[ 2GI ] 



I received the following account of his fon Samuel from the 

 Rev. Mr. Charles Wesley. 



Samuel was born on St. Matthias's Day, Feb. 24, 1766, (the 

 fame day which gave birth to Handel 82 years before). The 

 feeds of harmony did not fpringup in him quite fo early as in his 

 brother ; for he was three years old before he aimed at a tune c : 

 his firft were " God fave great George our King," Fifcher's mi- 

 nuet, and fuch like ; moftly picked up from theftreet organs. He 

 did not put a true bafs to them, till he had learnt his notes. 



While his brother was playing he ufed to ftand by, with his 

 childifh fiddle, fcraping and beating time. One obferving him, 

 alked me, " And what lhall this boy do ?" I anfwered, " Mend 

 <4 his brother's pens." He did not refent the affront as deeply as 

 Marcello; fo it was not indignation which made him a mu- 

 sician d . 



Mr. Arnold was the firft, who, hearing him at the harpfichord, 

 faid, "I fet down Sam for one of my family." But we did not 

 much regard him, coming after Charles. The firft thing which 

 drew our attention was, the great delight he took in hearing his 



c His mother, Mrs. Wefley, however, hath given me the following 

 rnoft convincing proof that he played a tune when he was but two years 

 eleven months old, by producing a quarter guinea, which w as given to 

 him by Mr. Addy, for this extraordinary feat, wrapped in a piece of 

 paper, containing the day and year of the gift, as well as the occafion 

 of it. Mrs. Wefley had alfo an elder fon, who died in his infancy, and 

 who both fung a tune, and beat time, when he was but twelve months 

 old. 



d This alludes to a well-known ftory in the mufical world. Marcello, 

 the celebrated compofer, had an elder brother, who had greatly diftin- 

 guifhed himfelf in this fcience, and being a/ked what fhould be done with 

 little Marcello, he anfwered, let him mend my pens ; which piqued the 

 boy fo much, that he determined to exceed his elder brother. 



P p 2 brother 



