582 



Mo7ii}ily Reviev) of Literature. 



[May. 



attain the cleee in wliicli he may stand with 

 honour, must select some fine dramatic 

 subject, and weave its texture, wliich he 

 will find more ditficult tlian he now per- 

 haps thinks ; his descriptions, too, must be 

 more lofty, and more firmly outlined, more 

 correctly classed, and more distinctly co- 



loured; and we think that he must have 

 a new dramatis pcrsoiizc. As it is he has 

 pnxluced an interesting work, vividly writ- 

 ten, and, with the exception quoted, likely 

 to produce more beneficial results than 

 most works of this class. 



NEW MUSIC. 



" Songs to Rosa." The Poetry by Thos. 

 H. Binjky, Esq , with Symphonies and Ac- 

 companiments hy T. A. Bawlings. 2s. 

 Gouldinf] and D'Almaine.—Oi the airs in 

 this very elegant little volume, some are 

 original, and one or two national. The 

 selections jiresent no instance of very strik- 

 ing melody or novel effect, but an air of 

 simplicity combined with elegance generally 

 pervades them, and when set off by the 

 beautiful ritornels and accompaniments of 

 Mr. Rawlings, wlio is, in our opinion, one 

 of the most happy in this peculiar line, they 

 cannot fail of producing a toiu ensemble 

 highly delightful. No. 1. " When first we 

 met" is partly from a song of Bishop's, and 

 partly from an Indian melody— we are 

 indebted to our countrj'man for the best 

 part of the melange, but it is by no means 

 one of the haiipiest efforts in the volume- — 

 No. 2. " Jsle of Beauty" if we rightly 

 understand the editor, is the composition of 

 an amateur, C. S. Whitmore, Esq. ; it is a 

 truly elegant strain, and well adapted to 

 the expression of the poesy. " Yes, we 

 are met," air from Nina, is s-imiiie, but is 

 not the most favorable s))ecinieii that opera 

 could have afforded. To the 4-th, " O 

 come to me," an original by the author of 

 the poetic department, we are inclined to 

 assign the first place in the collection ; it is 

 highly graceful and energetic. " \Vhen the 

 Bee from the Roses,'' Spanish air, is plain- 

 tive and peculiar, and pleases us mightily. 

 " Oh what a pity," from the French, is 

 pretty, but scarcely possesses ojie original 

 point about it. Mr. R. does not appear to 

 liave exercised his accustomed judgment in 

 harmonizing this amongst other airs; it 

 seems to us ])eculiarly ill adapted for such a 

 vocal arrangement. The 7th air, '' Lilla's 

 a Lady," is certainly the most original pro- 

 duction in the collection, but we otherwise 

 scarcely know wliat degree of merit to 

 assign it. At a first \'iew (and such we 

 confess our's to be) it is more peculiar than 

 beautiful, yet there is something about it 

 that promises very favou-ablyon a more 

 mature acquaintance- The 8th professes 

 to be an Indian air ; it may be an exquisite 

 morsel when accompanied by the cowhorns 

 and split gourds of the ^Mandingoes — but 

 not even BIr. Bayley's verses, or Rawlings' 

 harmonies, can render it palatable to our 

 taste. " The Evergreen Leaf," by Mr. 

 Rawlings, is a leaf plucked from his own 

 bays ; perhaps we are too severe in our 



opinion, but most certainly, if it does not 

 detract from, it will not add a single sprig 

 to his coronal. 



" Go, Hdsa, go," oripinal air,h}i J.Maz- 

 zinghi. — The first two bars of this original 

 are, note for note, the second part of the 

 Scot's air " Cauld Kail ;" the second like- 

 wise, note for note, ft-om an old ballad by 

 the same author, and so we suspect might 

 we proceed, bar by bar, if we chose to take 

 the trouble ; the song is, notwitlistanding, 

 pleasing, and if Mr. M. would confess to its 

 being a manufacture a la mchgrcphe we 

 might even admire it ; but as to originality 

 —proh pudor I 



" ■ Til a very merry Thing," a Trio for 

 tivo Sopranos and Bass, written and com- 

 poaed by J. A. Wade, Esq. 2.<r. Willis 

 and Co. — Mr. Wade is certainly now our 

 best amateiu- composer, not even exccjiting 

 Moore, though that gentleman's taste in 

 adaptation is ex((uisite. Mr. W. however 

 is not content with arrangements, he attacks 

 original songs, duets, trios, and had even 

 made a desperate hit at an oratorio, which 

 if not quite of llandelian .'^chool, is veiy 

 superior to many of the intercessions, and 

 that class of things which have really cast 

 a stigma on the ])ublic taste. The trio 

 before us is light and j)leasing, simple in its 

 construction, with a slight tinge of the 

 ancient style of harmony; it is perfectly 

 within the cajiabilities of every female 

 vocalist, and will form a very agreeable 

 addition to the stock of easy concerted 

 pieces. 



" Tell me no more that Hearts less warwi," 

 Ballad, composed and sung by J.Braham. 

 2s. Willis and Co. — A very elegant, 

 swimming, and pathetic melody. Perfectly 

 free from all overstrained efl"ects or theatri- 

 cal flourishes, we agree with the composer 

 in considering it one of the most favorable 

 efforts of his muse. There is a calm repose 

 about both the air and accompaniments, 

 which is quite a relief after the fashionable 

 din of trombones and French-horns of our 

 favourite composer of the day. The eft'ect 

 of a chord of A minor, at the words " ruffled 

 in hours," is particularly striking, when we 

 consider the simplicity of the medium 

 through which it is i)roduced. D fiat 

 ought to be substituted for C sharp in the 

 chromatic descent at " tranquil sea." The 

 last two bars of the concluding symphony 

 are ineflfective and aw kward : a very trifling 

 alteration would materially improve them. 



