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After this, whenever the Doctor vifited us, Sam ran to him, 

 with his Song, Sonata, or Anthem ; and the Doctor examined 

 them with aftonifhing patience and delight. 



As foon as Sam had quite finimed his Oratorio he fent it as a 

 prefent to the Doctor, who immediately honoured him with the 

 following note : 



" To Mr. Samuel Wefley. 

 " Dr. Boyce's compliments and thanks to his very ingenious 

 " brother-compofer Mr. S. W. ; and is very much pleafed and 

 " obliged by the poffeffion of the Oratorio of Ruth, which he 

 " mall preferve with the utmoft care, as the rnofr, curious product 

 " of his mufical library." 



For the year that Sam continued under Mr. Williams, it was 

 hard to fay which was the mafter and which the fcholar. Sam 

 chofe what mufic he would learn, and often broke out into ex- 

 temporary playing, his mailer wifely letting him do as he 

 pleafed. 



During this time he taught himfelf the violin ; a foldier affifted 

 him about fix weeks ; and ibme time after Mr. Kinfbury gave him 

 twenty leffons. His favourite inflrument was the organ. 



He fpent a month at Bath, while we were in Wales ; ferved 

 the abbey on Sundays, gave them feveral voluntaries, and played 

 the firfh fiddle in many private concerts. 



He returned with us to London greatly improved in his playing. 

 There I allowed him a month for learning all Handel's Overtures. 

 He played them over to me in three days. Handel's Concertos 

 he learnt with equal eafe ; and fome of his Leflbns, and Scar- 

 latti's. Like Charles, he mattered the harden: mufic without any 

 pains or difficulty. . . 



2 He 



