LETTER XIX. 
OU have afked me a queftion, to which 
it is as difficult to give you a pofitive 
anfwer, as to any query that ever went to 
Delphi; and, in imitation of that wife Ora- 
cle, my opinion {hall be fuch, that it may 
become negative or affirmative, according 
to circumftances. 
'To /earn, or not to learn, Mufic? that is 
the queftion. I have a great deal to fay 
upon this fubject; you muft therefore pre- 
pare yourfelf for a prolix epiftle. If you 
happen to be deeply engaged in ftudies of 
more importance, you may poftpone the 
perufal, till you have more leifure: there is 
nothing fofpiritual in the matter as to caufe 
it to evaporate. 
By learning Mitfic, I fuppofe you mean 
learning to play upon fome mufical inftru- 
rnent. This may feem a captious diftinc- 
tionj but an habitual accuracy of expreflion 
will gradually induce precifion in thinking. 
There is indeed a very material difference 
between learning Mufic, that is, learning 
the Science of Mufic, and learning to play 
L 3 upon 
