20 
every thing this man writes, and which 
never fails to enfure approbation. The 
admirable catch of ** To the old,’’ is 
a {pec men of a different fiyle, whichdces 
him great credit. I cannot help lament- 
ing that the Art of Mufic has been-too 
frequently abufed by its application to 
indelicate iubjeéts, as many of the mo- 
dern catches prove : neither the merit of 
ceimpoiition, or the applaufe of a Bac- 
chanalian party, ¢an juftify the pudlica- 
tion of what muft, in moft inftances, dif- 
guft the hearer. Dr. Cooke’s Glees 
<¢ How fleep the Brave,’’ ‘* In the merry 
month of May,” and “ The, Moufe’s 
Petition,’’ are all excellent ; the fecond 
is a beautiful imitation of the old Madri- 
gal. JacKson’s Elegies are of firft-rate 
merit, and are among the beft examples 
of the tafte and feeling of that compofer. 
ot Weep, weep,’ **Atithe‘clofe of the 
day,’ “Ye gentle fons of mufic’s art,” 
with fevera] others .by Dr. HARINGTON, 
of Bath, deferve particular attention. 
s6°Mle fpotted’ “Snakes;’*, ““O;) Mitirefs, 
-mine,”- and ‘* It’ was a Lover and his 
“ATGafs, are the effufions of much fimplicity 
‘and feeling, from thépen of STEEVENS. 
“© How fweet, how freth,” by Paxton, 
““ Awake, Aolian Lyre,’ by DanBy, 
“Amid the myrtles,’»and “ I lowd 
thee, beautiful and kind,’ by Battr- 
"SHALE, are all of fingular merit: the 
‘Jatter is perhaps the moft elegant Rouzd 
«that ever-was written. Lord MoRNING- 
‘TON’s “ Here in cool Grot,’’ and one or 
two others, do much credit to a lively 
and cultivated tafte. [tis altogether out 
‘of my power todo that juftice to many 
valuable compofttions, in the fhort com- 
pafs of afetter, which they deferve ; but 
I intend, ‘on another cecafion, to analyze 
a few particular ones mere fully. Ner- 
ris’s Glee, “*O’er William’s Tomb,?’ has 
a great deal of pathos; of the farne de- 
feription date Hacuk’s “* Maid of my. 
Love,” and WHREUER’s “© My Phy: 
lida, adieu,” both of which abound with 
an elegance of mélody, delicacy of -ex- 
prefion, and ingenuity of ¢ontrivance, 
rarely to*be met with. Noone has been 
of late more fuccefsful in this {pecies of 
€ompofition than Mr: Catcorr: he has 
eequired juft celebrity both in the ferious.* 
and cheérful ‘clais ef Vocal’ Mufic : his 
*“'Go, idle Boy,” -* Whocemnies fo dark 
“© from>Ocean’s ‘roar ?”’. “ Peace'to the 
fouls of the Heroes,’’ “‘ The New Mari- 
ners, and Sequel;’’ “ Fhe’ Friar of Or: 
dets Grey,’* **’ The Derbyfhire Ram,” 
exhibit fpecimens of ‘his tafte and inven- 
tion, as well-im the ferious and fublime, as 
in’ the light and barmonious ftyle. Of 
On Glees, Madrigals, Rounds, Fem—Chronology. 
— [Jan. 
the latter defcription I have heard nothing 
more original in-contrivance, more beau— 
tiful in mufical effeét, or more comic in 
performance, than Mr. Rickmond’s Trio. 
of Dr. Favftus. To enumerate many 
more would only weary the“attention of 
your readers, and aniwer no purpofe : 
my chief with is to point out fuch picces. 
of compofition to thofe who are as yet 
not much acquainted with it, as may 
induce them to cultivate fo interefting 
a part of the harmonic art, as well as to 
give teftimony to the abilities of a va- 
luable lift of compofers, than whom few 
contribute more either to the domeftic 
pleafure, or the public gratification, of 
mufical amateurs. 
There are a great many very good. 
pieces of compofitions under the name 
ef canons, which are the refult of much. 
fkill, and to the praétifed ear are pro- 
duétive of fine effeét: they are gene- 
rally of a religious caft, and fet to facred’ 
words; there are, however, many of a 
lighter turn. The hitherto unrivalled 
canon of ‘* Non nobis Domine,” has lenge 
‘been’ felt and loved by every genuine 
admirer of harmony and folemn effeé,. 
Dr. Aldrich’s catch of *“* The merry: 
Chrift-church bells,” has enlivened many 
a focial party, as have feveral of Purcell’s.. 
For convivial meetings good catches are 
well adapted. There is fomething pe- 
culiarly elegant in this whole line of 
compofition: it at once may embrace the 
advantages of {kill in arrangement, rich- 
nefs of harmony, charm of melody, and 
the varied beauty arifing from a due 
mixture of tafte and judgment. Fearful 
left I thould intrude too tar on the {pace 
you may be willing to allot to my re- 
marks, I fhall for the prefent take my 
leave of the fubjeét, and fign myfelf, 
Your’s,. &c. Dedevarovixec. 
ee + 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR. 
OUR namelefs correfpondent, in page: 
8.50, has thought proper to hazard a | 
conjecture, which, in my opinion, has. 
neither evidence or utility to recom- 
mend it: . 
In the book of Numbers (chap. xxxiii.). 
we have a catalogue of the fiations occu- 
pied by the ifraelites, in their journey 
from Ramefes to the plains of Moab ; 
and according to the tenor of their hif- 
tory, forty years were exhaufted between 
the period of their departure from Egypt, 
and that of their entrance into Canaan : 
your correfpondent is inclined to reduce 
that fpace of time to forty months, and 
feems defirous of fupparting his oye 
Fica 
