12 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [anNO 1770. 



took the under part in this duet, was once or twice out, though the passages 

 were not more difficult than those in the upper one; on which occasion the son 

 looked back with some anger, pointing out to him his mistakes, and setting 

 him right. He not only however did complete justice to the duet, by singing 

 his own part in the truest taste, and with the greatest precision : he also threw 

 in the accompaniments of the two violins, wherever they were most necessary, 

 and produced the best effects. It is well known that none but the most capital 

 musicians are capable of accompanying in this superior style. 



When he had finished the duet, he expressed himself highly in its approba- 

 tion, asking with some eagerness whether Mr. B. had brought any more such 

 music. Having been informed, however, that he was often visited with musical 

 ideas, to which, even in the midst of the night, he would give utterance on his 

 harpsichord; Mr. B. told his father that he should be glad to hear some of his 

 extemporary compositions. The father shook his head at this, saying, that it 

 depended entirely on his being as it were musically inspired, but that Mr. B. 

 might ask him whether he was in humour for such a composition. Happening 

 to know that little Mozart was much taken notice of by Manzoli, the famous 

 singer, who came over to England in 1764, Mr. B. said to the boy, that he 

 should be glad to hear an extempore love-song, such as his friend Manzoli might 

 choose in an opera. The boy on this, who continued to sit at his harpsichord, 

 looked back with much archness, and immediately began 5 or 6 lines of a jargon 

 recitative proper to introduce a love song. He then played a symphony which 

 n)ight correspond with an air composed to the single word AfFetto. It had a ist 

 and 2d part, which, together with the symphonies, was of the length that opera 

 songs generally last: if this extemporary composition was not amazingly capital, 

 yet it was really above mediocrity, and showed most extraordinary readiness of 

 invention. 



Finding that he was in humour, and as it were inspired, Mr. B. then desired 

 him to compose a song of rage, such as might be proper for the opera stage. 

 The boy again looked back with much archness, and began 5 or 6 lines of a 

 jargon recitative proper to precede a song of anger. This lasted also about the 

 same time with the song of love; and in the middle of it, he had worked 

 himself up to such a pitch, that he beat his harpsichord like a person possessed, 

 rising sometimes in his chair. The word he pitched on for this second extem- 

 porary composition was, Perfido. 



After this he played a difficult lesson, which he had finished a day or two 

 before:* his execution was amazing, considering that his little fingers could 



* He published 6 sonatas for the harpsichord, with an accompaniment for the violin, or German 

 flute, sold by R. Bremner, in the Strand, and are inlitled, Oeuvre Troisieme. He is said in the 

 title page to have been only 8 years of age when he composed these sonatas. The dedication is to 



