Fiiie Arts. 423 



And if it be less simple, less easy of acquisition, 

 and, in some instances, less harmonious than that 

 of their immediate predecessors, it contains, at the 

 same time, a greater predominance of air and 

 vielodij, and is better calculated to make impres- 

 sions new, surprising and diversified. 



It was about the beginning of the century un-* 

 der consideration, that Italian music first became 

 fashionable in England. The first Op^r^, upon 

 the Italian plan, was performed in that country in 

 1705. Compositions derived from the same source, 

 have since become more popular and general. 

 How much this kind of musical drama, invented 

 by PoLiTiAN, is indebted to Metastasio for its 

 improvement, is generally known. 



The sacred musical drama, or Oratorio, was in- 

 vented in Italy in the beginning of the fourteenth 

 century; but was never publicly exhibited in Great- 

 Britain until introduced by George Frederick 

 Handel, in 1732. This wonderful genius had 

 come from Germany to England about twenty 

 years before, and by his zeal, and the incompa* 

 table excellence of his compositions, formed a 

 grand era in the history of music. Perhaps no in- 

 dividual musician of the age has been more fre-* 

 quently the subject of eulogy, or filled a larger 

 space in the public estimation than this illustrious 

 German. His Oratorios, including the ChorusseSy 

 which he brought into use, were exhibitions of the 

 very first order."" 



It would be improper to omit taking notice in 

 this place of a new musical instrument, which the 

 century we are considering produced, denomi* 

 nated by Dr. Franklin the Harmonica. This is 

 an instrument formed of glass, on which, by rubbing 

 the finger according to certain rules, the most de^ 



♦ BuRNEY*s History of MusU^ vol. !▼. 



