200 years, eh? If I kept my hand on my seat I'd have a permanent patch.
As for all these books and such, well lessee, there was the big deal with the Fox Sisters in what? 1842? here in the USA. An it was all the rage in the 1880's in England. Which Gilbert and Sullivan play gave the male patter singer the line "And the people always say, as I go my mystic way.." I think it was Iolanthe. It was all the rage around World War I around here, I heve my great-grandmother's books as evidence. The list goes on...
So they initiate me without me knowing...I've heard that they'll change my long distance phone company the same way.
Now, two questions. Are you saying this like it's a bad thing? And why are you posting it to a folk music forum?