has not even the excuse of youth and ignorance to offer for that, for which the licentiousness and levity of youth would be scarcely a palliation. That he holds a station in the French Academy, has now become a disgrace to that learned body; but his admission would seem to argue some previous pretension to respectability; and from the long period during which he has been known in the world of French literature, he must also be far advanced in years. What then, in the vigour of life, must have been the condition of the mind and heart, which have left the taint of so deadly an infection upon old age? What spectacle can be more loathsome, than that of a wretched old man employing the brief remainder of his days, for the corruption of religion and morals, and spreading over his pages that impotent prurience, which is the last curse of a vitiated and a worn-out imagination?

ART. IX. Musical Reminiscences of an Old Amateur, chiefly respecting the Italian Opera in England, for Fifty Years, from 1773 to 1823. The Second Edition, continued to the present time, 8vo. London: Clarke. 1827.

ALL that Mr. Sheridan, in his "Monody on Mr. Garrick," has said of the evanescent nature of excellence in dramatic acting, is equally applicable to the excellence of a public singer. It expires with the instant of the exhibition; the memory of it decreases rapidly; and, however its general merits may be afterwards lauded, the peculiar character of it can only be faintly described. Still something may be said of it that may please, and mayeven be useful to subsequent artists and amateurs. In this point of view, the publication before us may be considered a valuable chronicle of some who lived to please, and who succeeded in their aim. It shews the writer's real knowledge of the subject; his taste and his judgment: we willingly believe him to have been an elegans spectator formarum; we are sure he has been an elegant hearer of sweet sound. We wish his reminiscences had been more numerous-we hope the number of them will be increased in every future edition. We also wish, that the noble amateur-to whom the work is attributed-had commenced his observations at an earlier period. We should have been glad to have been favoured with his sentiments on Vinci, Jomelli, and Hasse, the fathers of the modern opera-unsurpassed, we believe, by their sons. Of the music of Vinci, little is now heard in England, except his Vo Solcando in mar crudele, the poetry and music of which are equally sublime. More is known of Jomelli; his Berenice ove sei, is pre-eminently great; it is frequently sung. Of the music of Hasse, the English may generally be said to be entirely ignorant. For a long time none of it has been on sale in the London market; yet it is grand, pathetic, and elegant; and generally possesses the first of merits-

a learned simplicity. We doubt, whether the school of the modern opera has produced any composition equal to the best choruses, or best airs, of Hasse.

Here too, we wish our author had diverged a little to the chamber music of Scarlatti, Pergolesi, Durante, Stephani, and Clari. The Stabat Mater, and the Deus ad adjuvandum me festina, and one of the masses of Pergolesi, may be sometimes heard; but how few have listened to the cantatas of Scarlatti, or the duettoes formed from them, by Durante! If we desired to put the real taste of a soi-disant amateur to a trial, we should have the first of these duettoes performed in his hearing. If he did not feel its beauties with something like musical rapture, we should resign him to his fate: we should think it possible that he might, after great practice, be found capable of sustaining a part in a serious glee; but might confidently assure him, that this would be the utmost of his musical achievements*.

The duettoes and trios of Steffani and Clari, are more known; but have not the popularity which they deserve.

We also wish our author would favour us, in a future edition of his work, with his notions of the comparative merit of the operas of Handel, and those of Sacchini, and his most eminent successors. We venture to ask him, whether, from Handel's operas, a dozen airs, at least, might not be selected, to which no equal can be found in any opera, which Italy or Germany has produced? Such are his Verdi prati, his Alma di Gran Pompeio, and his Vo tacito et nascosta, an air for a single voice, forming with its accompaniments, five real parts, a composition, almost unknown in the music of the opera. Here too, we beg leave to mention, Handel's Thirteen Chamber Duettoes-none of these are surpassed in learning-few equalled in beauty. The profound skill in counterpoint which they exhibit, is wonderful: the more so, as the wonders are effected with so much ease, that the difficulties, which are surmounted by them, escape the observation of all but the most accomplished scholars. They are more recondite than any to be found in Durante; but they are so much animated and enobled by genius, as to justify the remark of a great artist, that "the difference between Durante and Handel, is that between a grammarian and a poet." It is by practising, and incessantly practising, under a severe and tasteful master, the compositions we have mentioned, and attending to the best singers in the opera -particularly to the recitatives-that skill, grace, and pathos, are

* In this duetto, there is one note of inappreciable value: we leave our young female friends to discover it. In Mr. Cramer's beautiful imitation of Avison, a passage in which there seems to be a superfluous phrase, is thrice repeated this too we leave to the discovery of our young female friends: the passage is a happy imitation of a peculiarity in the style of Avison.

to be acquired. A master is necessary to perfect a singer; but hearing the best music is equally necessary. Hearing this, without regular instruction, is little better than a musical phantasmagoria; instruction, without hearing the best music, is little better than a diagram.

But, before either the opera is frequented, or the master engaged, it should be ascertained that the proposed scholar really posseses an ear for music. This, although at the present time it is more frequent than it was formerly, is by no means so common as is usually supposed. How often have we heard professors declare, that a large boarding-school seldom contains one scholar, whom nature has qualified for the acquisition of musical excellence? When she is not thus gifted, what years of miserable ennui are prepared for her, when she begins her musical studies! After teasing herself, and wearying her hearers for years, the pursuit is abandoned; her musical collections are thrown aside, and the piano is locked up, to be preserved as a family rod, for the next generation." But," says the parent, Iwe d'ont wish our child to excel we only wish her to know as much as will amuse herself." Even for this, we rejoin, years of drudgery are necessary and most often, they are unavailing even for this object.

So much for music, considered as an employment for persons in high life; but what we have said applies also to persons in humble condition. "The days of comfortable travelling are over," the late Mr. Bridges Brudenell used to say, and to groan, when he said it: "formerly, when I travelled from Northampton to London, I found at every inn I stopped at, a fine rosy girl, who presented herself at my chaise; unlocked the door, shewed me into a warm room, dusted the hearth, and was sure to dress me a good mutton-chop, a good beef-steak, good scotchedcollups, or excellent hashed mutton. Now, no rosy girl appears; the ostler must be bawled for, the room is cold, the hearth dusty, and I can get no chop, collup, steak, or hash: all the while I am plagued with the endless tinkling of Miss's forte piano. The justices should interfere: we should come to a resolution, not to license a public-house or an inn, where the daughter learns music."

The first edition of the work before us, consisted of seven sections: these are retained in the present; and a supplementary section is added to them. The whole extends to half a century. Our author divides his book into what he terms his dark, and his clear recollections: the former are those, which, on account of their distance, are only faintly present to his mind; the latter are those, of which he has a distinct remembrance.

SECTION I. 1773-1778. The noble author begins his musical reminiscences, with the mention of Millico. His canzonets for a single voice, with the accompaniment of the harp, have not

been excelled. His lordship then mentions the singularly beautiful and peculiar tone of Savoi; it had a mellowness, seldom found in such voices: it put us in mind of a voice very common in Germany and the Netherlands, but never heard in Italy or England, a full and mellow counter-tenor, a voce di petto, entirely proceeding from the breast. He mentions Signora Galli, as the companion of Miss Ray, and notices the murder of this lady by Hackman. Our author's account of this outrage is not perfectly accurate. The nobleman, with whom Miss Ray was connected, was always jealous of Hackman. To put an end to his dreaded attachment to her, he prevailed on Signora Galli to persuade Hackman, that Miss Ray was perfectly indifferent both to him and his lordship, having conceived a violent passion for a young gentleman, recently introduced to his lordship's festivities. This irritated Hackman to madness. Having heard that Miss Ray had engaged a box at Drary-lane, he armed himself with two pistols, and watched her return, with an intention of shooting himself at her feet, and of resorting to the second pistol if the first should fail. In proceeding from the theatre to her carriage, Miss Ray was handed into it by the late Mr. John Macnamara, a shewy, dressy young gentleman, affecting gallantry: he had not the least acquaintance with Miss Ray. Hackman, supposed him to be the young gentleman alluded to by Galli, and, in a moment of frenzied indignation, hurried towards her, and fired the fatal pistol. There was not the slightest truth in Galli's tale.

Lord Sandwich, the protector of Miss Ray, lived in music: he was the soul of the catch-club; one of the presidents of the commemoration of Handel; a director of the Ancient Music; had oratorios performed at his country seat; and frequent musical parties in London. He revived the Handellian school. We wish it success: but it is not doing justice either to Handel, or to the Art, to allow his work too great a proportion of the bill of fare.

SECTION II. 1778-1783. A great part of this section is dedicated to the praise of Pacchierotti. We agree with our author, that, in vocal excellence, Pacchierotti is yet unrivalled: none but those who heard him, can form any idea of his soul-entrancing strains. Of their supreme excellence, there is, we believe, but one opinion.

We think our author does not justice to the Buona Figliuola, or to Sestini, its great support. Has the Alla Larga been excelled? We think the music was delightful, and that all the deficiences of the actress were redeemed by the archness of her looks, the varied vivacity of her action, and the natural simplicity of her manner. He gives due praise to the Frascettana of Paesiello: he informs us, that such was its estimation in Italy, that it was always brought forward, on the failure of any new opera, as sure to appease a dissatisfied audience. Beyond this, encomium of an opera cannot go.

SECTION III. 1783-1785. Our author was, during the whole of this period, on the continent: we are surprised that he makes no mention of the Matrimonio Segretto of Cimarosa, a comic opera, very seldom equalled, and never excelled. He mentions the sublime and elegant operas of Alceste and Ifigenia of Signor Gluck; we wish he had written in these terms, of the Orfeo of the same master; and the Chiari Fonti of Bach, which was introduced into it, when it was performed in England; and is confessedly the best song composed by Bach. Among the singers whom our author cursorily mentions, he notices Mademoiselle Huberti-afterwards the wife of the Count d'Antraigues-and the shocking end of both; they were killed by an Italian footman, who instantaneously shot himself. It is strange, bút to our knowledge, it is perfectly true, that the Count had always a presentiment of his fate.

Our author assures his readers, that nothing can be more affecting or sublime, than the Miserere, performed during Holy Week, at Rome, in the Sistine chapel, in the presence of the Pope! From authentic copies, it has been performed at Vienna, and in other parts of the continent, and once, with great exertions for its success, in London, for the benefit of Signor Ansani. But it never has produced the effect uniformly attending it in the Sistine chapel. We have been informed, by a performer of it in that chapel, that there is no forte or piano in the intonation of the voices of the performers, that they sing always in the same level tone, and that they effect the forte and piano, and the crescendo and diminuendo, by advancing and retreating to and from marks upon the floor. This has greatly the air of a fable; but we believe, that in a certain extent, it may be true. Our author's account of the Commemoration of Handel is very accurate. His remark, that in the tuning of the instruments, dissonance was little perceivable, is correct: it might have been added, that among the trumpets, (twelve in number), no discord was heard.

SECTION IV. 1786-1792. We are surprised that our author makes no mention of the concerts, given during many successive years, about this time, by Bach and Abel. All the instrumental performers were of the highest degree of excellence: the vocal were of the second order. The compositions performed were never lower than the second, and often in the first, line of merit. Here, Abel performed on his viol da gamba, a trifling instrument in other hands; but in Abel's, it was a wonder: never did an instrument produce more elegant, or more plaintive strains. To enjoy its sounds in perfection, it was necessary to be at no great distance from the performer, to abstract the mind from every thing else, and give up the soul entirely to the magician. All the music fancied by Milton, at the end of his Penseroso, then surrounded the hearer. We wish our author had favoured us with a comparison of the music composed by Bach and his school, with that of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Is it quite clear, that Bach