THOUGHTS ON THE SUBLIME IN MUSIC. 243 



should be almost the sole end of sacred music. No one, we think, 

 acquainted with the compositions produced during this period, will 

 deny our position with regard to their general tendency : some 

 great minds, we admit, there were, who endeavoured, and for a 

 time did stop this downward march ; but that march, nevertheless, 

 did continue, and may with propriety be compared to a mountain 

 stream, at times interrupted by rocks and other impediments, but 

 only flowing the faster to its destination after it has overleaped 

 those impediments. 



Mr. Gauntlett divides the ecclesiastical composers of the present 

 day into five classes : — 



" 1st. The school adopted by Wesley, which has been carried out 

 on the same principles that led to the changes effected by Gibbons, 

 Purcell, Boyce, and Battishill. 



u 2nd. The school adopted by Attwood and Novello, which, al- 

 though they differ in degree, we do not deem the difference so im- 

 portant as to call for a distinct arrangement. These composers, 

 like Wesley, recognise the principles laid down and practised by the 

 great names just referred to, but apply them in a more dramatic 

 manner. In each of these schools intense feeling takes the prece- 

 dence of school-boy imitation." — We suppose from this that the 

 "great names above referred to" made te school-boy imitation" their 

 chief aim ! 



" 3rd. The school (yet in its infancy) founded on a union of 

 Purcell, Bach, and Beethoven, of which the Exeter Wesley may be 

 said to be the inventor." — So that this school unites the merits of 

 these three great masters ! Surely Mr. G. was not awake when he 

 penned this sentence. 



" 4th. The school adopted by those glee writers, who are not 

 addicted to the schism propogated by the Oxford Professor, and 

 which includes the names of Robert Cooke, Shield, Evans, Walmis- 

 ley, Jolly, and others. 



" 5th. The c true sublime,' of which Messrs. Crotch and Horsley 

 are pre-eminently the corner stones." 



Let us ask Mr. G. which of the schools (if schools they must be) 

 has produced, or is capable of producing, such another work as Dr. 

 Crotch's Palestine, except the one of which he is pre-eminently the 

 corner stone ? The answer is inevitable ; none. Again, whose 

 name, amongst those above mentioned, stands highest as a composer ? 

 If Mr. G. is unwilling to answer this question, we will answer it 

 for him, and instance the Oratorio of Palestine, as Dr. Crotch's 



