1823.} 
raliurn of ihe passages dges notfully 
accord with the genius of the Caledo- 
nian music. The seventh and fourth of 
the key (notes, the omission of which 
constitutes the predominant characteris- 
tic of the Scotch melody,) are, indeed, 
in this production, of such frequent 
occurrence, as to exclude the idea of its 
having either originated north of the 
Tweed, or been intended as an imitation 
of the highland or lowland melodies. 
Attempts similar to fhis have been 
so frequently made, and so often with 
fittle success, that we wonder com- 
posers of but moderate pretensions 
should feel encouraged to repeat them. 
Than the old genuine Scotch airs, none 
are sweeter and more affecting ; than the 
unfortunate imitation of their beauties, 
nothing more ingratiating. 
“ Sweet is the Murmur of the Gale,” a 
Duett for Two Voices, with an Accompa- 
niment for the Piano-Forte. 18. 6d- 
Though there is little of the manage- _ 
ment of art, and certainly not much of 
the sweetness of nature, in this composi- 
tion, the general efiect is agrecable. 
Contemplating the melody, independ- 
ently of the junction of the under-part, 
or considering the latter without regard 
to the first, we cannot in candour say, 
that we are struck with any thing like 
prominent beauty, any more than we 
ean profess to be delighted with the ge- 
neral style of the combination: and yet 
we are willing to allow that the whole is 
productive of a somewhat gratifying 
effect ; and that, among similar composi- 
tions, there are a greater number with 
which we are less, than with which we 
are more, pleased. 
“ Good Night,’ a Song. The Music com- 
posed by Augustus Blake. 1s. 6d. 
“ Good Night” isa song characterized 
by the poetical style of its words, and 
the easy and pathetic flow of its me- 
jody. Some of the ideas are both ori- 
ginal and affecting; and the goneral 
result of the composer’s efforts is what it 
should be, and what he evidently in- 
tended. Besides being impressive in 
themselves, the passages have ajust and 
natufal bearing upon each other, and 
announce an address in connecting the 
thoughts, which in ballad-composition is 
no unimportant excellence. 
The Champion Waltz, or Rondo for the 
Piano-Forte ; composed by J. Monro. 2s. 
The Champion Waltz is a pleasant 
little movement, and, converted, as it 
here is, into a rondo, forms an agreeable 
ractice for the unfinished performer, 
nour opinion, this latter qualification 
New Music and the Drama. 
149 
should uniformly be the predominant 
object in the conposition of pieces of 
this short and familiar description, 
Scarcely.cyen affecting to gratify the 
already-cultivated ear, they should at 
least be calculated to improve the un- 
practised finger; and, with the class of 
executionists for whom they are in-. 
tended, be useful as well as attractive. 
Select French Romances fomthe Piano-Forte, 
by S. F. Rimbaull. 18. 6d. ‘ 
This is the sixth number of the perio- 
dical work, published under the title of 
French Romances, aud consists of Le 
Troubadour du Tage, with variations. 
The melody itself; if not remarkably 
novel, is easy and graceful, and Mr. 
Rimbault has expatiated upon it with 
success. His super-added matter is 
progressively busy, and makes those in- 
creased calls upon the activity of the 
hand, which cannot but promote its 
executory powers. 
THE DRAMA. 
Though it may with as much truth be 
said that foul indeed must be the wea- 
ther which keeps the public from the 
theatres, as that it must bea very ill 
wind that brings good to no-body ; and 
that the summer of tijs year, so far as it 
lias gone, has becn exactly that which tho 
managers of Vauxhall Gardens have had 
ample reason to lament, and those of 
the inclosed places of amusement no 
Iess cause to hail as auspicious; yet 
neither can we congratulate the town, 
nor praise the theatrical managers, on the 
variety of which the favourableness of 
the season has hitherto been productive. 
If at the Lyceum, the only conspicuous 
or striking novelty has been the re-ap- 
pearance of Mr. Matthews, and evenin 
him, nothiig eccentrically interesting 
except his O'Rourke in the Polly 
Packet, and his Monsieur Tonson ; so at 
the Haymarket nothing new has been 
produced since our last beyond the 
comic piece of Twelve Precisely. It 
certainly would be worth a summer- 
manager's Cousideration, that, in propor- 
tion as his season is transient, the less he 
can afford to perpetually repeat the 
same short list of pieces, with which the 
public is so well acquainted, and with 
the repetition of which it has Jong been 
satiated. Instead of being occupied 
with the worn-out articles of the Barber, 
of Seville, Bluc Devils, the Beggar's 
Opera, the Padloch, the Review, the 
Young Quaker, the Marriage of Figaro, 
Stimpson and Co, and others equally, 
hacknied; and, on the whole, so much 
better 
