknown 70 the
Anglo Normans. In the Church OF ST. Mary at
Beverly there is tho famous "plllar" on which
nye MINISTRIES are represented, and almost
facing It is a corbol bearing negro, who Is
well portrayed.
GiThis may be useful to tho man who Will
write complete history OF negro mlnstrelsy.
IL is the nret fact ever recorded on tho Buhject.
Tho last 10 by that incuraDle Frenchman,
MAX Ohell," who, as IL appears In a passage
IA 'John Bull el son lle," was also struck by
the great popularity OF these sable singers
'Tho heads or every popular fete In England"
he writes, "are tho Chrlsty Minstrels, street
singera, who smear their faces with SCOT, dis
gulse themselves In clothes OF immense high
ly'colored check patterns, and sing Indecent
songs, while accompanying themselves on i'm
Rtovlsed guitars, fryingpans or stove pipes.
Lhsse hrtlsts OF American Importation sing In
lull chorus, dance, make grimaces, and eco
PtH"yS shower into their grotesque high hate"