before he could fpeak. Nor did this proceed merely from a love, 

 common to other children, of a fprightly noife ; as may appear 

 by the following proof. Dubourg, who was thirty years ago a 

 diftinguiftied performer on that inftrument", happened to be at the 

 family feat 0 ; but the child would not permit him to take the 

 violin from his father till his little hands were held ; after 

 having heard Dubourg however the cafe was altered, and there 

 was then much more difficulty to perfuade him to let Dubourg 

 give the inftrument back to his father. Nor would the infant 

 ever afterwards permit the father to play, whilft Dubourg was in 

 the houfe. 



At the fame period he beat time to all meafures of mu{ic, how- 

 ever difficult ; nor was it poffible to force him to do otherwife, 

 the moft rapid changes producing as rapid an alteration in the 

 child's hands. 



Though paftionately fond of mufic, from indolence he never 

 attempted to play on any inftrument till he was nine years old. 

 At that time an old portrait painter came to the family feat, 

 who was a very indifferent performer on the violin, but per - 

 fuaded the child that if he tried to play on that inftrument,, he 

 would foon be able to bear a part in a concert. 



With this inducement he foon learned the two old catches of 

 the Chrijl Church Bells, and Sing one, two, three, come follow me ; 

 after which his father and the painter accompanying him with the 

 two other parts, he experienced the pleafing effeds of a harmony 

 to which he himfelf contributed. 



Soon after this he was able to play the fecond violin m 

 Corelli's Sonatas, which gave him a fteadinefs in time that 



• He was alfo a diftinguimed mu'fician when very young, and played a 

 folo,' on a joint-ftool, at the famous concert of Tom Briton the fmall-coal 

 man. Sir John Hawkins's Hiftory of Mufic, vol. V. p. 76. 



0 Dangan, in the county of Meath. 



never 



