1815.) Smithson Tennant, Esq. of 
of inspiring these emotions. What he particularly admired in 
musical compositions was that tone of energy, simplicity, and deep 
feeling, of which the works of Handel and Pergolesi afford the 
finest specimens.* In painting he awarded the superiority to those 
distinguished masters, of whom Raphael is the chief, who excel in 
the poetical expression of character, and in the power of represent= 
ing with spirit, grace, and dignity, the most exalted sentiments 
and affections. . 
It was almost a necessary consequence of his intense and deep 
feeling of these higher beauties, that his taste was somewhat severe, 
and that his ideas of excellence, both in literature and the fine arts, 
were confined within strict limits. He totally disregarded medio- 
crity, and gave no praise to those inferior degrees of merit, from 
which he received no gratification. 
In consequence principally of the declining state of his health, 
his talents for conversation were perhays less uniformly conspicuous 
during his latter years. His spirits were less elastic, and he was more 
subject to absence or indifference in general society. But his mind 
had lost none of its vigour; and he never failed, when he exerted 
himself, to display his peculiar powers. His remarks were originals 
and his knowledge, assisted by a most retentive memory, afforded 
a perpetual supply of ingenious and well-applied illustrations. But 
the quality for which his conversation was most temarkable, and 
from which it derived one of its peculiar charms, was a singular 
cast of humour, which, as it was of a gentle, equable kind, and 
had nothing very pointed or prominent, is hardly capable of being’ 
exemplified or described. It seldom appeared in the direct shape 
of what may be called pure humour, but was so much blended 
either with wit, fancy, or his own peculiar character, as to be in 
many respects entirely original. It did not consist in epigrammatic 
points, or brilliant and lively sallies; but was rather displayed in 
fanciful trains of imagery, in natural, but ingenious and unex- 
pected, turns of thought and expression, and in amusing anec- 
dotes, slightly tinged with the ludicrous. ‘The effect of these was 
much heightened by a perfect gravity of countenance, a quiet- 
familiar manner, and a characteristic beauty and simplicity of lan- 
uage. This unassuming tone of easy pleasantry gave a very pecu- 
jar and characteristic colouring to the whole of his conversation, 
It mingled itself with his casual remarks, and even with his graver 
discussions. It had little reference to the ordinary topics of the 
day, and was wholly untinctured by personality or sarcasm. 
i should be mentioned, among the peculiarities of Mr. Ten- 
nant’s literary taste, that in common perhaps with most other 
* In Mr, Tennant’s conversations on this subject, he often alluded to a remark 
able passage in Rousseau’s Musical Dictionary (the article “ Géuie”) in which that 
lebrated writer describes with his own peculiar eloquence the feelings produced 
b gt musical compositions, considering the capacity of receiving such emotions 
as the true criterion of musical genius, Mr. T. wa also accustomed togpeak of 
Avison’s Treatise on Musical Expression in terms of bigh praise. 
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