1767.) 
js abfurd, becaufe contrary to faéts well 
known. lam, your’s, : 
Yan. 7) 1797. CAMBROBRITTANICUS. 
To the Editor-of the Monthly Magazine. 
LTAVING almoft from my infancy been 
a patlionate admirer of the Mufical 
Art, and having dedicated imany years 
to the praétice as well as the ftudy of 
this tafcinating fubjeét, I hope that a 
few remarks, which I may occafionally 
trouble you with, will not prove wholly 
unworthy of the attention of your Mufi- 
alreaders. I confefs myfeli-to be fome- 
what of a difciple of the ancient {chool, 
though perfeétly fufceptible. of all thofe 
charms which are the characteriftics and 
ornaments of the modern. I am one 
who well remember HanpEL hiinfelf 
prefiding at the performance of his own 
fublime and inimitable compofitions, and 
have, from early prejudice perhaps, as 
well as fubfequent refiection, nourithed 
a partiality for his*mufic, and that of 
other compofers, who have, in different 
degrees, formed their tafte from his ex- 
ample, or that of his moft celebrated 
predeceflors and cotemporaries, in prefe. 
rence to that ftyle which forms the lead- 
ing feature of the prefent day: at the 
fame time, I am far from being one of 
thofe, who, from a bigotted attachment 
to fydtem or antiquity, can only relifh the 
compolitions of a particular fet of. men, 
when fuch intrinfic merit as exifts in the 
works of BocHERINI, HozELACH, and 
Haypwn, fo frequently meet my ear. [ 
mult indeed_be faitidious and prejudiced, 
not to bear ample teftimony to their un- 
rivalled excellence. I would therefore 
wifh you to confider me as areal lover of 
good miuiic, compofed by every author 
oi every age and country, from the days 
of the venerable Paleftrina to thofe of 
our exquilite and original HAYDN. 
The iudje&t which 1 intend to makea 
few curfory remarks upon in the prefent 
letter, is that particular {pecies of mufi- 
cai compotition, ufually. known under 
che title of Glees, Madrigals, Rounds, 
Canons, &c. ‘There is, perhaps, no de- 
{cription of Mufic which has given more 
{cope ror elegance and refinement of art, 
limited to fkill and contrivance, than the 
one Lam {peaking of ; and we have from 
the early produétions of Morey, 
WeiisBys, &c. down to the prefent 
day, a colleétion of compoiitions of this 
defcription which never fail to pleafe-as 
well the tafteas the judgment of almoft 
€very cultivator of the mufical art, The 
Remarks on Glees, Madrigals, Rounds, ce. 
oe 
great encouragement which was for fo 
-many years given to authors of this kind 
of mufic, by the patronage of the Neble- 
-man and Gentleman’s Catch Club, has 
been the principal fource of that beau- 
-tiful fuceeffion of Glees and Catches 
which have been. publifhed for the laft 
thirty years. Iwasa conitant attendant 
for nearly that period at the meetings of 
the fociety, and can ‘peak, from' repeated 
experience, to the fatistaétion and plea- 
fure which arofe from the performance of 
the many new and clegant productions of 
the different compofers whofe works were © 
there executed. In the compafs of a 
letter, to do Juttice to fuch complicate 
and various excellence, wouid be impof- 
fible ; and I will, therefore, only, at 
prefent, mention a few of thofe whofe 
attempts in this line of compofition have 
given me the greateft pleature. There 
is an elegant fimplicity in the melodies 
of the old Madrigals, which ftill conti- 
nues to delight our tafte, as much as the 
ingenuity of their contrivance meets 
with the approbation of our judgment. 
I fhould, perhaps, feleét ‘* When firft E 
refolyed,’’ by Forp ; ** The filver Swan,” 
by OrLANDO GiBBONs; ‘ How mer- 
rily we live,’’? by Esre ;. ‘* Flora gave 
me faireft Flowers ;’’ Now is the month 
of maying 3” )<S Hair, {weet «crueljy’ 
‘* When all alone my pretty Love ;’” 
“ Turn, Amaryllis;’’ ‘*We be three poor 
Mariners,” by Wei.Lks,. Mortey, 
GioRoNIMO Converso, BREWER, 
&c. as being {pecimens of the moft beau-- 
tiful Madrigals : there are many others, 
of equal merit, but thefe may ferve for 
the prefent to be recommended to thofe 
of your Readers who are yet unacquaint- 
ed with them ; I will venture to enfure 
‘their full effent to the opinion I have 
given of them. Of modern Authors, 
the man who has at once combined the 
learning of the ancient compofers with 
the delicacy and expreffion of the mo- 
dern, with the greateft effect, is JoHw 
STAFFORD SMITH; “ Bleft pair of 
Syrens,” ‘* Return bleft day,” ‘* Stay, 
Shepherd, ftay,”’ the ‘* Ode to Fancy,” 
‘© Let happy Lovers,” ‘“ From. filent 
Shades,” with a few others, will bear 
ample teftimony to his merit, and will, 
I have little doubt, be admiréd fo long 
as the mufical art fhall fubfift—— 
‘s Difcord,” ‘* Hence, ye vain delights,” 
‘‘ Breathe foft, ye Winds,’ “ You gave me 
your heart,”’ “* A generous Friendfhip,’’ 
« The mighty Conqueror,’ “ Pretty 
warbler,”’ are lafting monuments of the 
{cience, tafte, and talentsof WEBBE: 
there is a peculiar clegance in almoit 
Dz 
