198 Dr. Charles J. Hall on 



mere slavish imitator, and in the vocal numbers he shows 

 great power and versatility, and the liberty (in those 

 days) of interpolating in a song a few bars with a time 

 signature differing from that in which the song is com- 

 menced, is one of which Arne readily avails himself No 

 more charming pastoral music is to be found anywhere than 

 iu " Comus." One song at least, " Sweet echo, sweetest 

 nymph," will probably be known to some of you. It has been 

 said that Arne was not a sound contrapuntist. Is it because 

 he has allowed a few consecutive fifths and sevenths to creep 

 into his scores (vide, for instance, the song, " By the gaily 

 circling glass," in " Comus ")? If so, why even Handel him- 

 self is no sound contrapuntist. Why should a license be 

 permitted to him and not to Arne? In his instrumenta- 

 tion of " Comus," Arne uses flutes (the flauto traverso), 

 oboes, bassoon, trumpets and the string quintet. 



About this time he married Miss Cecilia Young, a well- 

 known actress, and the soprano songs in "Comus" are " sung 

 by Mrs. Arne" Yet in the next work of his I propose 

 to notice, " Alfred," Miss Young's name appears. Prob- 

 ably this was Miss Isabella Young, who afterwards sang 

 in Arne's '■ Eliza." " Alfred " is a masque much on the 

 same lines as "Comus," except that there is no opening slow 

 movement in the overture, and the fugal movement is 

 developed to much greater length than in "Comus." In the 

 orchestration, flutes are dispensed with, but horns, kettle- 

 drums, and a side drum are added. " Alfred " concludes 

 with an air which has become a national anthem, " Rule 

 Britannia." Could anything be more thoroughly original 

 and permeated with English spirit than this inspiriting tune? 

 After " Alfred," Arne turned his attention to Shakespeare, 

 composing incidental music for " As you like it," and 

 " Twelfth Night," and then " The Tempest," wherein, of 

 course, occurs his still popular setting of " Where the bee 

 sucks." In 1759, the degree of doctor of music was conferred. 



