Another criterion (though perhaps not fo irrefragable as the 

 preceding) is the being able to beat time, which the greater part 

 of grown people cannot do even to a minuet, where it is more 

 marked than in any other meafure, and therefore perhaps is more 

 generally applauded than any other mufical movement. We find 

 that Lord Mornington was capable of this, before he could fpeak, 

 though perhaps no grown perfon can explain, whence, without 

 either beating or counting, he is always fenfible when the mufical 

 bar commences. 



I will not apologize for ttating thefe criteria of a mufical ear, 

 becaufe, if the pupil is not capable of both, I mould conceive, 

 that the time and expence of his being inftru&ed are thrown away, 

 and that the fuppofed fondnefs for raufic may be rather considered 

 as a love of noife. 



I do not pretend however to afiert, that there never hath been 

 an inftance of a mufical tafte being acquired by thofe who are ad- 

 vanced in life ; though I rather believe that the examples are rare. 



But the connexions of mufical founds not only feem to make 

 an earlier, but a more lafting impreffion on us than what we 

 hear by the medium of words, as we retain the melody when 

 every verfe and line of the ballad is loft., which hath been learnt 

 in our nurferies. I have found this to be the cafe with moil: 

 perfons whom I have interrogated on this fubjecl:, provided they 

 had ever been matters of the tune throughout, when a bar or two, 

 in any part, would immediately recall the whole to their me- 

 mory. 



The late Lord Bathurft mentioned to me once a very ttrong 

 proof of this. 



As his Lordfhip had much frequented the opera in the time 

 of Queen Anne, Frederick prince of Wales wanted him to 



4 fin g 



