107 



of that divine art. Modern music was rendered a science, 

 reduced to principles, and has thence been furnished with 

 its scale, its counterpoint,* its best melodies, its religious 

 and secular dramas, and with the chief part of its grace 

 and elegance. " Italy, in modern times, (says Burney,-f ) has 

 " been to the rest of Europe, what Greece was to Rome. 

 " Its inhabitants have helped to civilize and polish their 

 •' conquerors, and to enlighten the minds of those, whose 

 " superior prowess had frequently enslaved them," When 

 classical learning had begun to ilourish in England, Eras- 

 mus visited that country; and Linacer, Sir John Cheke, 

 and others, applied themselves with ardour to grammatical 

 studies. Sir Thomas More wrote epigrams, and other poems, 

 which have considerable merit; and was distinguished, as 

 much for learning and elegance, as for integrity. Cardi- 

 nal Wolsey, the powerful favourite of Hei.ry VIII., while 

 he had the confidence of his master, and f dl command 

 over the treasure of the country, was a munificent and 

 splendid patron of learning and the arts, of which he was 

 an excellent judge. Erasmus graduated at Cambridge, 

 and was professor of Greek at Oxford, in which station he 

 was succeeded by Dr. Crook, The adagies of Erasmus are 

 dedicated to Lord Montjoy; the king himself .| distinguish- 



o 2 ed 



* Counterpoint is generally supposed to have been invented by Guido, a 

 monk of Arezzo, about the j-eat 1022. 

 t Hist, of Music, pref. 

 t Henry VIII. 



