A I 11 



cliarnis, illiifion, and«tatic plcafuie, ariunt; to earsdifpofed 

 to hi [ilcaKd by vocal c ichaiilmtiU, is icaloiied away. It 

 would be moie tor the advaniage of n:al lovers of mufic, if 

 thev woiild ivafon lef} and lillcn more, at mulical perform- 

 ances. Mufic is au objcd of frnjl, not of intelled. Docs 

 tlie coinpofition pleafe'by its in;;euuity, grace, and variety ? 

 Does the voice or tone of the inilrumcnt by which it is 

 executed, delight and charm you, by its intriniic fweetnefs 

 and accurate execution ? — You then may venture to pro- 

 nounce to yourftrlf, that the con.pofition and performance are 

 perfert, without alking fupercilious, and often fuperhcial 

 critics, what you are to fay. 



In fpite ot our reverence for poetry, and partiality to 

 tlie dramas of Mctalhifio, we are ineiincd to think that 

 airs, on the bell models of Italy, may be introduced in a 

 mufical drama, without injuring the poet or the intereft of 

 the piece. No one is more delighted with the poetry of 

 Milton, Drydeii, or Pope, than the author of this article, 

 when he raiJi, or hears it rfati ; but he never willies it to 

 be fling. Lyric poetry is a diltintl fpecies of verfe, and 

 varied verfilicafion, which is to delight by other means than 

 nilioeination, logic, or philofophy. As painting is a reime- 

 nicnt of the ocular fcnfe, mulic purifies and augment tlie 

 power of the auricular organ. We can exiib v.ithout either 

 painting or mufic ; both are innocent luxuries : in the one, 

 we have objects in nature to copy and judge by ; but in 

 niuiic, wholly a work of art and imagination, of which we 

 have no type in nature ; eveiy an-angemcnt and combination 

 of founds that is grateful, graceful, and plcafing, which 

 has not been rendered uncoutli by time, or vulgar by com- 

 mon ufe, is in the llorehoufe of a compofer ; whofe bufinefs 

 it is to feleC\, adjuil, and introduce it to the ear, as pro- 

 priety and occafion may require. 



To give a I'pecimen of every fpecies of air, vocal and in- 

 ftrumcntal, which cultivaccd genius has produced, would 

 occupy many volumes of our work. All we can do is to 

 give the iionnnclalure of thofe movements that are, and 

 have been. In mo'l general ufe, with their definitions : fuch 

 as prelude, aHemaii'l, cuiiranf, minuet, jig, farabniitl, ficU'iann, 

 p-jlotiefe, ronJenri, /jorr/'tpc, country Jniice ; and in Italy, har- 

 cnrolla, aria alia napolitana, alia cnlahreft, vcnczlana. Sec. Sec. 

 all which fee under their fever.d heads. 



Recitatives and airs for a fingle voice, fucceeded madri- 

 gals of three, four, and more voices ; as fonatas and con- 

 certos did Fantafias for iiillrumtnts. (See thcfe terms in 

 their feveral places.) 



In dramatic mufic, there are three feveral kinds of a'lr : 

 yli'ta ill canif.tUe, a pathetic fong ; aria Hi bravura, a fong of 

 e.^ocutiou ; and aria parlanfe, a fpeaking air ; befides the 

 anJaiite, rondeau, cavaiiaa, &c. Thele and the feveral 

 movements in the dances of an opera, are varied to infinity. 

 But the fcale, as it is now divided and extended, offers 

 ample materials for them all. If we but confider that the 

 number of changes in eight bells, where there is no modu- 

 lation or change of key, amounts to 40,320; that the 

 twelve femi-tones of the oclave, every tfne of which made 

 a key-note, major and minor, generates as many tranfi- 

 tions as the key of C ; that the melodies found in thefe 1 2 

 fealcs may be itill varied by the different lengths of notes, 

 and may be trul)' faid to be incalculable ; and lailly, if we 

 recollect what v-ariety may be given to an air or melody 

 ariling wari-antably from the fundamental bafe of each key, 

 by dilierent accompaniments, inverfions, and double coun- 

 terpoint, we fliall be loll in tl--j maze of infinite divifibihty ! 

 The changes upon 12 bells, (fuppofe from G in alt, 5th 

 fpace in the treble, to C 6th line in the bafe) amounting to 

 479001600; would employ, to ring them all, 12 men, 



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night and day, for 75 years, ten months, onp week, and 

 three days, according to tlic proportion of tinging 720 

 changes in an hour of an aUron<imical day of 24 hours, 365 

 of which complete the year! See Bells, Carillons, arid 

 Changes. 



Since da capos have been abandoned in the opera ahrs, 

 which occafioned many dramatic abfurdities, the cavadna, 

 or fingle ilrain, without a fecond part, prevailed ; but that 

 not furniflilng an opportunity for fingers of great abilities 

 to manifcft all their powers of execution, taile, and expref*. 

 fion, in the fame air ; of late, every air for a great finger 

 is a due caratteri, of two charafters, confiiling of two dif- 

 tindl movements, ufually an andants and an allegro di ira- 

 •viira. It is often difficult fiom the fenle of the words, to 

 alfign any other reafon for thefe fudden gulls of paffion, 

 after a foothing and pathetic movement, but that of con- 

 vincing tlic audience of a finger's maiTcllous agihty of throat, 

 and powers of exciting furprife by des tours de force. If 

 fuch airs were compofed purpofely for a concert, at which 

 a performer, from the multiplicity ot his or her engage- 

 mer.ts, could only Hay to fing one long, and that connetted 

 with nothing elfe, airs of two charaiiters might encreafe the 

 finger's fame, and the pleafure of the audience, without 

 abfurdity ; but in a ferious drama, where charafter, con- 

 nexion, and propriety fhould be fupported, after labouring 

 through a fiow movement in a melancholy drag, as every 

 finger does, if not gitted with powers of new and appropri- 

 ate embellifhments, the fetting off full fpeed without a ■ 

 word appearing in the libretto,- or opera book, for the necef- 

 fity of taking flight in fuch an outrageous manner, we pity 

 the poet and ourlelves for being thus defrauded of all dra- 

 matic intereft. In the courfe even of tiuo afts, to which 

 an opera is now cut down, opportunities fo- difpl.tying all 

 the powers of a finger, however extraordinary and various, 

 may be found in every principal part, without violating t'lie 

 dignity of character, and rules ot common fenfe. bee Me- 

 lody, Song, Tune, and Opera. 



Air, in Mythology, was adored by the heathens under 

 the names of Jupiter and Juno ; the former rcprefenling the 

 fuperior and finer parts of the atmofphere, and the latter the 

 inferior and groffer parts. The augurs alfo drew prefages 

 from the clouds, thunder, lightning, &c. 



Air, in Painting, &c. denotes the manner and vei"y life 

 of aftion ; or it is that which defcribes fuch of thofe re- 

 fined expreffions, tliat do not arife from the motion of the 

 features of the face, which are to be confidered as the more 

 immediate agents exprefiing the paffions of the ioul (fee 

 passions) ; but from the turn of the body, and cfpecially of 

 the head and neck. This term air is more particularly 

 fynonymous with gesture, or graceful action or at- 

 titude. Painters are in danger of falling into aifettation, 

 while they attempt to give an air of elegance above vulgar 

 ideas. Corregio and Guido have excelled in the airs of the 

 heads, as well as of the whole figures they painted ; but» 

 perhaps, in iome inllances, even they may have exceeded the 

 due bounds of nature. 



Air, in Painting, is alfo a great fubject of confideration, 

 as the interpofing medium which tends to dlminilh the force 

 or ftrength of objeds and colours. See the article Per- 



.SPECTIVE aerial. 



Air, in Surgery. The application of gafeous matters 

 to the purpoles of furgery, has not been lufficieiitly at- 

 tended to. There is reafon to believe that feveral aeriform 

 fubftances might be employed locally, as well as internally, 

 to confiderable advantage ; but it woulJ exceed the bounds 

 we have prcferibed to this department of our work, were 

 we to adduce all the futls that might be brought forward to 



ill uil rate 



