58 KKMARKS ON MUSICAL PRECOCITY. 



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preferred the trumpet to every other instrument may almost be re- 

 garded as accidental. This was ascertained by the fact that when 

 he was crying no other music would pacify him — that a few notes 

 from the trumpet would have a magical efi'ect in stopping his un- 

 musical screaming; and by this means only his sorrow or anger was 

 changed to joyous mirth and unrestrained expressions of pleasure. 

 He would listen to this instrument not only with evident satisfac- 

 tion, but with some symptoms of abstraction. Yes, so great was his 

 love for the " war-stirring sounds" of the trumpet, that when tired, 

 cross, and nearly asleep, he would be immediately roused by its 

 shrill notes, and appear lively and excited. After many such expe- 

 riments, Mr. Phillips determined to cultivate his interesting child, 

 and encourage his particular predilection. For this purpose he 

 used to play for hours on the favourite instrument, and the young 

 pupil listened and smiled, and imitated as well as he could the notes 

 or the air. It was in this way that the child was educated for a 

 musician, and expended all the energy of his mind (the sensorial 

 power) on this one pursuit, which has rendered his organs of Me- 

 lody, Time, &c., active and vigorous. 



In the case of Master Shaw there is similar evidence of his 

 receiving a musical bias from his father, who not only had a decided 

 taste for music, but had cultivated it to such a degree as to be con- 

 sidered respectable in the art, and is now principal bass singer at 

 the High Church, Hull. His son had, therefore, a musical ten- 

 dency transmitted to him by his father ; and as the boy's taste for 

 music was early manifested, every opportunity was taken to culti- 

 vate it. I may further remark, that it does not appear to be a mere 

 matter of accident or caprice the choice which infantile professors 

 make as to the kind of instrument or the composition they show a 

 pi'cference for. Phillips's organization makes him delighted with 

 martial music, and Shaw's with sacred music ; the one evinced, even 

 as a baby, an extreme pleasure for the trumpet, and the other for 

 the organ. 



If the cases of Phillips and Shaw confirm my views, there is 

 still more coroborativt. proof in the personal history of IMaster Man- 

 ton. His father, I am told, is a musician, and had brought up ano- 

 ther son to be a public performer on the harp. But probably charm- 

 ed with the immense fortune which Paganini was receiving, he was 

 determined to make little William eminent on the violin. Be this 

 as it may, it is a matter of fact that little Manton, even from a 

 baby, was in love with " the harmony of sweet sounds ;" and all his 

 mental energy was directed to this one object, William Manton is 



