t 395 ] 



he. could inftantly imitate at the word of command, as well as 

 the general flow and turn of the compofttion. Thus I have 

 heard him frequently play extemporary leflons, which, without 

 prejudice to their mufical names, might have been fuppofed to 

 have been thofe of Abel, Vento, Schobert, and Bach ! . 



But he not only entered into the ftile of the harpfichord-maf- 

 ters, but that of folo players on other inftruments. 



I once happened to fee fome mufic wet upon his defk, which 

 he told me was a folo for a trumpet. I then alked him if he had 

 heard Fifcher on the hautboy, and would compofe an extempo- 

 rary folo, proper for him to execute. To this Sam readily af- 

 fented, but found his little legs too fhort for reaching the fwell of 

 the organ, without which the imitation could not have its effect. 

 I then propofed to touch the fwell myfelf, on his giving me the 

 proper fignals ; but to this he anfwered, " That I could neither do 

 fi this fo inflantaneoujly as was requijite, norjhould I give the greater 

 " or lefs force of the fwell (if a note was dwelt upon J which 

 il would correfpond with his feelings.'''' Having ftarted this diffi- 

 culty, however, he foon fuggefled the remedy, which was the 

 following : 



He flood upon the ground with his left foot, whilft his right 

 refted upon the fwell, and thus literally played an extemporary 

 folo, 



46 Stans pede in uno ;" 



the three movements of which muft have laired not lefs than ten 

 minutes ; and every bar of which Fifcher might have acknow- 

 ledged as his own. Every one who hath heard that capital mufi- 

 cian muft have obferved a great Angularity in his cadences, ir 

 the imitation of which Sam fucceeded as perfectly as in the 



1 He would as readily compofe a fong proper for the ferious or 



comic opera the inftant it was requefted, particularly the airs of Handc 

 for a bafe voice. 



R r other 



