DOWNIE'S HUMOUR. English, Country Dance Tune (2/4 time). D Major. Standard tuning (fiddle). AABB. Dance instructions appear in Peter Thompson's Twenty Four Country Dances for the Year 1755. The melody first appears in R. Baldwin's periodical London Magazine, or Gentleman's Monthly Intelligencer (London, 1755), followed by an appearance in John Hinton's periodical Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure (London, 1756). It was picked up for country dance collections by Charles and Samuel Thompson (London, 1757) and John Johnson, in his 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 8 (London, 1758). The dance has been adopted for Scottish Country Dancing repertoire.
Additional notes
Printed sources : - Baldwin (London Magazine; Or, Gentlemen's Monthly Intelligencer), 1755; p. 293. Hinton (Universal Magazine of Knowledge and Pleasure), January, 1756; p. 271. Thompson (Compleat Collection of 200 Favourite Country Dances, vol. 1), 1757; No. 106.
