BAT 



in three years, fellow. The regularity of his condiKjl dur- 

 ing his fcholarfhip, recommended him fo much to provoft 

 Sumner, that he was appointed tutor to the college foon 

 after his admifllon as fellow. Wi-ile he was in this iituation, 

 among his private pupils he had not only Undents of his own 

 college, but the preient lord Bolton, and Mr. Coxe the tra- 

 veller, both then fcholars of King's, were his private pupils ; 

 as was the Hon. William Aug'.iftus Montagu of Trinity 

 college, fecond fon of the earl of Sandwich. This pro- 

 duced a connexion with that nobleman, which ended in 

 his lordlhip's tempting him to rtfign his icllowfliip, and re- 

 fide with him at the admiralty in the capacity of private fe- 

 cretary. 



Few dilettanti muficians have ever acquired or deferved 

 more fame for their knowl dge in mufic, judgment, and ex- 

 perience in its eflefts, and abilities in condufting a ccmplete 

 orcheftra a::d numerous band of fingers, than Mr. Bates, 

 who, at the univerfity of Cambridge, diftinguilhed himfflf 

 as a fine perfomier on the harpfichord, as wtll as a zealous 

 votary of the works of Handel ; and as long as lie remained 

 at college, he performed the part of a Coryphsus at all 

 public and private concerts. It may perliaps not be thought 

 unworthy of notice here, that at this tirt^c (about the mid- 

 dle of the lall century), the univerfity of Cambridge was in 

 pofTcfTion of four very extraordinary dilettanti muficians : 

 Dr. Smith, marter of Trinity college, for the theory of 

 found ; the Rev. Thomas Twining, an admirable performer 

 and leader on the violin, and an excellent judge of every 

 fpecies of mufic ; the late worthy and ingenious Mr. Lobb 

 of Peterhoufe, the mod correct and certain Sight's man on 

 the harpfichord or organ with whofe performance we have 

 been acquainted ; and Mr. Bates for his rnallerly performance 

 on keyed initruments, and abilities in conducting a band. 

 There being at this time no very able prof^fTor in the uni- 

 verfity, thefe gentlemen regulated and performed at all pub- 

 lic and private concerts during their refidence in college. 



No one flood higher in character, or was more courted 

 in fociety, while at Cambridge, by pcrfons of all ages than 

 Mr. Bates ; in particular by the late Dr. Smith, the mafter 

 of Trinity college, with whom he fpent moft. of his even- 

 ings, and who, at his death, left him a legacy. 



Before he quitted the univerfity, an organ was built for 

 the church ot his native place, Halifax ; and determining 

 that ft (hould be opened with eclat, he, for the firll time 

 that any oratorio had been performed north of Trent, at- 

 tempted the Mejfiah. With the afliilance of the Rev. Mr. 

 Allott, of Kirkheaton, who had trained up the country 

 people in his pari!h to fing chorufes in a very fuperior ftyle, 

 and with the addition of Bates's own exertions, with the 

 fingers of Halifax, the chorufes were performed with a pre- 

 cifion that allonilhcd everv one ; and it was univerfaliy ac- 

 knowledged by the bell judges, that the Mcffiah had never 

 been fo well performed. The firll violin, on this occafion, 

 was performed by the celebrated Dr. Herfchel, the aftro- 

 romer ; and his prcfefiion being then mufic, he was imme- 

 diately elected organill. 



It was the fuccefs of this undertaking that infpired the 

 late commiflioner witii the idea of relcuing the compofitions 

 of old mailers from oblivion, by having them executed by a 

 numerous and feleft baud of vocal and inllrument.il per- 

 formers ; and after being fettled in London as private lecrc- 

 tary to lord Sandwich, he had an opportunity of commu- 

 nicating his plan to perfons of the firll diftinftion, and the 

 eftablilhment of the Concert of Ancient Mufic in Tottenham 

 ilri.ct was 'he confequence, being formed and executed en- 

 tirely under Mr. Bates's direftion : and as many of the works 

 of Handel, which had not been performed for many years, 

 and never fo well as at this ellabli.Timent, were revived, the 



B A T 



number of that truly great, and often fublime, compoftr*s 

 admirers was much increafed. 



His majedy, a conftaiit and ileady patron and proteftor 

 of the works of Handel, foon after the ellablilhment of 

 this concert, gracioufly condcfcended to become a fubfcriber; 

 and together with her majefty and the priiictfTcs, conllancly 

 to attend the feveral performances. The nobility and gentry, 

 who were enrolled among the original fubfcnbers to this re- 

 fpeftable inllitution, have been likewife Ileady in their patron- 

 age and attendance. And it isnow(i8o2), fri m the fplendor 

 and celebrity of its adn irable performances, in higher public 

 favour, than at a-'y former period of its eftablifhment. 



After remaining fume years with the earl of Sai'.dwich at 

 the admiralty, Mr. Bates was appointed commiflioner of 

 the viclualling office ; and foon after, he married hi? cele- 

 brated pupil, Mil's Harrop, who had been educated under 

 his eye from his firil arrival in London ; and wliofe fcraphic 

 voice, and difpofition for mufic, he fo high:y cultivattd, as 

 to render her one of the moll enchanting fingers which this 

 or perhaps any country ever produced. 



Tile victualling office on Towt r hill now became the re- 

 fort of perfons of the hjghell rank ; and at his refidence 

 there, was planned that moft ilupendous mufical perform- 

 ance, the Commemoration of Handel in Wel'tminfter 

 abbey and the Pantheon, which was condufted by Mr. 

 Bates in a manner never to be forgotten by thofe who had 

 the hppphiefs of being prefent. The great fplendor and 

 fuccefs of this Commemoration will unite the name of 

 comm ffioner Bates with the renown of Handel, as long 

 as fuch a memorable event fiiall remain in the records of the 

 mufical art. And the performance of Mrs. Bates, particu- 

 lariy in the pathetic fongs of Handel, has rendered it fo 

 difficult for her fncctflbr at the concert of ancient mufic, 

 to fatisfy the old fubfcribers in fuch fongs as fhe ufed to 

 perform there, that fomething will always fcem wanting to 

 complete their happinefs. 



Soon after the commemoration, Mr. Bates was promoted 

 to a feat at the board of cuiloms ; but previous to his quit- 

 ting the viftualling-offiee, having officially experienced the 

 difficulties which the capital of the kingdom often labours 

 under for want of flour, he projected the plan of the Al- 

 I'wn Mills ; on the fuccefs of which he was fo fanguine, 

 that he veiled his whole fortune, and even that of his wife, 

 in the capital ftock of that company, to the amount of 

 lo.ocol. By the conflagration which happened to this 

 building, he was completely mined. His whole fortune 

 was not only veiled in the company, but his cedit for 

 a large part of the llock in hand, which was all confuni- 

 ed by the fire ; fo that he was totally bereav.d ot the 

 meani of making any provifion for his family, and of 

 guarding- againft the vicilfitudes to which humanity is fub- 

 jeft. He fubmitted to this event with dignity and forti- 

 tude ; but the circumi'lapcc of having involved his wile in 

 the ruin, and facrlficed her profeffional acquircme; ts without 

 her approbation, preyed fo continually on his mind, as at 

 length to prcduce a complaint in liis chtft, which finally 

 proved fatal, and b'ought him to the grave, the 8th of 

 June 1799, at the age of 59. 



BATESON, Thomas, an Englifh Madrgalift of the 

 beginning of the fevcntetnth centur)', not devoid of merit 

 as a vocal compofer. He was orgaaift of the cathedral of 

 Chefter in i6co. Ant. Wood fays, that he was a perfoa 

 efteemed very eminent in his profclfion, efpec^ally after the 

 publication of his Englifh madrigals to three, four, five, 

 and fix voices. About 16 18, he became organift and 

 mailer of the children of the cathedral church of the Blefltd 

 Trinity in Dublin ; and in the univerfity of that city, he 

 obtaiucd the degree of bachelor of rr.utic. 



BAT. 



