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diff --git a/old/66519-0.txt b/old/66519-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index f9043fb..0000000 --- a/old/66519-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3039 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Power of Music, by Anonymous - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Power of Music - In which is shown, by a variety of pleasing and instructive - anecdotes, the effects it has on man and animals. - -Author: Anonymous - -Release Date: October 11, 2021 [eBook #66519] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Charlene Taylor, Les Galloway and the Online Distributed - Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was - produced from images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE POWER OF MUSIC *** - - Transcriber’s Notes - -Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. All -other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged. - -Italics are represented thus _italic_, and superscripts thus y^{en}. - - - - - THE - - POWER OF MUSIC, - - _&c. &c._ - - - - - PRINTED BY J. SWAN, - 76, FLEET STREET, LONDON. - - - - -FRONTISPIECE. - -[Illustration: _The Ox Minuet._ - _Page 97._ -_Published Dec. 1-1813, by J. Harris, corner of S^{t.} Paul’s Church -Yd._] - - - - - THE - - POWER OF MUSIC. - - IN WHICH IS SHOWN, - - BY A VARIETY - - _OF PLEASING AND INSTRUCTIVE_ - - ANECDOTES, - - THE EFFECTS IT HAS ON - - Man and Animals. - - [Illustration: Publishers Device] - - _LONDON_: - - PRINTED FOR J. HARRIS, - - CORNER OF ST. PAUL’S CHURCH-YARD. - - 1814. - - - - - THE - - POWER OF MUSIC, - - _&c. &c._ - - - CONVULSIONS RELIEVED BY MUSIC - - -The following extraordinary instance of the effects of music, is -related by M. Menuret. - -“An unmarried lady, about thirty years of age, in consequence of -violent grief in her youth, experienced various derangements in -the natural functions, and was afterwards attacked by convulsions, -which, at first, returned every month, and in the sequel, became -more frequent. Medicines of every kind seemed only to aggravate the -disorder; the fits recurred, not only every day, but several times -a day, and were marked by an involuntary agitation of the limbs, by -their rigidity, gnashing of the teeth without foam, and insensibility, -Their duration was unequal: sometimes a quarter of an hour, but more -frequently several hours; and concluded by an abundant discharge of -tears. No expedient could be devised for her relief during these fits, -nor did any remedy appear capable of preventing them, or of diminishing -their violence, or their frequency: the most affectionate attention, -travelling, diversions, amusements, were equally ineffectual.—Among -the means that were tried on this occasion, was, fortunately, a -concert, during which the young patient seemed highly delighted, and -uncommonly well: she not only remained free from any convulsive fit -while it lasted, but it afterwards returned later than usual. This -method was repeated with the same result. The medical men by whom she -was attended, availed themselves of the intervals of composure which -it produced, to have recourse to other remedies. Long experience -demonstrated their inutility; and repeated trials having proved the -exclusive efficacy of music, her father, being obliged to return into -the country, where he resided, engaged a musician to accompany and live -with him. The soft melody of the violin or the piano forte, skilfully -adapted to the taste and state of the patient, and often repeated, -frequently prevents the convulsive fits, or abates their violence. -This treatment, which has been solely employed for the last three -years, has been attended with such success, that all the functions are -restored to their natural state; and, for a year, the attacks are rare, -and so slight, that the shortness of their duration does not always -render it necessary to have recourse to the agreeable specific.” - - _Monthly Magazine_, _Vol._ xxii. _p._ 65. - - - - - RECOVERY OF THE VOICE BY MUSIC. - - -“In the beginning of December, 1801, Elizabeth Sellers, a scholar in -the Girls’ Charity School, at Sheffield, aged 13, lost her voice: so -that she was unable to express herself on any occasion, otherwise than -by a whisper. She, however, enjoyed very good health, and went through -several employments of the school, such as knitting, sewing, spinning, -on the high and low wheel, &c. without _any indulgence_. Read audibly -she could not; and her infirmity resisted, without intermission, all -medical assistance, till, in the evening of the 20th of March, 1803, -she, hearing some of her schoolfellows singing a hymn, in which she -wished to join, went up to one Sarah Milner, and whisperingly begged -that she would shout down her throat. Milner, at first, was shocked at -the proposal, and refused to comply with her request. But, at length, -through her repeated solicitations, she consented, and shouted down her -throat with all her might; upon which Sellers immediately regained her -voice, and, to the astonishment of the whole school, wept and sung, as -if she had been almost in a state of derangement, and has continued in -possession of her voice ever since.” - - _Gentleman’s Magazine_, 1803, p. 524. - - - - - THE EFFECT OF MUSIC ON A HARE. - - -The following anecdote was communicated, some years since, by Mr. James -Tatlow, of Wiegate, near Manchester, who had it from those who were -witnesses of the fact. - -“One Sunday evening, five choristers were walking on the banks of -the river Mersey, in Cheshire, after some time, they sat down on the -grass, and began to sing an anthem. The field in which they sat, was -terminated, at one extremity, by a wood, out of which, as they were -singing, they observed a hare to pass with great swiftness towards -the place where they were sitting, and to stop at about twenty yards -distance from them. She appeared highly delighted with the music, often -turning up the side of her head to listen with more facility. - -“As soon as the harmonious sound was over, the hare returned slowly -towards the wood; when she had reached nearly the end of the field, -they began the same piece again; at which the hare stopped, turned -about, and came swiftly back again, to about the same distance as -before, where she seemed to listen with rapture and delight, till they -had finished the anthem, when she returned again, by a slow pace, up -the field, and entered the wood.—The harmony of the choristers, no -doubt, drew the hare from her seat in the wood.” - - _Eastcott’s Sketches of the Origin and - Effects of Music._ - - - - - THE POWER OF MUSIC ON THE ELEPHANT. - - -“At Paris, some curious experiments have been lately made on the power -of music, over the sensibility of the elephant. A band of music went -to play in a gallery, extending round the upper part of the stalls, in -which were kept two elephants, distinguished by the names _Margaret_ -and _Hans_. A perfect silence was procured; some provisions, of which -they were very fond, were given them to engage their attention, and the -musicians began to play. The music no sooner struck their ears, than -they ceased from eating, and turned, in surprise, to observe whence -the sounds proceeded. At the sight of the gallery, the orchestra, -and the assembled spectators, they discovered considerable alarm, as -though they imagined there was some design against their safety. But -the music soon overpowered their fears, and all other emotions became -completely absorbed in their attention to it. Music, of a bold and -wild expression, excited in them turbulent agitations, expressive, -either of violent joy, or of rising fury. A soft air, performed on the -bassoon, evidently soothed them to gentle and tender emotions. A gay -and lively air moved them, especially the female, to demonstrations of -highly sportive sensibility. Other variations of the music produced -corresponding changes in the emotions of the elephants.” - - _Bingley’s Animal Biography._ - - - - - THE EFFECT OF MUSIC ON A PERSON WHILE ASLEEP. - - -Dr. Burney, in his Present State of Music, relates the following story. - -“Among the anecdotes,” says he, “relative to the strange effects -of music, which were given to me by Lord Marshal, he told me of a -Highlander, who always cried, upon hearing a certain slow Scots tune, -played upon the bagpipe. General G. whose servant he was, stole into -his room one night, when he was fast asleep, and playing the same tune -to him very softly, on the German flute, the fellow, without waking, -cried like a child.” - - - - - CONTRARY EFFECTS OF ITALIAN AND FRENCH MUSIC ON A GREEK LADY. - - -“A young Greek lady being brought from her own country, to Paris, some -years since, was, soon after her arrival in that city, carried to the -opera by some French ladies, supposing, as she had never heard any -European music, that she would be in raptures at it; but, contrary -to these expectations, she declared, that the singing only reminded -her of the hideous howlings of the Calmuc Tartars; and, as to the -machinery, which it was thought would afford her great amusement, -she declared her dislike of many parts of it, and was particularly -scandalized, by what she called, the impious and wicked imitation of -God’s thunder. Soon after this experiment, she went to Venice, where -another trial was made upon her uncorrupted ears, at an Italian opera, -in which the famous Gizziello sung; at whose performance she was quite -dissolved in pleasure, and was ever after passionately fond of Italian -music.” - - _Dr. Burney’s Present State of Music._ - - - - - ANECDOTE OF ZAMPERINI. - - -About the year 1775, Zamperini, one of the actresses at the opera, -returning from Lisbon by sea, was so terrified by a storm, that she -fell into a state of stupidity, from which nothing could relieve her. -Upon her arrival at Venice, among her family, she received every -assistance which medicine could give, but in vain. She ate, drank, -slept, and performed all the functions of animal life; but she knew -nobody, took no interest in any thing, and seemed to be sunk into the -most profound state of unconsciousness. Some persons recommended that -a harpsichord should be played in her presence: she was immediately -affected; shortly after, she appeared so far sensible, as to take a -part in the music, and even sung some favourite airs which were played -to her. This was repeated frequently, during six months, and always -with the same symptoms and the same effects. At first sight, any one -would have taken her for an idiot: as soon as the harpsichord was -touched her countenance changed, and, by degrees, she sang with as -much expression and fire as ever; but, in a moment after, she relapsed -into her former state of insensibility. Madame Durazzo, the lady of -the imperial ambassador at Venice, had the curiosity to see her: she -was moved with her situation, took her to her own house, and by care, -medicine, and _above all, by music_, had the satisfaction of seeing -her, in two years, completely restored to her original state of health -and rationality: and in 1778, she appeared upon the stage at Venice, -with the greatest success. - - - - - EFFECTS OF MUSIC ON MICE AND SPIDERS. - - -An officer of state, being shut up in the Bastile, obtained permission -to carry with him a lute, on which he was an excellent performer; but -he had scarcely made use of it, for three or four days, when the mice, -issuing from their holes, and the spiders, suspending themselves from -the ceiling by their threads, assembled around him to participate in -his melody. His aversion to these animals, made their visit at first -disagreeable, and induced him to lay aside this recreation; but he soon -was so accustomed to them, that they became a source of amusement. - - _Dr. Burney’s History of Music._ - - - - - ANECDOTE OF STRADELLA. - - -Stradella, the celebrated composer, having carried off the mistress of -a Venetian musician, and retired with her to Rome, the Venetian hired -three desperadoes to assassinate him; but, fortunately for Stradella, -they had an ear sensible to harmony. These assassins, while waiting -for a favourable opportunity to execute their purpose, entered the -church of _St. John de Latran_, during the performance of an oratorio, -composed by the person whom they intended to destroy; and were so -affected by the music, that they abandoned their design, and even -waited on the musician, to forewarn him of his danger. With regret we -state, that Stradella, however, was not always so fortunate; for other -assassins, who had no ear for music, stabbed him some time after, at -Genoa: this event took place about the year 1670. - - - - - A MODERN TIMOTHEUS. - - -Modern music has had its Timotheus, who could excite or calm, at his -pleasure, the most impetuous emotions.— Henry III. King of France, -having given a concert, on occasion of the marriage of the Duke de -Joyeuse, Claudin le Jeune, a celebrated musician of that period, -executed certain airs, which had such an effect on a young nobleman, -then present, that he drew his sword, and challenged every one near him -to combat; but Claudin, equally prudent as Timotheus, instantly changed -to an air, apparently sub-Phrygian, which appeased the furious youth. - - - - - TIMOTHEUS THE MELISIAN. - - -Timotheus was so excellently skilled in music, that, one day, when he -played and sung a song, composed in honour of Pallas, in the presence -of Alexander the Great, the prince, as one transported with gallantry -and the martial humour of the air, started up, and being stirred in -every part, called for his armour, and was going to attack his guests; -when the musician immediately changed into more sedate and calmer -notes, sounding, as it were, a retreat; the impetuous prince was -calmed, and sat quiet and still. - - - - - THIRTY THOUSAND PERSONS SAVED BY THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF MUSIC. - - -“Sultan Amurath, having laid siege to Bagdad, and taken it, ordered -thirty thousand Persians to be put to death, though they had -submitted, and laid down their arms. Amongst these unfortunate victims, -was a musician. He besought the officer, who had the command to see the -Sultan’s orders executed, to spare him but for a moment, and permit him -to speak to the Emperor. The officer indulged him, and, being brought -before the Sultan, he was suffered to give a specimen of his art. He -took up a kind of psaltry, which resembles a lyre, and has six strings -on each side, and accompanied it with his voice. He sung the taking of -Bagdad, and the triumph of Amurath. The pathetic tones and exulting -sounds of the instrument, together with the alternate plaintiveness -and boldness of his strains, melted even Amurath; he suffered him to -proceed, till, overpowered with harmony, tears of pity gushed forth, -and he revoked his cruel orders. In consideration of the musician’s -abilities, he not only ordered those of the prisoners, who remained -alive, to be spared, but gave them their liberty.” - - _Prince Cantimer’s Account of the Transactions - of the Ottomans._ - - - - - PHILIP V. KING OF SPAIN. - - -Philip V. King of Spain, being seized with a total dejection of -spirits, which made him refuse to be shaved, and rendered him incapable -of attending council, or transacting affairs of state, the queen, -who had, in vain, tried every common expedient, that was likely to -contribute to his recovery, determined that an experiment should be -made of the effects of music, upon the king, her husband, who was -extremely sensible to its charms. The celebrated Farinelli being then -at Madrid, of whose extraordinary performance, an account had been -transmitted from several parts of Europe, but, particularly from -Paris, her majesty contrived that there should be a concert in a room -adjoining to the king’s apartment, in which this singer performed one -of his most captivating songs. Philip appeared, at first, surprised, -then moved; and, at the end of the second air, made the virtuoso enter -the royal apartment, loading him with compliments and caresses; asked -him how he could sufficiently reward such talents; assuring him, that -he could refuse him nothing. Farinelli, previously instructed, only -begged that his majesty would permit his attendants to shave and dress -him, and that he would endeavour to appear in council as usual. From -this time, the king’s disease gave way to medicine; and the singer -had all the honour of the cure, and, by singing to his majesty every -evening, his favour increased to such a degree, that he was regarded as -first minister. - - _Burney’s History of Music._ - - - - - THE MUSICAL PIGEON. - - -Mrs. Piozzy, in her Observations in a Journey through Italy, relates -the following singular anecdote. - -“An odd thing,” says she, “of which I was this morning a witness, -has called my thoughts away to a curious train of reflections upon -the animal race, and how far they may be made companionable and -intelligent. The famous _Bertoni_, so well known in London, by his -long residence among us, and, from the undisputed merit of his -compositions, now inhabits this, his native city; and, being fond of -_dumb creatures_, as we call them, took for his companion, a pigeon; -one of the few animals which can live at Venice, where scarcely any -quadrupeds can be admitted, or would exist with any degree of comfort -to themselves. - -“This creature has, however, by keeping his master company, obtained -so perfect an ear and taste for music, that no one, who sees his -behaviour, can doubt for a moment of the pleasure he takes in hearing -Mr. Bertoni play and sing: for, as soon as he sits down to the -instrument, Columbo begins shaking his wings, perches on the piano -forte, and expresses the most indubitable motions of delight. If, -however, he, or any one else, strikes a note false, or makes any kind -of discord upon the keys, the pigeon never fails to show evident tokens -of anger and distress; and, if teased too long, grows quite enraged; -pecking the offender’s legs and fingers, in such a manner, as to leave -no doubt of the sincerity of his resentment.” - -Signora Cecilia Guiliani, a scholar of Bertoni’s, who has received some -overtures from the London Theatres lately, will, if ever she arrives -there, bear testimony to the truth of an assertion very difficult to -believe, and to which I should hardly myself give credit, were I not a -witness to it every morning that I choose to call and confirm my own -belief. A friend, present, protested he should be afraid to touch the -harpsichord before so nice a critic; and, though we all laughed at the -assertion, Bertoni declared he never knew the bird’s judgment fail; -and that he often kept him out of the room, for fear of affronting or -tormenting those who came to take musical instructions. - -“With regard to other actions of life, I saw nothing particular in the -pigeon, but his tameness and strong attachment to his master: for, -though not unwinged, and only clipped a little, he never seeks to -range way from the house, or quit his master’s service, any more than -the Dove of Anacreon. - - While his better lot bestows - Sweet repast and soft repose; - And, when feast and frolic tire, - Drops asleep upon his lyre.” - _Mrs. Piozzy._ - - - - - THE MUSICAL DOG. - - -Signor Morelli, the celebrated Opera singer, has a dog, who, aided -by the well-known comic powers of his master, is productive of much -amusement, by his attempts to sing, when called upon in company. On his -master’s summons for that purpose, he seats himself on the chair left -for him, and, with great earnestness, tries to follow the tones of -his master’s voice; plaintively whining when he hears the high tones, -and growling when the low ones are sounded. Signor Morelli pretends to -be in raptures, when his singular pupil performs well; and his gentle -reproofs, when he proceeds to an unmusical bark, are highly comic and -entertaining to the company. - - - - - THE EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MUSIC ON A BULL. - - -A few years ago, a man who lived at Allerton, near Liverpool, by trade -a tailor, but who could occasionally handle his fiddle, as well as -his needle, on his way home, from whence he had been exercising his -musical talents, for the entertainment of his country neighbours, in -passing through a field, about three o’clock, in the morning, in the -month of June, he was attacked by a bull. After several efforts to -escape, he attempted to ascend a tree; not, however, succeeding in the -attempt, a momentary impulse directed him to pull out his fiddle, and, -fortifying himself behind the tree as well as he could, began to play; -upon which the enraged animal became totally disarmed of his ferocity, -and seemed to listen with great attention. The affrighted tailor, -finding his fierce and formidable enemy so much appeased, began to -think of making his escape, left off playing, and was moving forward. -This, however, the bull would not suffer, for, no sooner had the -tailor ceased his fascinating strain, than the bull’s anger appeared -to return with as much rage as before: he, therefore, was glad to have -recourse a second time to his fiddle, which instantly operated again, -as a magic charm upon the bull, who became as composed and attentive -as before. He afterwards made several more attempts to escape, but all -in vain; for no sooner did he stop his fiddle, than the bull’s anger -returned, so that he was compelled to keep fiddling away, till near six -o’clock, (about three hours,) when the family came to fetch home the -cows, by which he was relieved and rescued from a tiresome labour and -frightful situation. This is, perhaps, the first man upon record, who -may be really said to have fiddled for his life, and, who so truly -fulfilled the poet’s idea, that - - “Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast.” - -It is proper, and farther curious, to observe, that this man lodged -at the farm-house where the bull was kept; and that, as he frequently -played upon the fiddle, in an evening, to amuse the family, he had -observed the bull, (who always attended the cows home to be milked,) -constantly endeavoured to get as near as possible to that part of the -house where he happened to be playing, and always appeared to listen, -with the greatest attention, which, fortunately struck him with the -idea of having recourse to his fiddle, and, in all probability, -preserved his life. - - - - - THE DYING MAN AND THE PIANO. - - -Died lately, aged 85, Mr. William Anthony de Luc. His passion for -music was so predominant, in his latter days, that a piano forte was -placed by his bedside, on which his daughter played a great part of the -day. The evening of his death, seeing her father ready to sink into -a slumber, she asked him, “Shall I play any more?”—“Keep playing,” -said he, “keep playing!”—He slept, but awoke no more! Mr. W. A. de Luc -had explored many volcanic countries, whence he had brought choice -specimens of their productions, in which his cabinet was, perhaps, the -richest in Europe. - - - - - THE POWER OF MUSIC ON ANIMALS, IN THE WEST OF ENGLAND. - - -The style of driving an ox-team in Devonshire is remarkable, indeed, -cannot pass unnoticed by a stranger. The language, though in a great -degree peculiar to the country, does not arrest the attention, but the -tone, or rather tune, in which it is delivered. It resembles, with -great exactness, the chantings, or recitative of the cathedral service. -The plowboy chants the counter-tenor, with unabated ardour, through the -day; the plowman, throwing in, at intervals, his hoarser notes. It is -understood that this chanting march, which may sometimes be heard at -a considerable distance, encourages and animates the team, like the -music of a marching army, or the song of the rowers. - - - - - TWO INSTANCES OF THE SURPRISING EFFECTS OF MUSIC, AS RELATED IN THE - HISTORY OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, AT PARIS. - - -A famous musician, and great composer, was taken ill of a fever, -which gradually increased, till the 7th day, when he was seized with -a violent delirium, almost constantly accompanied by cries, tears, -terrors, and a perpetual watchfulness. The third day of his delirium, -one of those natural instincts, which makes, as it is said, sick -animals seek out for the herbs that are proper for their case, set him -upon desiring earnestly to hear a little concert in his chamber. His -physician could hardly be prevailed upon to grant his request. Some -cantatas, however, were sung to him. On hearing the first modulations, -his countenance became serene, his eyes sparkled with joy, his -convulsions absolutely ceased, he shed tears of pleasure, and was then -possessed with a sensibility for music, which he never had before, nor -after his perfect recovery. He had no fever during the whole concert, -but, when it was over, he relapsed into his former condition. The use -of a remedy, of which the success had been so unexpected, and yet so -fortunate, was continued. The fever and delirium were always suspended -during the concerts, and music was become so necessary to the patient, -that, at night, he obliged a female relation, who sometimes sat up -with him, to sing, and even to dance, and who, found some difficulty -in gratifying him in such a point of complaisance. One night, among -others, having none but his nurse to attend him, who could sing nothing -better than some wretched country ballads, was obliged to take up with -them, and even appeared satisfied, and found some benefit from the -same. At length, ten days of music entirely cured him, without any -other assistance, than being bled in the foot, which was prescribed -for him as necessary. This account was communicated to the Academy, by -Monsieur Dodart, who had it well authenticated. He does not pretend -that it may serve as an example or rule, in all similar cases, but -observes, it is curious to notice, how musical sounds could have -restored the spirits to their natural course, in a man who had so long -been habituated to music. - -The second instance of the extraordinary effect of music, is related -of a dancing-master of Alais, in the province of Languedoc. Being once -over fatigued, in Carnival time, by the exercise of his profession, -he was seized with a violent fever, and, on the fourth or fifth day, -fell into a lethargy, which continued upon him for a considerable -time. On recovering out of it, he was seized with a furious and mute -delirium, wherein he made continual efforts to jump out of the bed; -threatened, with a shaking of the head, and an angry countenance, those -that hindered him, and even all that were present; and he, besides, -obstinately refused, though without speaking a word, all the remedies -that were presented to him. One of the assistants bethought himself, -that music, perhaps, might compose so disordered an imagination. -Accordingly, he proposed it to his physician, who did not disapprove -the thought, but feared the ridicule that might take place, should the -patient happen to die during the performance of such a remedy. A friend -of the dancing-master being present, who seemed regardless of the -physician’s measures, and who knew how to play on the violin, seeing -the patient’s hang up in the chamber, laid hold of it, and played -directly to him, the airs that were most familiar to him. He was cried -out against, as a greater madman than the poor sick prisoner in bed, -and some were going to make him desist, when the patient immediately -jumped up, and appeared agreeably surprised, and specified, by the -motion of his head, the pleasure he felt. By degrees, he appeared so -much recovered, that those who held his arms, being sensible of the -effects the violin had on him, remitted something of their force in -keeping him down, and at last yielded to the motions he was desirous -to give them, when, in so doing, they found his furious fits quite -abated. In short, in a quarter of an hour’s time, the patient fell into -a profound sleep, and shortly after was perfectly recovered. - - - - - INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF MONSIEUR MOZART. - - -“Mozart, the celebrated German musician, was born at Salzburg, in the -year 1756. His father was also a musician of some eminence, but not to -be compared with the son, of whom we have the following account, in one -of the Monthly Miscellanies, taken by Mr. Busby, from some biographical -sketches, of two eminent German professors. - -“At the age of three years, young Mozart, attending to the lessons -which his sister, then seven years old, was receiving at the -harpsichord, he became acquainted with harmony, and when she had left -the instrument, he would instantly place himself at it, find the -thirds, sound them with the liveliest joy, and employ whole hours at -the exercise. His father, urged by such early and striking indications -of genius, immediately began to teach him some little airs; and soon -perceived that his pupil improved even beyond the hopes he had formed -of him. Half an hour was generally sufficient for his acquiring a -minuet, or a little song, which, when once learned, he would of himself -perform with taste and expression. - -“At the age of six years, he made such a progress, as to be able to -compose short pieces for the harpsichord, which his father was obliged -to commit to paper for him. From that time, nothing made any impression -upon him but harmony; and infantine amusements lost all their -attractions, unless music had a share in them. He advanced from day to -day, not by ordinary and insensible degrees, but with a rapidity, which -hourly excited new surprise in his parents—the happy witnesses of his -progress. - -“His father, returning home one day with a stranger, found little -Mozart with a pen in his hand. “What are you writing?” said he.—“A -concerto for the harpsichord,” replied the child. “Let us see it,” -rejoined the father, “it is a marvellous concerto, without doubt.”—He -then took the paper, and saw nothing at first, but a mass of notes -mingled with blots of ink, by the mal-address of the young composer, -who, unskilled in the management of the pen, had dipped it too freely -in the ink; and having blotted and smeared his paper, had endeavoured -to make out his ideas with his fingers; but, on a closer examination, -his father was lost in wonder, and his eyes, delighted and flowing -with tears, became riveted to the notes.—“See!” exclaimed he, to the -stranger, “how just and regular it all is! but it is impossible to play -it; it is too difficult.”—“It is a concerto,” said the child, “and must -be practised till one can play it. Hear how this part goes.” He then -sat down to perform it; but was not able to execute the passages with -sufficient fluency, to do justice to his own ideas. Extraordinary as -his manual facility was universally allowed to be, for his age, it did -not keep pace with the progress of his knowledge and invention. Such -an instance of intellectual advancement, in a child only six years of -age, is so far out of the common road of nature, that we can only -contemplate the fact with astonishment, and acknowledge, that the -possible rapidity of mental maturation is not to be calculated. - -“In the year 1762, his father took him and his sister to Munich, -where he performed a concerto before the elector, which excited the -admiration of the whole court; nor was he less applauded at Vienna, -where the emperor called him the _little sorcerer_. - -“His father gave him lessons only on the harpsichord; but he privately -taught himself the violin; and his command of the instrument afforded -the elder Mozart the utmost surprise, when he one day, at a concert, -took a second violin, and acquitted himself with more than passable -address. True genius sees no obstacles. It will not, therefore, excite -our wonder, if his constant success, in whatever he attempted, begot -an unbounded confidence in his own powers; he had even the _laudable_ -hardihood to undertake to qualify himself for the _first_ violin, and -did not long remain short of the necessary proficiency. - -“He had an ear so correct, that he felt the most minute discordancy; -and such a fondness for study, that it was frequently necessary to -take him by force from the instrument. This love of application -never diminished. He every day passed a considerable time at his -harpsichord, and generally practised till a late hour at night. Another -characteristical trait of real genius, always full of its object, and -lost as it were in itself. - -“It is lamentable that premature genius too rarely enjoys a long -career. The acceleration of nature in the mental powers seems to hurry -the progress of the animal economy, and to anticipate the regular close -of temporal existence. - -“In the year 1791, Mozart, just after he had received the appointment -of _Maitre-de-Chapelle_ of the church of St. Peter, and when he was -only thirty-five years of age, paid the last tribute, and left the -world at once to admire the brilliancy, and lament the shortness of his -earthly sojournment. - -“Indefatigable, even to his death, he produced, during the last -few months of his life, his three great master-pieces, _La Flute -Enchantée_, _La Clemence de Titus_, and a _Requiem_, his last -production. _La Flutte Enchantée_ was composed for one of the theatres -at Vienna; and no dramatic _olio_ could ever boast of a greater -success. Every air struck the audience with a new and sweet surprise; -and the _tout-ensemble_ was calculated to afford the deepest and most -varied impressions. This piece had, in fact, so great a number of -successive representations, that, for a long time, it was unnecessary -to consult the opera bill, which only announced a permanent novelty. -And the airs selected from it, and repeated throughout the empire, -as well in the cottage as in the palace, and which the echoes have -resounded in the most distant provinces, favoured the idea, that -Mozart had actually the design to enchant all Germany with his _Flutte -Enchantée_. - -“_La Clemence de Titus_ was requested by the states of Bohemia, for the -coronation of Leopold. The composer began it in his carriage, during -his route to Prague, and finished it in eighteen days. - -“Some circumstances attending his last composition, the _Requiem_, the -last effort of his genius, are too interesting to be omitted. A short -time before his death, a stranger came to him, with the request, that -he would compose, as speedily as possible, a _Requiem_ for a Catholic -prince, who, perceiving himself on the verge of the grave, wished, by -the execution of such a piece, to sooth his mind, and familiarize it to -the idea of his approaching dissolution. Mozart undertook the work; and -the stranger deposited with him, as a security, four hundred ducats, -though the sum demanded was only two hundred. The composer immediately -began the work, and during its progress, felt his mind unusually raised -and agitated. He became, at length, so infatuated with his _Requiem_, -that he employed, not only the day, but some hours of the night, in its -composition. One day, while he was conversing with Madame Mozart on the -subject, he declared to her, that he could not but be persuaded that it -was for himself he was writing this piece. His wife, distressed at her -inability to dissipate so melancholy an impression, prevailed on him to -give her the _score_. He afterwards appearing somewhat tranquillized, -and more master of himself, she returned the _score_ to him, and he -soon relapsed into his former despondency. On the day of his death, he -asked her for the _Requiem_, which was accordingly brought to his bed. -“Was I not right,” said he, “when I declared, that it was for myself -I was composing this funeral piece?” And the tears trickled from his -eyes. This production, of a man impressed, during its composition, with -a presentiment of his approaching death, is _unique_ in its kind, and -contains passages which have frequently drawn tears from the performers. - -“Only one complaint escaped him during his malady. ‘I must quit life,’ -said he, ‘precisely at the moment when I could enjoy it, free from -care and inquietude, at the very time, when independent of sordid -speculations, and at liberty to follow my own inclinations, I should -have to write from the impulses of my own heart; and I am torn from my -family, just when in a situation to serve it.’ Mozart, at the time of -his death, was considerably involved in debt; but Vienna and Prague -disputed the honour of providing for his widow and children.” - - _Encyclopædia Britannica._ - - - - - G. F. HANDEL, ESQ. - - -Handel’s government of the fingers was somewhat despotic; for, upon -Cuzzoni’s (a famous singer of his time) insolently refusing to sing his -admirable air, _Falsa Imagine_, in Otho, he told her, that he always -knew she was a _very devil_; but that he should now let _her_ know, in -his turn, that he was _Belzebub_, the prince of the devils; and then, -taking her up by the waist, swore, if she did not _immediately_ obey -his orders, he would throw her out of the window. - - - - - TARTINI, AN ITALIAN MUSICIAN. - - -Tartini was a celebrated musician, born at Pirano, in Istria, and -being much inclined to the study of music in his early youth, dreamed -one night, that he made a compact with the Devil, who promised to be -at his service on all occasions: and during this vision, every thing -succeeded according to his mind: his wishes were prevented, and his -desires always surpassed, by the assistance of this new servant. At -last, he imagined that he presented the Devil with his violin, in -order to discover what kind of a musician _he_ was; when, to his great -astonishment, he heard him play a solo, so singularly beautiful, and -which he executed with such superior taste and precision, that it -surpassed all the music which he had ever heard or conceived in his -life. So great was his surprise, and so exquisite was his delight upon -this occasion, that it deprived him of the power of breathing. He -awoke with the violence of his sensations, and instantly seized his -fiddle, in hopes of expressing what he had just heard, but in vain: he, -however, then composed a piece of music, which is, perhaps, the best -of all his works, and called it, the _Devil’s Sonata_; but it was so -far inferior to what he had produced in his sleep, that he declared he -would have broken his instrument, and abandoned music for ever, if he -could have found any other means of subsistence. - - - - - MR. HANDEL. - - -When Handel went through Chester, in his way to Ireland, in 1741, he -applied to Mr. Baker, the organist, to know whether there were any -choirmen in the cathedral who could sing _at sight_, as he wished -to prove some books that had been hastily transcribed, by trying -the chorusses, which he intended to perform in Ireland. Mr. Baker -mentioned some of the most likely singers then in Chester; and, among -the rest, a printer, of the name of Janson, who had a good bass voice, -and was one of the best musicians in the choir. A time was fixed, -for the private rehearsal, at the Golden Falcon, where Handel was -quartered: but, alas! on trial of the chorusses in the Messiah, “_And -with his stripes are we healed_,” poor Janson, after repeated attempts, -failed so egregiously, that Handel let loose his great bear upon him; -and, after swearing, in four or five different languages, cried out, in -broken English, “_You schauntrel!_ did not you tell me _dat_ you could -sing at _soite_?” ‘Yes, Sir,’ says the printer, ‘and so I can, but not -at _first sight_.’ - - - - - FARINELLI AND HIS TAYLOR. - - -“The following story,” says Dr. Burney, “was frequently told, and -believed at Madrid, during the first years of Farinelli’s residence -in Spain. This singer, having ordered a superb suit of clothes for a -_gala_ at court, when the taylor brought it home, he asked him for his -bill. “I have made no bill, Sir,” says the taylor, “nor ever shall -make one. Instead of money,” continues he, “I have a favour to beg. I -know that what I want is inestimable, and only fit for monarchs; but, -since I have had the honour to work for a person, of whom every one -speaks with rapture, all the payment I shall ever require, will be -a song.” Farinelli tried in vain, to prevail on the taylor to take -his money. At length, after a long debate, giving way to the humble -entreaties of the trembling tradesman, and flattered, perhaps, more -by the singularity of the adventure, than by all the applause he had -hitherto received, he took him into his music room, and sung to him -some of his most brilliant airs, taking pleasure in the astonishment of -his ravished hearer; and, the more he seemed surprised and affected, -the more Farinelli exerted himself, in every species of excellence. -When he had done, the taylor, overcome with ecstacy, thanked him in -the most rapturous and grateful manner, and prepared to retire. “No,” -says Farinelli, “I am a little proud; and, it is, perhaps, from that -circumstance, that I have acquired some small degree of superiority -over other singers; I have given way to your weakness, it is but fair, -that, in your turn, you should indulge me in mine;” and, taking out his -purse, he insisted on his receiving a sum, amounting to nearly double -the worth of the suit of clothes.” - - - - - MR. ABELL. - - -Mr. John Abell was one of the Chapel Royal, in the reign of King -Charles II. He was celebrated for a fine counter-tenor voice, and for -his skill in playing on the lute. The king admired his singing, and was -desirous of sending him, with the subdean of his chapel, Mr. Gostling, -to the Carnival of Venice, to show the Italians what good voices were -produced in England: but the latter expressing an unwillingness to -go, the king desisted from his purpose. Mr. Abell continued in the -chapel till the time of the Revolution, when he was discharged in -consequence of being a Roman Catholic. He then went abroad, travelled -through Holland, and acquired considerable sums of money, by singing -in public, at Hamburgh and other places. During this period, he lived -in great profusion, and affected the expense of a man of quality, -frequently travelling in his own equipage, though, at times, he was -so reduced, as to walk through whole provinces with his lute slung at -his back. Rambling through Poland, he arrived at Warsaw; of which -the king having notice, sent for him to court. This honour Abell at -first declined, on some frivolous excuse; but, dreading the royal -displeasure, he made an apology, and attended the king on the following -day. Upon his arrival, he was seated in a chair in the middle of a -great hall, and immediately drawn up to a considerable height; soon -after, the king appeared in an opposite gallery, when a number of wild -bears were turned in, and poor Abell was left to his choice, either to -sing, or be let down among them. Of these alternatives, it may seem -unnecessary to say, that Abell preferred the former; and he afterwards -constantly declared that he never sung so well in all his life. - -About the latter end of Queen Anne’s reign, Abell was at Cambridge, -with his lute, where he met with but little encouragement. It is -uncertain how long he lived after this period, but he appears to have -required assistance from his friends for support, though he preserved -the tone of his voice to an extreme old age. - - _Harrison’s Musical Magazine._ - - - - - HANDEL. - - -George Frederick Handel, unquestionably the greatest master of music -the world has ever known, was born at Halle, in Upper Saxony, on the -24th of February, 1684. Scarcely could he speak, before he articulated -musical sounds; and his father, a physician, then upwards of sixty, -having destined him for the law, grieved at the child’s propensity -to music, banished from his house all musical instruments. But the -immortal spark of genius, which Heaven had kindled in the infant’s -bosom, was not to be extinguished by the caprice of a mistaken parent. -The child contrived to get a little clavichord into a garret; where, -applying himself after the family retired to rest, he soon found means -to produce both melody and harmony. - -Before he was seven, the Duke of Weisenfels accidentally discovering -his genius, prevailed on the father to cherish his inclination. He was -accordingly placed with Zackan, organist of Halle Cathedral; and, for -three years, from the age of nine, composed a new church-service every -week. - -In 1698, he went to Berlin; but, losing his father, he thought he could -best support his aged mother, by repairing to Hamburgh, where he soon -attracted general notice. Yet this wonderful musician was a stripling -of fourteen! At this premature age, he composed Almeria, his first -opera. - -Having quitted Hamburgh, he travelled six years in Italy, where he -gave a new display of his wonderful ability, and was pensioned by the -Elector of Hanover, afterwards George I. - -In 1710, he came to London, where his opera of Rinaldo was admired, -like his preceding miracles, and the necessity of his departure became -the subject of general regret. - -In 1712, he again visited England: but, seduced by the favour and -fortune that overwhelmed him, he forgot to return; and when, on the -death of Queen Anne, the Elector was called to the throne, he was -afraid to appear at court, till an ingenious stratagem restored him to -favour. - -Queen Anne’s pension of £200, was now doubted by George I., and the -nobility having formed an Academy of Music, under his direction, it -flourished ten years, when a quarrel between him and Senesino dissolved -the institution, and brought on a contest which ruined his fortune and -his health. Restored by the baths of Aix la Chapelle, he determined -to chuse sacred subjects for the future exercise of his genius. -This resolution produced those noble compositions, his truly divine -Oratorios; which were performed at Covent Garden till his death, in -1759. He was buried in Westminster Abbey with suitable pomp; where his -genius has been since commemorated with little less than divine honours. - - - - - DR. ARNE. - - -The father of this celebrated composer, and the still more celebrated -Mrs. Cibber, was an upholder and undertaker in King Street, Covent -Garden, with whom the doctor, when a young man, resided. - -At this time, there was a gentleman, of much celebrity in the musical -world, employed at Drury Lane Theatre.—Many may still remember Mr. -John Hebden, who, for almost half a century, stood in a corner of the -orchestra, and performed on the bassoon and the bass viol, on which two -instruments he was unrivalled. He was also of the band of his late, and -a few years of his present, Majesty. - -One Sunday morning he called upon Tom Arne, to whom he occasionally -gave lessons. He found him in the undertaker’s shop, practising upon -the violin, his music desk and book placed upon a coffin. - -Hebden, shocked at this want of sensibility in his pupil, observed, -that it was impossible for him to practise in such a situation, as, -from the solemn thoughts which the coffin naturally excited, he should -be impressed with the idea that it contained a corpse. - -“So it does!” cried Arne: and shoving back the lid, discovered that -this was a fact. - -Hebden, disgusted at the sight of a dead body so improperly introduced, -and, perhaps, equally shocked at the insensibility of his pupil, left -the shop with great precipitation, and never could be prevailed on to -renew his visits to him, while he remained in that situation. - - - - - JEREMIAH CLARKE. - - -Jeremiah Clarke was originally bred to music, and had his education -in the Chapel Royal, under the celebrated Dr. Blow, who seems to -have had a paternal affection for him. Early in life, Clarke was so -unfortunate as to conceive a violent and hopeless passion for a very -beautiful and accomplished lady, of a rank far superior to his own; -and his sufferings, on this account, became so intolerable to him, -that he resolved to put an end to his existence. He was at the house -of a friend, in the country, where he took up this fatal resolution, -and suddenly set off for London. His friend, observing his dejection, -without knowing the cause, furnished him with a horse, and a servant to -attend him. - -In his way to town, a fit of despair suddenly seized him, he alighted, -and, giving his horse to the servant, went into an adjoining field, in -the corner of which was a pond, surrounded with trees, which pointed -out to his choice two ways of getting rid of life. Hesitating for some -time, which to take, he at last determined to leave it to chance, and -taking a piece of money out of his pocket, tossed it up in the air to -decide it. The money, however, falling on its edge in the clay, seemed -to forbid both ways of destruction; and it had such an effect upon him, -that he declined it for that time, and, regaining his horse, rode to -town. - -His mind, however, was too much disordered to receive comfort, or take -any advantage from the above omen: and, after a few months, worn out in -the utmost dejection of spirits, he shot himself, in his own house, in -St. Paul’s Church-yard. - -The late Mr. John Reading, organist of St. Dunstan’s Church, a scholar -of Dr. Blow, and master to the late Mr. Stanley, the well-known blind -organist, who was intimately acquainted with Clarke, happened to be -passing by the door as the pistol went off; and, upon entering the -house, found his friend and fellow-student in the agonies of death. - -This unfortunate man was the original composer of that beautiful air, - - “’Tis woman that seduces all mankind.” - -and many other, _then_, popular pieces; among them was Dryden’s -celebrated Ode on St. Cecilia’s Day, which was afterwards recomposed by -Handel, in 1736. - - - - - HANDEL. - - -One night, while Handel was in Dublin, Dubourg, having a solo part -in a song, and a close to make at his pleasure, he wandered about in -different keys a great while, and seemed a little bewildered, and -uncertain of his original key; but, at length, coming to the shake -which was to terminate this long close, Handel, to the great delight of -the audience and augmentation of applause, cried out, loud enough to be -heard in the most remote part of the theatre, “_You are welcome home_, -Mr. Dubourg!” - -In 1749, _Theodora_ was so very unfortunately abandoned, that he was -glad if any professors, who did not perform, would accept of tickets -or orders for admission. Two gentlemen of that description, now living, -having applied to Handel, after the disgrace of _Theodora_, for an -order to hear the _Messiah_, he cried out, “Oh, your _sarvant!_ you -are _tamnaple tainty!_ you would not _co_ to _Theodora_—there was room -enough to _tance dere_ when _dat_ was _perform_.” - -Sometimes, however, I have heard him as pleasantly, as philosophically, -console his friends, when, previous to the curtain being drawn up, they -have lamented that the house was so empty, by saying, “_Nevre moind, de -moosic vil sound de petter_.” - - - - - MR. BROWN. - - -The late Mr. Brown, leader of his Majesty’s band, used to tell several -stories of _Handel’s_ love of good cheer, liquid and solid, as well -as of his impatience: of the former he gave an instance, which was -accidentally discovered, at his own house, in Brook Street, where -Brown, in the Oratorio Season, among other principal performers, was -at dinner. During the repast, _Handel_ often cried out——“O, I have de -taught, (thought),” when the company, unwilling that, out of civility -to them, the public should be robbed of any thing so valuable as his -musical ideas, begged he would retire and write them down; with which -request, however, he so frequently complied, that, at last, one of -the most suspicious had the ill-bred curiosity to peep through the -key-hole, into the adjoining room, where he perceived that _dese -taughts_ were only bestowed on a fresh hamper of Burgundy, which, -as was afterwards discovered, he had received in a present from his -friend, the late Earl of Radnor, while his company was regaled with -more generous and spirited port. - - _Burney’s Life of Handel._ - - - - - LULLI. - - -This fortunate musician, the son of a peasant in the neighbourhood of -Florence, was born in 1633. He had a few instructions in music from a -cordelier. His first instrument was the guitar, to which he was always -fond of singing. The Chevalier de Guise brought him into France, in -1646, as a present to his sister, Mademoiselle de Guise, who placed -him among the assistants of her kitchen, where he was assigned the -honourable office of _sous marmiton_[1]. - -[1] Under scullion. - -In his leisure hours, being naturally fond of music, he used to -be scraping on a miserable violin, to the great annoyance of his -fellow-servants. However, his disposition for music being discovered, -his patroness had him taught the violin by a regular master, under -whom he made so rapid a progress, that he was admitted among the -violins of the king’s band; where he distinguished himself so much, -that he was employed to compose the music for the court ballads, in -which Louis XIV., at this time very young, used to dance. But though -Lulli approached the royal presence, early in life, it was by slow -degrees, that he arrived at solid preferment. In 1652 he was appointed -superintendent or master of the king’s new band of violins, which, if -we may judge by the business assigned them afterwards, by Lulli in his -operas, was composed of musicians not likely, by their abilities, to -continue the miraculous powers ascribed to Orpheus and Amphion. - -Lulli married the daughter of Lambert, the celebrated musician and -singing master of his time, who lived till the year 1720. Having -composed a _Te Deum_ for the king’s recovery, after a dangerous -illness, in 1687, during the performance, at the Church of the -Feuillans, in the animation of beating time, and difficulty in keeping -the band together, by striking his foot, instead of the floor, with -his cane, he occasioned a contusion, that, from a bad habit of body, -brought on a mortification, which was soon pronounced to be incurable. -Every expedient that was tried, in order to stop the progress of the -malady, being ineffectual, he was informed of his situation. His -confessor refusing to give him absolution, unless he would burn the -opera of _Achilles and Polixene_, which he was composing for the stage; -he consented; and this new music was committed to the flames. A few -days after, being a little better, one of the young princes of Vendome -went to see him. “Why, Baptiste,” says he, “have you been such a fool -as to burn your new opera, to humour a gloomy priest?” ‘Hush, hush!’ -says Lulli, ‘I have another copy of it.’ However, a few days after, he -was not only obliged to submit to the will of his confessor, but of -Death himself, who terminated his existence, March the 22d, 1687, at -fifty-four years of age. - - - - - MADAME LE MAUPIN. - - -This celebrated lady seems to have been the most extraordinary -personage of all the _siren troup_, instructed by Lulli. She was -equally fond of both sexes, fought and loved like a man, and resisted -and fell like a woman. Her adventures are of a very romantic kind. -Married to a young husband, who was soon obliged to absent himself -from her, to enter on an office he had obtained in Provence, she ran -away with a fencing-master, of whom she learned the small sword, and -became an excellent fencer, which was afterwards a useful qualification -to her, on several occasions. The lovers first retreated, from -persecution, to Marseilles; but necessity soon obliged them to solicit -employment there, at the Opera; and as both had, by nature, good -voices, they were received without difficulty. But soon after this, -she was seized with a passion for a young person of her own sex, whom -she seduced, but the object of her whimsical affection, being pursued -by her friends and taken, was thrown into a convent at Avignon, where -Maupin soon followed her; and having presented herself as a novice, -obtained admission. Some time after, she set fire to the convent, and, -availing herself of the confusion she had occasioned, carried off her -favourite. But, being pursued and taken, she was condemned to the -flames for contumacy: a sentence, however, which was not executed, as -the young _Marseillaise_ was found, and restored to her friends. She -then went to Paris, and made her first appearance on the Opera stage -in 1695, when she performed the part of Pallas, in _Cadmus_, with the -greatest success. The applause was so violent, that she was obliged, -in her car, to take off her casque to salute and thank the public, -which redoubled their marks of approbation. From that time, her success -was uninterrupted. Dumeni, the singer, having affronted her, she put -on men’s clothes, watched for him in the _Place des Victoires_, and -insisted on his drawing his sword, and fighting her, which he refusing, -she caned him, and took from him his watch and snuff-box. Next day, -Dumeni having boasted at the Opera-house, that he had defended himself -against three men, who attempted to rob him, she related the whole -story, and produced his watch and snuff-box, in proof of her having -caned him for his cowardice. Thevenard was nearly treated in the same -manner, and had no other way of escaping her chastisement, than by -publicly asking her pardon, after hiding himself at the _Palais Royal_, -during three weeks. At a ball, given by Monsieur, the brother of Louis -XIV. she again put on man’s clothes, and having behaved impertinently -to a lady, three of her friends, supposing her to be a man, called -her out. She might easily have avoided the combat, by discovering her -sex, but she instantly drew, and killed them all three. Afterwards, -returning very coolly to the ball, she told the story to Monsieur, who -obtained her pardon. After other adventures, she went to Brussels, -and there became the mistress of the Elector of Bavaria. This prince, -quitting her for the Countess of Arcos, sent her by the count, the -husband of that lady, a purse of 40,000 livres, with an order to quit -Brussels. This extraordinary heroine threw the purse at the count’s -head, telling him it was a recompense worthy of such a scoundrel and—— -as himself. After this, she returned to the Opera stage, which she -quitted in 1705. Being at length seized with a fit of devotion, she -recalled her husband, who had remained in Provence, and passed with him -the last years of her life, in a very pious manner, dying in 1707, at -the age of thirty-four. - - - - - ARCHANGELO CORELLI. - - -That this celebrated composer was a man of humour and pleasantry may -be inferred from the following story, related by Walther, in his -account of Nicholas Adam Strunck, violinist to Ernestus Augustus, -Elector of Hanover. This person being at Rome, upon his arrival, -made it his business to see Corelli: upon their first interview, -Strunck gave him to understand that he was a musician. “What is -your instrument?” asked Corelli. “I can play,” answered Strunck, -“upon the harpsichord, and a little on the violin; and should esteem -myself extremely happy, might I hear your performance on this latter -instrument, on which, I am informed, you excel,” Corelli very politely -condescended to this request of a stranger. He played a solo, Strunck -accompanied him on the harpsichord, and afterwards played a foccata, -with which Corelli was so much taken, that he laid down his instrument -to admire him. When Strunck had done at the harpsichord, he took up the -violin, and began to touch it in a very careless manner; upon which -Corelli remarked, that he had a good bow-hand, and wanted nothing but -practice to become a master of the instrument. At this instant, Strunck -put the violin out of tune; and, applying it to its place, played on -it with such dexterity, attempering the dissonances occasioned by the -mistuning of the instrument with such amazing skill and dexterity, that -Corelli cried out, in broken German, “I am called _Arcangelo_, a name -that, in the language of my country, signifies an _Archangel_; but let -me tell you, that _you_, Sir, are an _arch-devil_.” - - _Sir John Hawkins’s History of Music._ - - - - - HENRY PURCELL, ESQ. - - -Mr. Purcell received his professional education in the school of a -choir; it is therefore not very surprising, that the bent of his -studies was towards church music. Services he seemed to neglect, and to -addict himself to the composition of anthems, a kind of music which, in -his time, the church stood greatly in need of. - -The anthem, “_They that go down to the sea in ships_,” was composed by -him, on the following extraordinary occasion. - -“King Charles II. had given orders for building a yatch, which, as -soon as it was finished, he named the Fubbs, in honour of the Duchess -of Portsmouth; who, we may suppose, was, in her person, rather full -and plump. Soon after the vessel was launched, the king made a party, -to sail in his yatch down the river, and round the Kentish coast: and, -to keep up the mirth and good humour of the company, Mr. Gostling, -was requested to be of the number. They had got as far as the North -Foreland, when a violent storm arose, in which the King and the Duke -of York were necessitated, in order to preserve the vessel, to hand -the sails, and work like common seamen; by good providence, however, -they escaped to land: but the distress they had been in, made such -an impression on the mind of Mr. Gostling as could never be effaced. -Struck with a just sense of the deliverance, and the horror of the -scene which he had lately viewed, upon his return to London, he -selected from the Psalms those passages which declare the wonders and -terrors of the deep, and gave them to Mr. Purcell, to compose as an -anthem, which he did; adapting it so peculiarly to the compass of Mr. -Gostling’s voice, which was a deep bass, that hardly any person but -himself was then, or has since, been able to sing it: but the king did -not live to hear it performed. This Anthem is taken from the 107th -Psalm, the first two verses of the Anthem are the 23d and 24th of the -Psalm. “They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy business in -great waters. These men see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in -the deep.” - -Among the Letters of Tom Brown, from the Dead to the Living, is one -from Dr. Blow, to Mr. Purcell, in which it is humourously observed, -that persons of their profession are subject to an equal attraction -of the church and the play-house; and are, therefore, in a situation -resembling that of Mahomet, which is said to be suspended between -heaven and earth. This remark of Brown was truly applicable to Purcell; -and it is more than probable, his particular situation gave occasion to -it, for he was scarcely known to the world, before he became, in the -exercise of his profession, so equally divided between both, the church -and the theatre, that neither the church, the tragic, nor the comic -Muse, could call him her own. - - - - - THE QUEEN OF SWEDEN. - - -In the extracts from the Duchess of Orlean’s Letters, we find, that -Queen Christina, of Sweden, (who was as peculiar in her night dress, -as in almost every thing else, and who, instead of a night-cap, made -use of an uncouth linen wrapper,) having spent a restless day in bed, -ordered a band of Italian musicians, from the opera, to approach near -to her curtains, which were close drawn, and strive to amuse her. -After some time, the voice of one of the performers striking her with -singular pleasure, she suddenly thrust her homely, stern, ill-dressed -head from behind the curtains, exclaiming loudly, “_Mort Diable! comme -il chante bien!_” (Death and the Devil! how well he sings!) The poor -Italians, not used to such rough applause, from a figure so hideous, -were unable to proceed, from the terror which they felt, and the whole -concert was at a stand for several minutes. - - - - - THE ORIGIN OF CHANTING IN CATHEDRALS. - - -St. Austin, who was originally a monk at Rome, and was sent about the -year 596, by Gregory I. at the head of forty other monks, to convert -the English to Christianity, was the first who introduced chanting in -the Divine Service, which is still continued in our cathedrals. His -desire was to induce converts; and he strove, not only by argument, -to effect his object, but by every other laudable means he could -devise; hence he endeavoured, as much as possible, to render the -Divine Service interesting, as well as instructive. This practice of -chanting, or singing, made rapid increases. Our Saxon forefathers were -so enthusiastically fond of it, that one continued strain was kept up -night and day, by a succession of priests; even their penances could -be redeemed by the singing of a certain number of Psalms, or by a -frequent repetition of the Lord’s Prayer. He was very successful in his -endeavours, and, among others, King Ethelbert himself became a convert. -St. Austin resided principally at _Durovernum_, (Canterbury,) and died -May 26, 607. - - - - - ORIGIN OF THE CELEBRATED OX MINUET, BY SIGNOR HAYDN. - - -Haydn saw with surprise a butcher call upon him one day, who being as -sensible to the charms of his works as any other person, said freely -to him, “Sir, I know you are both good and obliging, therefore I -address myself to you with full confidence;—you excel in all kinds of -composition; you are the first of composers: but I am particularly fond -of your minuets. I stand in need of one, that is pretty, and quite -new, for my daughter’s wedding, which is to take place in a few days, -and I cannot address myself better than to the famous Haydn.”—Haydn, -always full of kindness, smiled at this new homage, and promised it -to him on the following day. The amateur returned at the appointed -time, and received with joyful gratitude the precious gift. Shortly -after, the sound of instruments struck Haydn’s ear.—He listened, and -thought he recollected his new minuet. He went to his window, from -whence he saw a superb Ox, with gilded horns, adorned with festoons -and garlands, and surrounded by an ambulating orchestra, stopping -under his balcony. Haydn was roused from his reverie by the butcher, -who made his appearance in his apartment, and again expressed his -sentiments of admiration, and concluded his speech, by saying, “Dear -Sir, I thought that a butcher could not express his gratitude for so -beautiful a minuet better than by offering you the finest Ox in his -possession.”—Haydn refused—the butcher entreated, till at length Haydn, -affected at the butcher’s frank generosity, accepted the present, and -from that moment the minuet was known throughout Vienna by the name of -the Ox Minuet, and has lately been introduced as a musical curiosity in -England. - - - - - MUSICAL BATTLE. - - -On Monday evening, June 2, 1783, one of the most extraordinary attempts -to prove the power of music, that ever yet has been made in this -kingdom, was exhibited, in the style, and under the title of a concert, -at the Assembly room, King Street, St. James’s, Westminster. - -The idea was that of representing the martial music, din, and horrors -of an embattled army, so that the tones of the different instruments -should cause the ear to believe a reality of the action, whilst the eye -was convinced of the inimitable deception. - -The entertainment commenced with a grand overture, composed for two -orchestras, and divided into _allegro_, _andante_, and _presto_ parts, -as a prologue to the battle. - -The call to arms followed; and several random cannon and musket shots, -interchanged between the two orchestras, were so distinctly imitated in -music, that we were led to imagine the actual presence of the bursting -powder, and the real noise of the whistling ball. These gradually -increased, as the armies were supposed to near their distance, until an -_allegro moderato_ gave the thunder of the artillery, the regular fire -of the platoons, the press from one army on the redoubt of the other, -the final attack upon the first line with musketry, and then carrying -the redoubt by storm. Here followed a representation of a tempest, -attended with thunder and lightning, which afforded a temporary rest to -the two orchestran armies. - -A recitative, with accompaniments, expressed a council of war, after -which the signal was given for the cavalry of the conquering army to -attack; then, a most perfect and harmonious imitation of the galloping -and trotting of the horses, the discharge of the carbines and pistols, -and the clashing of swords, followed. - -Here the supposition of a defeat gave further scope to the inventive -faculties of the designer, and proved the executive powers of the band -to imitate the total rout of the conquered army, the sound of the -retreat, the signal to pursue, with the bustle, noise, and clamour, -naturally attending, until the victorious troops beat a halt, in -consequence of the brave resistance of that division, which covered the -retreat of the vanquished army. - -The straggling shots in the pursuit conveyed a most beautiful harmony -in the corresponding music from one orchestra to the other; which, -with the plaintive tones of the wounded, and the lamentations of the -expiring soldier, so naturally expressed, had a most powerful effect on -the auditors. - -The whole concluded with a lively and spirited allegory, three times -repeated by the victors, in which was introduced a _feu de joye_, -imitating artillery and musketry. - -The invention, we understand, is due to Mr. Kloeffler, a professor -of music, and musical director to the reigning Prince Bentheim, -Steinfurth, &c., and the bands were under the direction of Messrs. -Cramer and Solomon. - -There were upwards of three hundred persons present, mostly of the -first rank, among whom were the foreign ambassadors. The company -expressed the highest satisfaction, and retired perfectly delighted -with their evening’s entertainment. - - - - - THE MEDICINAL EFFECTS OF MUSIC. - - -The medicinal effects attributed to music are so numerous, and some -of them so well authenticated, that to reject them totally would be -to deny credibility to many respectable historians, philosophers, and -physicians. Martinus Capella assures us, that fevers were removed by -song, and that Asclepiades cured deafness by the sound of the trumpet. -Plutarch says, that Thetales, the Cretan, delivered the Lacedemonians -from the pestilence, by the sweetness of his lyre. Many of the Ancients -speak of music as a receipt for every kind of malady. M. Buretti, an -eminent physician, who made the music of the ancients his particular -study, thinks it not only possible, but even probable, that music, -by repeated strokes and vibrations given to the nerves, fibres, and -animal spirits, may sometimes alleviate the sufferings of epileptics -and lunatics, and even overcome the most violent paroxysms of those -disorders.—Buretti is by no means singular in his opinion, for many -modern philosophers and physicians, as well as ancient poets and -historians, have declared that they had no doubt, but that music -has the power, not only of influencing the mind, but of affecting -the nervous system, in such a manner, as will, in certain diseases, -proceed by slow degrees, from giving temporary relief, to effecting a -perfect cure. In the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences, for 1707, and -the following year, are recorded many accounts of diseases, which, -having obstinately resisted all the remedies prescribed by the most -able of the faculty, at last submitted to the powerful impression -of harmony. M. de Marian, in the Memoirs of the same academy, -speaking of the medicinal powers of music, says, that it is from -the mechanical involuntary connection between the organs of hearing -and the consonances excited in the outward air, joined to the rapid -communication of the vibrations of these organs, to the whole nervous -system, that we owe the cure of spasmodic disorders, and of fevers, -attended with a delirium and convulsions, of which the Memoirs give -many examples. Dr. Bianchina, professor of physic at Udina, who has -searched numerous ancient authors, and collected all the passages -relative to the medicinal application of music by Asclepiades, says, -that it was considered by the Egyptians, Grecians, and Romans, as a -remedy both in acute and chronical disorders; and he adds, that he -himself had seen it applied, in several cases, with great effect. - - - - - ODE TO MUSIC, - - BY THE LATE DR. WHARTON. - - - Queen of ev’ry moving measure, - Sweetest source of purest pleasure, - Music; why thy pow’rs employ, - Only for the sons of joy? - Only for the smiling guests, - At natal or at nuptial feasts; - - Rather thy lenient numbers pour - On those whom secret griefs devour; - Bid be still the throbbing hearts - Of those, whom death or absence parts; - And, with some softly whisper’d air, - Oh! smooth the brow of dumb despair. - - - - - THE MUSICAL PRODIGY. - - -In the public prints for February, 1807, appeared the following account -of an infant musician. - -“Miss Randles, who astonishes the world with her wonderful performance -on the piano-forte, was born at Wrexham, in Denbeighshire, North Wales, -in August, 1799. Her father (an organist, and the celebrated lyrist, -mentioned by Miss Seward, in her beautiful poem, called Llangollen -Vale,) was deprived of his sight by the smallpox, at the age of three -years. When Miss Randles was but sixteen months old, she discovered -her wonderful talents, by going to the piano-forte, and instinctively -playing, “God save the King” and the “Blue Bells of Scotland;” her -father was astonished, and endeavoured, by signs, (for she could not -yet speak,) to make her repeat the tunes, which she did. He then sung -another simple air, “Charley o’er the water,” which her ear caught, and -she played it instantly. Mr. Randles then put her left hand upon the -corresponding bass note, and, as well as he could make her understand, -told her that she should strike that note, while she played the melody -with her right hand; she found this grateful to her ear, and, in a -short time, played a great many little tunes; and, at the age of two -years, could tell the name of any note on the instrument, when it was -struck, though she was in another room. Her father, of course, was -very proud of his little Cecilian, and composed several variations -to favourite airs, which she no sooner heard than played, with both -hands, correctly. She continued to improve daily; and, in June, 1803, -had the honour of performing under the patronage of his Royal Highness -the Prince of Wales, before their Majesties, and all the royal family. -His Majesty made her a present of a hundred guineas. She performed at -Cumberland Gardens, and there were about five hundred of the first -people of rank and distinction in the kingdom present, who were no -less astonished than delighted, at her truly great execution and -expression. In 1805, she was taught her notes, and, in a very short -time, could play several of Pleyel’s, Desseck’s, and Clementi’s Sonatas -in a surprising manner. - -“Towards the latter end of 1805, she and her father took a tour through -the north of England, and received the greatest encouragement and -applause. Fearing that her health might suffer from too much fatigue, -Mr. Randles returned home, and, in September last, set off towards -Buxton, &c. Since that time, this fascinating infant has performed -at most of the principal places in the kingdom; and has passed, with -additional honour and fame, the criticism of Bath, where she has -been performing with universal applause, accompanied by her father -on the harp, and her uncle, Mr. Parry, who plays duets and trios, on -flageolets, which altogether form a truly novel and interesting little -band. They are now on their way to the west of England, where they -intend giving concerts. - -Miss Randles now plays the most scientific compositions, at sight, -and sings delightfully. The only motive her father has, in taking her -about, is to procure the means to give her the best education. She is -to appear once more in the metropolis under illustrious patronage. Her -age is now seven years and six months.” - - _Taunton, February 9, 1807._ - - - - - MASTER WILLIAM CROTCH, THE MUSICAL PHENOMENON. - - -This very extraordinary child, who now (in June 1779,) daily attracts -the notice and attention not only of persons of the first distinction, -but of all lovers of natural genius, is the son of Michael and Isabella -Crotch: he was born at Norwich, on the 5th of July 1775. His father -being an ingenious carpenter, built an organ for his own amusement; and -it was owing to this incidental circumstance that the musical talents -of his little son William were discovered so early: they might have -lain dormant for years, if Mrs. Lullman, who teaches music at Norwich -with great reputation, and was intimately acquainted with his parents, -had not played upon this organ, and accompanied it with her voice -before the child. - -One evening in particular, about the beginning of August 1777, he sat -in his mother’s lap while Mrs. Lullman played and sung a considerable -time. After that lady was gone, the child cried, and was remarkably -fractious: his mother attributed it to a pin, or some inward pain; she -undressed him, and endeavoured to find out the cause, but in vain: -however, as she was carrying him to bed, she passed near the organ, and -he stretched out his little hands towards it: upon which Mrs. Crotch -set him down to the keys, and he instantly struck them, seemingly in -great ecstasy: he played a few minutes; but imagining it to be only -the humour of an infant, she paid no regard to his manner of touching -the instrument, and he was soon put to bed, to all appearance perfectly -satisfied. - -The next morning, after breakfast, while Mrs. Crotch was gone to -market, his father, willing to indulge his own curiosity, put the child -to the organ, and was astonished to hear him play great part of the -tunes of _God save the King_, and _Let Ambition fire thy Mind_. The -first Mr. Crotch had attempted several times in the child’s hearing, -but was not perfect in it. The last, Mrs. Lullman had performed in his -presence. Upon his mother’s return, this surprising event being related -to her, she could hardly credit it: but _Billy_ did not keep her long -in suspence, and Mrs. Crotch communicating the intelligence to their -friends, she was advised to let him play according to his own fancy, -whenever he expressed a desire for it. - -He was now two years and three weeks old, and, from this time, all -persons who had any taste for music, and all the performers in Norwich, -resorted to the house: he played almost every day, and acquired more -tunes; and, in the midst of performing them, would strike out little -airs of his own in harmony; for it is remarkable, that he never plays -discord, neither will he bear it in others, without expressing disgust. - -He performed before full assemblies at different places and at sundry -times, at Norwich, till the beginning of November, when he was carried, -by his mother, to Cambridge, where he played on all the College and -church organs, to the astonishment of the gentlemen of the University. - -About the middle of December, he arrived in London, but no public -exhibition was made of his performance, till they had been heard by -their Majesties, to whom he and his mother were presented, by Lady -Hertford, at the Queen’s Palace, on the 7th of February, when he played -on the organ in the presence of their Majesties and the Royal Family, -who were graciously pleased to express their approbation. - -On the 13th of the same month they waited on their Royal Highnesses, -the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and performed to their entire -satisfaction. On the 26th he played on the organ of the chapel royal -of St. James’s, after morning service was over, their Majesties being -present. - -From this time he has continued playing every day, between the hours -of one and three, in public, at Mrs. Hart’s, milliner, in Piccadilly, -opposite Dover Street. - -Master William Crotch is now three years and nine months old: is a -lively, active child, has a pleasing countenance, rather handsome, -having fine blue eyes and flaxen hair. A large organ is placed about -the centre of the room, against the wainscot: it is raised upon a stage -about two feet from the floor, and a semicircular iron rod is fixed so -as to secure him in his seat, and separates him from the company. An -arm chair is placed upon this stage, and in it a common, very small -matted chair, which his mother fastens behind with a handkerchief to -the other, that he may not fall out, for he is wanton and full of -tricks, in the short intervals from playing. A book is placed before -him, as if it was a music book, and strangers in a distant part of the -room may mistake it for such; but it is no more than a magazine, or -some other pamphlet, with an engraved frontispiece: this, he looks at, -and amuses himself with the figures in the plate, while he is playing -any tune, or striking into his own harmony. In short he laughers, -prattles, and looks about at the company, at the same time keeping his -little hands employed on the keys, and playing with so much unconcern, -that you would be tempted to think he did not know what he was doing. - -He appears to be fondest of solemn tunes, and church music, -particularly the 104th Psalm. As soon as he has finished a regular -tune, or part of a tune, or played some little fancy notes of his own, -he stops, and has the pranks of a wanton boy: some of the company then -generally give him a cake, an apple, or an orange, to induce him to -play again; but it is nine to one, if he plays the tune you desire, -unless you touch the pride of his little heart, by telling him he -has forget such a tune, or he cannot play it: this seldom fails of -producing the effect, and he is sure to play it with additional spirit. - -After playing more than an hour, he desired to be taken down, and to -have a piece of chalk. He then entertained himself, and the company, -with drawing the outlines of a grotesque head on the floor: his -mother said it resembled an old grenadier he had seen in the park -that morning. He seems to have strong imitative powers; and, as every -trivial incident of such a child ought to be noticed, the following -instance of an apt idea, uncommon to his age, is mentioned, as it -struck the writer. - -A lady gave him a remarkable large orange: after looking at it a -moment, with admiration, “Ah! (says he,) this is a double orange.” Some -have reported that he is humoursome: it is true, he will not always -continue playing on in a regular manner during the time allotted for -company to see him; nor can it be expected, he is not of an age to be -reasoned with, and humanity forbids compulsion: it is, in fact, rather -surprising that he can be brought to play everyday, without growing -tired, and disappointing the company. - -We forgot to observe, that if any person plays a tune he never heard, -with the right hand on his organ, he will put a bass to it with his -left hand. He will also name every note that is struck on an organ, or -any other instrument, and always knows if any person plays out of tune. - - _Literary Miscellany, for June, 1779._ - - - - - ACCOUNT OF MADEMOISELLE THERESA PARADIS, OF VIENNA, THE CELEBRATED - BLIND PERFORMER ON THE PIANO-FORTE. - - -The following account of this wonderful woman appeared in one of the -periodical papers for March, 1785. - -“This young person, equally distinguished by her talents and -misfortunes, is the daughter of M. Paradis, secretary to his Imperial -Majesty, in the Bohemian department, and god-daughter to the Empress -Queen. - -“At the age of two years and eight months, she was suddenly deprived of -sight, by a paralytic stroke, or palsy in the optic nerves. - -“At seven years old, she began to listen with great attention to the -music she had heard in the church, which suggested to her parents, the -idea of having her taught to play on the piano-forte, and soon after to -sing. In three or four years time, she was able to accompany herself -on the organ, in the _Stabat Mater_ of Pergolesi, of which she sung -the first _soprano_, or upper part, in the church of St. Augustin, at -Vienna, in the presence of the Empress Queen; who was so touched with -her performance and misfortune, that she settled a pension on her for -life. - -“After learning of several masters at Vienna, she pursued her musical -studies under the care of Kozeluch, who has composed many admirable -lessons and concertos, on purpose for her use, which she plays with the -utmost neatness and expression. - -“At the age of thirteen, she was placed under the care of the -celebrated empyric, Dr. Mesmer, who undertook to cure every species of -disease by Animal Magnetism. He called her disorder a perfect _gutta -serena_, and pretended, after she had been placed in his house, as -a boarder, for several months, that she was perfectly cured; yet, -refusing to let her parents take her away, or even visit her, after -some time; till, by the advice of the Barons Stoerk and Wenzel, Dr. -Ingenhous, Professor Barth, the celebrated anatomist, and by the -express order of her late Imperial Majesty, she was taken out of his -hands by force; when it was found, that she could see no more than -when she was first admitted as Mesmer’s patient. However, he had the -diabolical malignity to assert, that she could see very well, and only -pretended blindness, to preserve the pension granted to her by the -Empress Queen; and, since the decease of this princess, the pension of -Madame Paradis has been withdrawn, indiscriminately with all other -pensions granted by her Imperial Majesty. - -“Last year Madame Paradis quitted Vienna, in order to travel, -accompanied by her mother, who treats her with extreme tenderness, -and is a very amiable and interesting character. After visiting -the principal courts and cities of Germany, where her talents and -misfortunes procured her great attention and patronage, she arrived at -Paris early last summer, and remained there five or six months; and -likewise received every possible mark of approbation and regard in -that capital, both for her musical abilities and innocent and engaging -disposition. - -“When she arrived in England, the beginning of this winter, she brought -letters from persons of the first rank to her Majesty, the Prince -of Wales, the Imperial Minister, Count Kaganeck, Lord Stormont, and -other powerful patrons, as well as to the principal musical professors -in London. Messrs. Cramer, Abel, Solomon, and other eminent German -musicians, have interested themselves very much in her welfare; not -only as their country-woman bereaved of sight, but as an admirable -performer.” - -She has been at Windsor, to present her letters to the Queen, and has -had the honour of playing there to their Majesties, who were extremely -satisfied with her performance; and treated her with that condescension -and kindness, which all those who are so happy as to be admitted into -the presence of our gracious sovereigns, in moments of domestic -privacy experience, even when less entitled to it, by merit and -misfortunes, than Madame Paradis. Her Majesty was not only graciously -pleased to promise to patronize and hear her frequently again, in the -course of the winter, but to afford her all the protection in her -power: as did his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, to whom she has -since performed, at a grand concert at Carlton-house, to the entire -satisfaction and wonder of all who heard her. - -Besides her musical talents, which are indisputable, for neatness, -precision, and expression, particularly in the great variety of -admirable pieces she executes of her master’s, Kozeluch, Mademoiselle -Paradis has been extremely well educated, and is very ingenious and -accomplished: as she is able, almost as quick as if she could write, -to express her thoughts on paper, with printing types. She understands -geography by means of maps, prepared for her use, in which she can -find and point out any province or remarkable city in the world; and -is likewise able, by means of tables, formed in the manner of draught -boards, to calculate with ease and rapidity any sums, or numbers, in -the first five rules of arithmetic. She is likewise said to distinguish -many colours and coins by the touch: plays at cards, when prepared for -her, by private marks, unknown to the company; and, in her musical -studies, her memory and quickness are wonderful; as she learns, in -general, the most difficult pieces for keyed instruments, however full -and complicated the parts, by hearing them played only on a violin: -and, since her arrival in this kingdom, she has been enabled, in -this manner, to learn to perform some of Handel’s most elaborate and -difficult organ fugues and movements, in his first book of lessons, as -well as his Coronation Anthem, and more popular compositions. - - - - - THE LEGEND OF ST. CECILIA. - - -As this celebrated patroness of music has given rise to some of the -most beautiful poetic productions in our language, the Legend of the -said lady, not being generally known, the following particulars of her -life and martyrdom, it is presumed, will prove highly acceptable to our -readers. - -“St. Cecilia, among Christians, is esteemed the patroness of music: -for the reasons whereof, we must refer to her history, as delivered by -the notaries of the Roman church, and from them transcribed into the -Golden Legend, and other books of the like kind. The story says, that -she was a Roman lady, born of noble parents, about the year 225; that, -notwithstanding she had been converted to Christianity, her parents -married her to a young Roman nobleman, named Valerianus, a Pagan, -who, going to bed to her on the wedding night, (_as the custom is, -says the book_) was given to understand by his spouse, that she was -nightly visited by an angel, and that he must forbear to approach her, -otherwise the angel would destroy him. Valerianus, somewhat troubled -at these words, desired that he might see his rival, the angel; but his -spouse told him that was impossible, unless he would be baptised, and -become a Christian, which he consented to. After which, returning to -his wife, he found her in her closet, at prayer; and by her side, in -the shape of a beautiful young man, the angel clothed with brightness. -After some conversation with the angel, Valerianus told him, that -he had a brother, named Tiburtius, whom he greatly wished to see a -partaker of the grace, which he himself had received: the angel told -him, that his desire was granted, and that shortly they should be both -crowned with martyrdom. Upon this the angel vanished, but soon after -showed himself as good as his word. Tiburtius was converted, and both -he and his brother Valerianus were beheaded. Cecilia was offered her -life, upon condition, that she would sacrifice to the deities of the -Romans, but she refused; upon which, she was thrown into a cauldron of -boiling water, and scalded to death: though others say, she was stifled -in a dry bath, i. e. an inclosure from whence the air was excluded, -having a slow fire underneath it; which kind of death was sometimes -inflicted, among the Romans, upon women of quality who were criminals. - -“Upon the spot where her house stood, is a church, said to have been -built by Pope Urban I. who administered baptism to her husband and his -brother; it is the church of St. Cecilia, in Trastevere. Within is a -most curious painting of the saint, as also a most stately monument, -with a cumbent statue of her, with her face downwards. - -“St. Cecilia is usually painted playing either on the organ, or on the -harp, singing as Chaucer relates, thus, - - “And whiles that the organs made melodie, - To God alone thus in her heart sung she, - O Lorde my soul, and eke my bodie gie - Unwemmed, lest I confounded be[2].” - -[2] See the second Nonne’s Tale, in Chaucer; the Golden Legend, printed -by Caxton; and the Lives of Saints, by Peter Ribadeneyra, a priest of -the Society of Jesus, printed at St. Omers, in 1699. - -“Besides this account, there is a tradition of St. Cecilia, that she -excelled in music, and that the angel, who was thus enamoured of her, -was drawn down from the celestial mansions, by the charms of her -melody: this has been deemed authority sufficient for making her the -patroness of music and musicians. - -“The lovers of music, residing in this metropolis, had a solemn annual -meeting, at Stationers’ Hall, on the 22d day of November, being the -anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Cecilia, from the rebuilding of -that edifice after the fire of London. These performances, being -intended to celebrate the memory of the tutelar saint and patroness -of music, had every possible advantage that the times afforded, to -recommend them. Not only the most eminent masters in the science -contributed their performance, but the gentlemen of the King’s -Chapel, and of the choirs of St. Paul’s and Westminster, lent their -assistance, and the festival was announced in the London Gazette. - -“For the celebration of this solemnity, Purcell composed his _Te Deum_ -and _Jubilate_; and Dr. Blow also composed a musical entertainment for -the same anniversary, the following year. - -“The Legend of St. Cecilia has given frequent occasion to painters and -sculptors to exercise their genius in representations of her playing on -the organ, and sometimes on the harp. Raphael has painted her singing, -with a regal in her hands; and Dominichino and Mignard singing and -playing on the harp. And, in the vault under the choir of St. Paul’s -Cathedral, against one of the middle columns, on the south side, is -a fine white marble monument, for Miss Wren, the daughter of Sir -Christopher Wren, wherein the young lady is represented, on a _bass -relief_, the work of Bird, in the character of St. Cecilia, playing -on the organ, a boy angel sustaining her book, under which is the -following inscription: - -“Here lies the body of Mrs. Jane Wren, only daughter of Sir Christopher -Wren, Knight, by Dame Jane, his wife, daughter of William Lord -Fitz-William, Baron of Lifford, in the Kingdom of Ireland. Ob. 29th -Dec. 1702, ætat. 26.” - - _From Sir John Hawkins._ - - - - - CLINIAS, THE PYTHAGOREAN. - - -“This philosopher was a person very different, both in his life and -manners, from other men. If it chanced at any time that he was -inflamed with anger, he would take his harp, play upon, and sing to -it; saying, as often as he was asked the cause of his so doing, ‘That -by this means he found himself reduced to the temper of his former -mildness.’” - - _Treasury of Ancient and Modern Times._ - - - - - THE SPARTAN POET TYRTŒUS. - - -Tyrtœus, the Spartan poet, having first rehearsed his verses, and -afterwards made them to be sung with flutes, well tuned together, he -so stirred and inflamed the courage of the soldiers thereby, that, -whereas, they had before been overcome in divers conflicts, being then -transported with the fury of the Muses, they remained conquerors, and -cut in pieces the whole army of the Messinians. - - - - - THE RAGE OF THE EMPEROR THEODOSIUS SUBDUED BY MUSIC. - - -At such time as the tyrant Eugenius raised that perilous war in the -East, and that money grew short with the Emperor Theodosius, he -determined to raise subsidies, and to gather, from all parts, more than -before he had ever done: the citizens of Antioch bore this exaction -with so ill a will, that, after they had uttered many outrageous words -against the Emperor, they pulled down his statues, and those also of -the Empress, his wife. A while after, when the heat of their fury was -past, they began to repent themselves of their folly, and considered -into what danger they had cast themselves and their city. Then did -they curse their rashness, confess their fault, implore the goodness -of God, and that with tears, “That it would please him to calm the -Emperor’s heart.” These supplications and prayers were solemnly sung -with sorrowful tunes, and lamenting voices. Their bishop, Flavianus, -employed himself valiantly, in this needful time, in behalf of the -city, made a journey to Theodosius, and did his utmost to appease -him: but finding himself rejected, and knowing that the Emperor was -devising some grievous punishment; and, on the other side, not having -the boldness to speak again, and yet much troubled in his thoughts -because of his people, there came this device into his head. At such -time as the Emperor sat at meat, certain young boys were wont to sing -musically unto him. Flavianus wrought so, that he obtained of those -that had the charge of the boys, that they would suffer them to sing -the supplications and prayers of the city of Antioch. Theodosius, -listening to that grave music, was so moved with it, and so touched -with compassion, that having the cup in his hand, he, with his warm -tears, watered the wine that was in it, and forgetting all his -conceived displeasure against the Antiochians, freely pardoned them and -their city. - - - - - THE BISHOP OF ORLEANS RESTORED FROM PRISON BY MUSIC. - - -The sons of Ludovicus I. then Emperor, had conspired against him, -and amongst divers of the bishops that were confederate with them, -was Theodulphus, Bishop of Orleans, whom the Emperor clapped up in -prison in Anjou. In this place, the Emperor kept his Easter, and was -present at the procession on Palm Sunday, in imitation and honour of -Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem. All the pomp was passing by the -place where Theodolphus was under restraint; the Bishop, in sight of -that solemnity, had prepared a most elegant hymn in honour of that -procession; and, as the Emperor passed by, opening his casement, with a -clear and musical voice he sung it, so as to be heard of the multitude -that passed by: the Emperor enquired, “What voice that was, and who -that sung?” It was told him, “The captive Bishop of Orleans.” The -Emperor diligently attending both the purport of the verses and the -sweetness of the voice, was therewith so delighted, that he restored -the prisoner forthwith to his liberty. - - - - - A WOMAN PREVENTED FROM STARVING HERSELF TO DEATH, BY MUSIC. - - -Among the many anecdotes related of persons whose lives have been -preserved by music, is the following. - -“A woman, being attacked for several months with the vapours, and -confined to her apartment, had resolved to starve herself to death. -She was, however, prevailed on, but not without difficulty, to see a -representation of the _Servo Padrona_ (a musical piece so called.) At -the conclusion of which she found herself almost cured; and, renouncing -her melancholy resolution, was entirely restored to health by a few -more representations of the same kind.” - - - - - REMARKABLE EFFECTS OF A SWISS AIR. - - -There is a celebrated air in Switzerland, called, _Rans des Vaches_, -which had such an extraordinary effect on the Swiss troops in the -French service, that they always fell into a deep melancholy when they -heard it. Louis XIV. therefore forbade it ever to be played in France, -under the pain of a severe penalty. - -We are told also of a Scotch air (_Lochaber no more_) which had a -similar effect on the natives of Scotland. - - - - - THE DENMARK MUSICIAN. - - -There was a musician, formerly in Denmark, that so excelled in the art -of music, that he used to boast, that he could, with his performance, -set his hearers beside themselves, or make them merry, pensive, or -furious, as he pleased. This he performed upon trial at the command of -Ericus II. surnamed the Good, King of Denmark. - - - - - WONDERFUL POWER OF MUSIC ON MADAME DE LA MARCH. - - -Madame de la March, a young lady of beauty and virtue, (near to Garet,) -upon report of her husband’s inconstancy, fell into such a fury, -that, on the sudden, she would throw herself into the fire, or out at -the window, or into a fish-pond, near her house, out of which she -had been twice rescued: but was afterwards more diligently watched. -The physicians attended her to no purpose, notwithstanding all their -endeavours; but a Capuchin passing that way to crave alms, and hearing -what had befallen her, advised that some skilful and experienced -performer on the lute should be sent for, and continue to play by her, -day and night, as occasion might require. This was accordingly done, -and, in less than three months, the violent passion forsook her, and -she remained, ever after, sound both in body and mind. - - - - - A RHODIAN MUSICIAN’S REPLY TO APOLLONIUS. - - -When Apollonius was inquisitive of Canus, a Rhodian musician, “What -he could do with his instrument?” He told him, ‘that he could make a -melancholy man merry, and him that was merry, much merrier than he was -before: a lover more enamoured, and a religious man more devout, and -more attentive to the worship of the gods. - - - - - EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MUSIC ON SNAKES AND SERPENTS. - - -In the month of July, 1791, (says an eminent historian,) we were -travelling in Upper Canada, with several families of savages, belonging -to the nation of the Onontagues. One day, when we had halted in -a spacious plain on the bank of the river Genesse, a rattlesnake -entered our encampment.— Among us was a Canadian who could play on -the flute, and who, to divert us, advanced against the serpent with -his new species of weapon. On the approach of his enemy, the haughty -reptile curls himself into a spiral line, flattens his head, inflates -his cheeks, contracts his lips, displays his envenomed fangs, and his -bloody throat: his double tongue glows like two flames of fire; his -eyes are burning coals: his body, swollen with rage, rises and falls -like the bellows of a forge: his dilated skin assumes a dull and scaly -appearance: and his tail, whence proceeds the death-denouncing sound, -vibrates with such rapidity as to resemble a light vapour. - -The Canadian now begins to play upon his flute; the serpent starts -with surprise, and draws back his head. In proportion as he is struck -with the magic effect, his eyes lose their fierceness, the oscillations -of his tail become slower, and the sound which it emits grows weaker, -and gradually dies away. Less perpendicular upon their spiral line, -the rings of the charmed serpent are, by degrees, expanded, and sink, -one after another, upon the ground in concentric circles. The shades -of azure, green, white, and gold, recover their brilliancy on his -quivering skin; and slightly turning his head, he remains motionless, -in the attitude of attention and pleasure. - -At this moment, the Canadian advanced a few steps, producing, with his -flute, sweet and simple notes. The reptile, inclining his variegated -neck, opens a passage with his head, through the high grass, and -begins to creep after the musician; stopping when he stops, and -beginning to follow him again as soon as he moves forward. In this -manner he was led out of our camp, attended by a great number of -spectators, both savages and Europeans, who could scarcely believe -their eyes when they witnessed this wonderful effect of harmony. The -assembly unanimously decreed, that the serpent which had so highly -entertained them, should be permitted to escape. - - _M. de Chateaubriand._ - - - - - THE DANCING SNAKES. - - -The dancing snakes are carried in baskets throughout Indostan, and -procure a maintenance for a set of people, who play a few simple notes -on the flute: with which these snakes seem much delighted, and keep -time by a graceful motion of the head, erecting about half their length -from the ground, and following the music with gentle curves, like the -undulating lines of a swan’s neck. It is a well attested fact, that -when a house is infested with these snakes, and some others of the -coluber genus, which destroy poultry and small domestic animals, as -also by the larger serpents of the boa tribe, the musicians are sent -for; who, by playing on a flageolet, find out their hiding places, and -charm them to destruction: for no sooner do the snakes hear the music, -than they come softly from their retreat, and are easily taken. It is -imagined, that these musical snakes were known in Palestine, from the -Psalmist comparing the “ungodly to the deaf adder, which stoppeth her -ears, and refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so -wisely.” - -When the music ceases, the snakes appear motionless, but, if not -immediately covered up in the basket, the spectators are liable to -fatal accidents. - - _M. de Chateaubriand._ - - - - - CURIOUS CONTEST ABOUT THE ERECTION OF THE CELEBRATED ORGAN IN THE - TEMPLE CHURCH, LONDON. - - -After the Restoration, the number of workmen in England being found too -few to answer the demand for organs, it was thought expedient to make -offers of encouragement for foreigners to come and settle here; these -brought over from Germany Mr. Bernard Schmidt and—— Harris; the former -of these, for his excellence in his art, and the following particulars -respecting him, deserves to live in the remembrance of all such as are -friends to it. - -Bernard Schmidt, or, as we pronounce the name, Smith, was a native of -Germany, but of what city or province is not known. He brought with -him two nephews, the one named Gerrard, the other Bernard; and to -distinguish him from these, the elder had the appellation of Father -Smith. Immediately upon their arrival, Smith was employed to build an -organ for the Royal Chapel, at Whitehall; but, as it was built in great -haste, it did not answer the expectations of those who were judges of -his abilities. He had been but a few months here, before Harris arrived -from France, bringing with him a son, named Renatas, who had been -brought up in the business of organ making under him; they met with but -little encouragement, for Dallans and Smith had all the business of the -kingdom: but upon the decease of Dallans, in 1672, a competition arose -between these two foreigners, which was attended with some remarkable -circumstances. The elder Harris was in no degree a match for Smith; -but his son, Renatus, was a young man of ingenuity and spirit, and -succeeded so well in his endeavours to rival Smith, that, at length, he -got the better of him. - -The contest between Smith and the younger Harris was carried on with -great spirit; each had his friends and supporters, and the point of -preference between them was hardly determined by that exquisite piece -of workmanship of Smith, the organ now standing in the Temple Church, -of the building thereof, the following is the history, as related by a -person who was living at the time, and intimately acquainted with both -Smith and Harris. - -Upon the decease of Mr. Dallans, and the elder Harris, Mr. Renatus -Harris, and Father Smith, became great rivals in their employment, and -several trials of skill were betwixt them on several occasions; but -the famous contest between these two artists was at the Temple Church, -where a new organ was going to be erected, towards the latter end of -King Charles II.’s time. Both made friends for that employment; but, -as the Society could not agree about who should be the man, the Master -of the Temple, and the Benchers, proposed they both should set up an -organ on each side of the church; which, in about half a year, or three -quarters of a year, was done accordingly. Dr. Blow and Mr. Purcell, -who was then in his prime, showed and played Father Smith’s organ, on -appointed days, to a numerous audience; and, till the other was heard, -every body believed that Father Smith would certainly carry it. - -Mr. Harris brought Mr. Lully, organist to Queen Catharine, a very -eminent master, to touch his organ, which brought it into such vogue, -that they thus continued vieing with each other near a twelvemonth. - -Then Mr. Harris challenged Father Smith to make additional stops -against a set time; these were the Vox Humane, the Cremona, or Violin -Stop, the double Courtel, or Bass Flute, and others. - -These stops, as being newly invented, gave great delight and -satisfaction to a numerous audience, and were so well imitated on both -sides, that it was hard to judge the advantage to either. At last it -was left to my Lord Chief Justice Jeffries, who was of that house, -and he put an end to the controversy, by pitching upon Father Smith’s -organ; so Mr. Harris’s organ was taken away without loss of reputation, -and Mr. Smith’s remains to this day. - -Now began the setting up of organs in the chief parishes of the city -of London, for the most part Mr. Harris had the advantage of Father -Smith, making, I believe, two for his one; among them some are reckoned -very eminent; viz. the organ at St. Bride’s, St. Lawrence, near -Guildhall, St. Mary Axe, &c. - -Notwithstanding this success of Mr. Harris, Smith was considered as an -able and ingenious workman, and, in consequence of this character, he -was employed to build an organ for the cathedral of St. Paul. - -The organs made by him, though in respect of workmanship they are far -short of those of Harris, and even of Dalian’s, are justly admired; -and, for the fineness of their tone, have never yet been equalled. - -Harris’s organ was afterwards purchased for the cathedral of Christ -Church, at Dublin, and set up there; but, some years back, Mr. Byfield -was sent for, from England, to repair it, which he objected to, and -prevailed on the Chapter to have a new one, made by himself, he -allowing for the old one in exchange. When he had got it, he would -have treated with the parishioners of Lynn, in Norfolk, for the sale -of it; but they, disdaining the offer of a second-hand instrument, -refused to purchase it, and employed Snetzlor to build them a new one, -for which they paid him seven hundred pounds. Byfield dying, his widow -sold Harris’s organ to the parish of Wolverhampton for five hundred -pounds, and there it remains at this day (i. e. 1778.) One of two -eminent masters, then living, were requested by the churchwardens of -Wolverhampton to give their opinions of this instrument, who declared -it to be the best modern organ he had ever touched. - - _Sir John Hawkins’s Memoirs._ - - - - - QUEEN MARY AND MR. PURCELL. - - -The famous old ballad, “_Cold and raw_,” was greatly admired by -Queen Mary, consort of King William; and she once affronted Mr. -Purcell, by requesting to have it sung to her, he being present. The -story is as follows: The Queen, having a mind, one afternoon, to be -entertained with music, sent to Mr. Gostling, then one of the Chapel, -and afterwards subdean of St. Paul’s; to Mr. Henry Purcell, and Mrs. -Arabella Hunt, who had a very fine voice, and an admirable hand on -the lute, with a request to attend her. Mr. Gostling and Mrs. Hunt -sung several compositions of Purcell, who accompanied them on the -harpsichord. At length the queen, beginning to grow tired, asked Mrs. -Hunt, if she could not sing the old Scotch ballad, “Cold and raw?” -Mrs. Hunt answered yes, and sung it to her lute. Purcell was all the -while sitting at the harpsichord unemployed, and not a little nettled -at the queen’s preference of a vulgar ballad to his music; but, seeing -her majesty delighted with this tune, he determined that she should -hear it upon another occasion, and accordingly, in the next birth-day -song, viz. that for the year 1692, he composed an air to the words, -“_May her bright example chace vice in troops out of the land_,” the -bass whereof is the tune to Cold and Raw. It is printed in the Orpheus -Britannicus, and is note for note the same with the Scotch tune. - - - - - THE HIGHLAND CHARGING TUNE. - - -In one of the late battles in Calabria, a bagpiper of the 78th -regiment, when the light infantry charged the French, posted himself on -their right, and remained in his solitary situation during the whole of -the battle, encouraging the men with a famous Highland charging tune; -and actually, upon the retreat and complete rout of the French, changed -it to another, equally celebrated in Scotland upon the retreat of and -victory over an enemy. His next hand neighbour guarded him so well, -that he escaped unhurt. This was the spirit of the “Last Minstrel,” who -infused courage among his countrymen, by possessing it in so animated a -degree, and in so venerable a character. - - _Curiosities of Literature._ - - - - - EFFECTS OF FOREIGN MUSIC ON DIFFERENT ANIMALS. - - -Sir William Jones, in his curious Dissertation on the musical Modes of -the Hindus, relates the following story. - -“After food, when the operations of digestion and absorption give so -much employment to the vessels, that a temporary state of mental repose -must be found, especially in hot climates, essential to health, it -seems reasonable to believe that a few agreeable airs, either heard -or played without effort, must have all the good effects of sleep, and -none of its disadvantages: _putting the soul in tune_, as Milton says, -for any subsequent exertion; an experiment often made by myself. I -have been assured by a credible eye-witness, that two wild antelopes -used often to come from their woods to the place where a more savage -beast, Sirajuddaulah, entertained himself with concerts, and that -they listened to the strains with an appearance of pleasure, till the -monster, in whose soul there was no music, shot one of them, to display -his archery. A learned native told me, that he had frequently seen -the most venomous and malignant snakes leave their holes upon hearing -tunes on a flute, which, as he supposed, gave them peculiar delight. -An intelligent Persian declared he had, more than once, been present, -when a celebrated lutanist, surnamed Bulbul, (i. e. the nightingale,) -was playing to a large company, in a grove near Schiraz, where he -distinctly saw the nightingales trying to vie with the musician, -sometimes warbling on the trees, sometimes fluttering from branch to -branch, as if they wished to approach the instrument, and, at length, -dropping on the ground, in a kind of ecstacy, from which they were soon -raised, he assured me, by a change of the mode.” - - - - - EFFECT OF MUSIC ON LIZARDS. - - -A modern traveller assures us, that he has repeatedly observed, in -the island of Madeira, that the lizards are attracted by the notes of -music, and that he has assembled a number of them by the powers of -his instrument. He tells us also, that when the negroes catch them, -for food, they accompany the chase, by whistling some tune, which has -always the effect of drawing great numbers towards them. - -Stedman, in his expedition to Surinam, describes certain sibyls among -the negroes, who, among several singular practices, can charm or -conjure down from the tree certain serpents, who will wreath about the -arms, neck, and breast of the pretended sorceress, listening to her -voice. The sacred writers speak of the charming of adders and serpents; -and nothing, says he, is more notorious than that the eastern Indians -will rid the houses of the most venomous snakes, by charming them with -the sound of a flute, which calls them out of their holes. - - - - - MUSICAL ANECDOTE FROM MARVILLE. - - -Marville has given us the following anecdote. He says, “that doubting -the truth of those who say it is natural for us to love music, -especially the sound of instruments, and that beasts themselves are -touched with it, being one day in the country, I enquired into the -truth; and, while a man was playing on the trump-marine, made my -observations on a cat, a dog, a horse, an ass, a hind, cows, small -birds, and a cock and hens, who were in a yard, under a window on -which I was leaning. - -“I did not perceive that the cat was the least affected, and I even -judged, by her air, that she would have given all the instruments in -the world for a mouse, sleeping in the sun all the time. The horse -stopped short, from time to time, before the window, raising his head -up now and then, as he was feeding on the grass. The dog continued -for above an hour seated on his hind legs, looking stedfastly at the -player. The ass did not discover the least indication of his being -touched, eating his thistles peaceably. The hind lifted up her large -wide ears, and seemed very attentive. The cows slept a little, and, -after gazing, as though they had been acquainted with us, went -forward. Some little birds, who were in an aviary, and others on the -trees and bushes, almost tore their little throats with singing: but -the cock, who minded only his hens, and the hens who were solely -employed in scraping a neighbouring dunghill, did not show, in any -manner, that they took the least pleasure in hearing the trump-marine.” - - - - - ACCOUNT OF THE RECITATION OF THE BOATMEN OF VENICE. - - -It is well known, observes a celebrated literary character that, in -Venice, the gondoliers know by heart long passages from Ariosto and -Tasso, and are wont to sing them in their own melody. But this talent -seems at present on the decline:—at least, after taking some pains, I -could find no more than two persons who delivered to me, in this way, a -passage from Tasso. - -There are always two concerned, who alternately sing the strophes. We -know the melody eventually by Rousseau, to whose songs it is printed; -it has properly no melodious movement, and is a sort of a medium -between the canto fermo and the canto figurato; it approaches to the -former by recitativical declamation, and to the latter by passages and -course, by which one syllable is detained and embellished. - -I entered a gondola by moonlight; one singer placed himself forwards, -and the other aft, and thus proceeded to St. Georgio. One began the -song: when he had ended his strophe, the other took up the lay, and so -continued the song alternately. Throughout the whole of it, the same -notes invariably returned; but, according to the subject matter of the -strophe, they laid a greater or a smaller stress, sometimes on one, and -sometimes on another note, and indeed changed the enunciation of the -whole strophe, as the object of the poem altered. - -On the whole, however, their sounds were hoarse and screaming: they -seemed in the manner of all rude, uncivilised men, to make the -excellency of their singing in the force of their voice: one seemed -desirous of conquering the other by the strength of his lungs, and so -far from receiving delight from this scene, (shut up as I was in the -box of the gondola) I found myself in a very unpleasant situation. - -My companion, to whom I communicated this circumstance, being very -desirous to keep up the credit of his countrymen, assured me that this -singing was very delightful, when heard at a distance. Accordingly we -got out, upon the shore, leaving one of the singers in the gondola, -while the other went to the distance of some hundred paces. They now -began to sing against one another, and I kept walking up and down -between them both, so as always to leave him who was to begin his part. -I frequently stood still and hearkened to the one and to the other. - -Here the scene was properly introduced. The strong declamatory, and, -as it were shrieking sound met the ear from far, and called forth -the attention: the quickly succeeding transitions, which necessarily -required to be sung in a lower tone, seemed like plaintive strains -succeeding the vociferations of emotion or of pain. The other, -who listened attentively, immediately began where the former left -off, answering him, in milder or more vehement notes, according as -the purport of the strophe required. The sleepy canals, the lofty -buildings, the splendour of the moon, the deep shadows of the few -gondolas, that moved like spirits, hither and thither, increased the -striking peculiarity of the scene, and, amidst all these circumstances, -it was easy to confess the character of this wonderful harmony. - -It suits perfectly well with an idle, solitary mariner, lying at length -in his vessel, at rest on one of these canals, waiting for his company, -or for a fare, the tiresomeness of which situation is somewhat -alleviated by the songs and poetical stories he has in memory. He often -raises his voice as loud as he can, which extends itself to a vast -distance over the tranquil mirror, and, as all is still around, he is, -as it were, in a solitude, in the midst of a large and populous town. -Here is no rattling of carriages, no noise of foot passengers: a silent -gondola glides now and then by him, of which the splashing of the oars -are scarcely to be heard. - -At a distance he hears another, perhaps utterly unknown to him. -Melody and verse immediately attach the two strangers; he becomes the -responsive echo to the former, and exerts himself to be heard, as he -had heard the other. By a tacit convention, they alternate, verse for -verse; though the song should last the whole night through, they -entertain themselves without fatigue; the hearers, who are passing -between the two, take part in the amusement. - -This vocal performance sounds best at a great distance, and is then -inexpressibly charming, as it only fulfils its design in the sentiment -of remoteness. It is plaintive, but not dismal, in its sound, and, at -times, it is scarcely possible to refrain from tears. My companion, -who otherwise was not a very delicately organised person, said, quite -unexpectedly:—“_e singolare come quel canto intenersce, e molto più -quando lo cantano meglio_.” - -I was told that the women of Libo, the long row of islands that divides -the Adriatic from the Lagouns, particularly the women of the extreme -districts of Malamocca and Palestrina, sing in like manner the works -of Tasso to these and similar tunes. - -They have the custom, when their husbands are fishing out at sea, to -sit along the shore, in the evenings, and vociferate these songs, -and continue to do so with great violence, till each of them can -distinguish the responses of her own husband at a distance. - -How much more delightful and more appropriate does this song show -itself here, than the call of a solitary person, uttered far and wide, -till another equally disposed shall hear and answer him! It is the -expression of a vehement and hearty longing, which yet is every moment -nearer to the happiness of satisfaction. - - _Curiosities of Literature._ - - - THE END. - - - - - INDEX. - - - A. - - AMURATH, Sultan of the East, saves the lives of 30,000 persons, - by music, 23. - - Animals in the West of England, stimulated by music, 37. - - Abell, Mr. anecdote of, 62. - - Arne, Dr. ditto, 69. - - Archangelo Corelli, ditto, 87. - - - B. - - Bull, extraordinary effects of music on one, 32. - - Brown, Mr. musical anecdote related by, 77. - - Battle, musical one, 99. - - Boatmen of Venice, account of their recitation, 169. - - - C. - - Contrary effects of music on a Greek lady, 15. - - Clarke, Jeremiah, anecdote of, 71. - - Convulsions relieved by music, 5. - - Corelli, Archangelo, anecdote of, 87. - - Chanting in Cathedrals, the origin of, 95. - - Crotch, Master William, the musical phenomenon, 113. - - Cecilia, St. the Legend of, 130. - - Clinias, the Pythagorean, the power of music on, 137. - - - D. - - Dog, musical one, 31. - - Dying Man and the Piano, 36. - - Devil’s Concerto, 56. - - Denmark Musician, remarkable one, 145. - - - E. - - Elephant, the power of music on one, 12. - - - F. - - Farinelli and his Taylor, anecdote of, 60. - - Foreign Music, effects of, on different animals, 163. - - - G. - - Greek lady, contrary effects of music on, 15. - - - H. - - Hare, the effect of music on one, 10. - - Highlander, ditto, 14. - - Highland charging tune, power of, on soldiers, 162. - - Handel, George Frederick, anecdotes of, 55, 58, 65, 75. - - Haydn, account of his celebrated Ox Minuet, 97. - - - L. - - Lady, indisposition of one, cured by music, 5. - - Lulli, the celebrated musician, anecdote of, 78. - - Legend of St. Cecilia, 130. - - Lizards, effects of music on, 165. - - - M. - - Mademoiselle Theresa Paradis, account of, 122. - - Mice affected by music, 19. - - Musical Elephant, 12. - - —— Pigeon, 27. - - —— Dog, 31. - - —— Bull, 32. - - Music Composer, wonderfully affected by his art, 38. - - Mozart, interesting particulars in his life, 44. - - Madame la Maupin, anecdote of, 82. - - Musical battle, description of one, 99. - - Music, medicinal effects of, 104. - - Musical Prodigy, 108. - - —— Phenomenon, 113. - - March, Madame de la, wonderful effect of music on, 145. - - Marville, musical anecdote, related by, 167. - - - O. - - Ox Minuet, celebrated one, by Haydn, origin of 97. - - Ode to Music, by Dr. Wharton, 107. - - Orleans, Archbishop of, restored from prison by music, 141. - - - P. - - Philip V. King of Spain, cured by music, 25. - - Pigeon, musical, one described, by Mrs. Piozzy, 27. - - Piano and the Dying Man, anecdote of, 36. - - Purcell, Henry, Esq. ditto, 90. - - - Q. - - Queen Mary and Mr. Purcell, anecdote of, 160. - - - R. - - Randles, Miss, musical prodigy, 108. - - Rans des Vaches, remarkable Swiss air, 144. - - Rhodian Musician’s reply to Apollonius, 146. - - - S. - - Spiders affected by music, 19. - - Sweden, Queen of, and Italian Musicians, 94. - - Swiss Air, remarkable one, 144. - - Snakes, extraordinary effects of music on, 147. - - ——, dancing ones, account of, 150. - - Stradella, anecdote of, 20. - - - T. - - Timotheus the Ancient, anecdote of, 22. - - —— —— Modern, ditto, 21. - - Thirty thousand persons saved by the power of music, 23. - - Tartini, the celebrated Italian musician, anecdote of, 56. - - Tyrtœus the Spartan poet, anecdote of, 138. - - Theodosius, the Emperor, soothed by music, 139. - - Temple Organ, curious contest about, 152. - - - V. - - Voice, recovered by music, 8. - - Venice Boatmen’s recitation, 169. - - - W. - - Woman prevented from starving, by music, 143. - - - Z. - - Zamperini, Madame, anecdote of, 17. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE POWER OF MUSIC *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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