THE MUSICIAN ABOUT TOWN. 135 



playing his talent ; and the programme of each evening has been as 

 judiciously selected as we believe the circumstances would admit. 

 Where large resources are afforded, and no advantage is taken of 

 them, we should be the foremost to stigmatize the neglect ; where 

 these are cramped, and unlooked-for obstacles supervene, it is fool- 

 ish as well as unjust to vituperate : but injustice and folly commonly 

 go hand in hand. 



At the second of these concerts the novelties of the evening were, 

 a concerto pastorale" by Mr. Moscheles ; and the first appearance 

 in this country of Herr David, of Leipsic, a distinguished violinist. 

 The composition of Mr. Moscheles was pronounced by some of his 

 hearers to be clever, although eccentric, with too strong a leaning 

 to the conceited " Romantique school" of the French. Clever it 

 undoubtedly is, for it contains striking effects, thoughtful writing, 

 and masterly orchestral combination. If it be " eccentric," it is not 

 necessarily " Romantique," seeing that it is not destitute of ration- 

 ality or design. In their imaginative literature as well as in their 

 music " young France" is meretriciously mad ; no vagary is re- 

 jected that will induce observation — no principle worthless which 

 makes its followers conspicuous. May the day be still remote that 

 the countrymen of John Milton " shall need the Monsieurs of 

 Paris to take our hopeful youth into their slight and prodigal cus- 

 todies, and send them over back again transformed into mimics, 

 apes, and kickshows."* 



Herr David is a pupil of Spohr, and brother to Mad. Dulcken. 

 His tone is strong, firm, and pure ; his cantabile eloquent, his in- 

 tonation exact, and his bowing grand and masterly. To all which 

 excellent qualities may be added that he is a faultless timist. 

 What with his manual accomplishment, and the composition he 

 played, both of which stamp him a worthy disciple of so eminent a 

 master, Herr David will leave behind him an honourable reputation 

 when he quits our shores. 



The fourth concert introduced to us a M.S. overture by Stern- 

 dale Bennett (" The Wood Nymphs"), an early composition, and 

 indicating the future great musician : for although, with the prodi- 

 gality incident to youth, the subject was too much attenuated, and 

 the intention not sufficiently marked, yet the orchestral treatment 

 and effects were masterly. IVIr. Bennett, we understand, was not 

 eighteen when he wrote this overture. 



• Tractate on Education. 



