196 Dr . burney’s Account of 
tinue the treble note till he had formed a better accom- 
panyment. 
From this period his memory was very accurate in 
retaining any tune that pleafed him : and being prefent 
at a concert where a band of gentlemen-performers 
played the overture in Rodelinda, he was fo delighted 
with the minuet, that the next morning he hummed 
part of it in bed ; and by noon, without any further af- 
fiftanee, played the whole on the organ. 
His chief delight at prefent is in playing voluntaries, 
which certainly would not be called mufic if performed 
by one of riper years, being deficient in harmony and 
meafure; but they manifeft fuch a difcernment and fe- 
ledtion of notes as is truly wonderful, and which, if 
Spontaneous, would furprize at any age. But though he 
executes fragments of common tunes in very good time, 
yet no adherence to any particular meafure is difcovera- 
ble in his voluntaries; nor have I ever obferved in any of 
them that he tried to play in triple time. If he difccrvers 
a partiality for any particular meafure, it is for dadtyls of 
one long and two lhort notes, which conftitute that lpe- 
eies of common time in which many ftreet-tunes are 
compofed, particularly the firfl: part of the Belleifle 
March, which, perhaps, may firfl: have fuggefted this 
meafure to him, and imprefled it in his memory. And 
his 
