ae 
1799+] 
the preceding age, the former will ap- 
pear exceedingly deficient. This, how- 
ever, cannot be entirely owing to a real 
- defect of genius; but rather to a wrong 
bias, communicated by the degeneracy of 
the times. ‘There is no criterion which 
more ftrongly marks the charaéter or man- 
ners of any age or people than the general 
ityle of their mufic ; and the frivolity, ef- 
feminacy, and diffipation of the prefent 
day may be diftinétly read in the greateft 
part of our modern mufical compotitions. 
Tt is much to be lamented, that, while real 
genius is neglected, the greate{t encourage- 
ment is given to the moft contemptible 
trafh ; and parties are employed to applaud 
or condemn a compofition, juft as it hap- 
pens to coincide with, or is oppofed to, 
the prefent depraved tafte.—And {till more 
is it to be regretted, that muficians can be 
found who will facrifice their better judg- 
ment to the vanity or caprice of an igno- 
rant patron. But ‘they have their re- 
ward.’? A mujfician who can condefcend 
to demean himfelf, and degrade the fcience 
by writing for thofe puerile toys, the trz- 
angie, and the tambourine, ought to ex- 
pect nothing more than the honorary prize 
of a fools cap and bells. 
From the encouragement given to this 
{pecies of mufic, if it may be fo called, an 
ingenious compofer has much more to fear 
than from any predilection in favour of 
the ancient mufic which may be difcovered 
either in individuals or focieties. If Mr. 
B. attempts to recommend his works by 
complying with the depraved tafte of the 
prefent day, he will, doubtlefs, be treated 
with a certain degree of contempt, by all 
who are able to difcriminate between real 
and apparent merit. On the other hand, 
if he fhakes off the fetters of fafhion, and 
exhibits a compofition founded on the folid 
bafis of reafon and fcience, he will {carcely 
fail of proper encouragement and applaufe. 
But it is in mufic, as in morals, whoever 
wifhes to promote virtue, and to ftem the 
torrent of vice, muft dare to be fingular 
Remarks on Mufic—Prior’s Thief and Cordelier: 
“£¥700. 
625 
«in the midft of a perverfe generation ;** 
and a mufician who dares to oppofe the 
depravity of the reigning tafte, will dowbt- 
lefs meet with oppofition; but, fooner or 
_Jater, will find an adequate reward. If, 
for the prefent, he does not obtain that 
pecuniary encouragement which his merit 
entitles him to expect, he will, at leaft, 
have the approbation of the difcerning 
few; and the fatisfaction of tranfmitting te 
fucceeding ages works of which the pre« 
fent are not worthy. 
From fome hints which Mr. B. has 
dropt, we are led to expect that the ftyle 
of his compofitions will be much fuperior ’ 
to that of modern mufic in general; that it 
will have a tendency to reform the prefent 
taite ; and therefore we wifh him complete 
fuccel’s. 
Fuly. 23, 1799+ W. X. 

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, 
R. JOHNSON fays, in his Lyfe of 
Prior, he was informed that ** he 
poached for prey among obf{cure authors ;”” 
and in fupport of this charge, ‘adduces a 
Latin epigram of Georgius Sabinus, which 
he fuppofes afforded the fubjeét of the 
Thief and the Cordelier. As we have no 
certain proof of Prior’s acquaintance with 
Sabinus’ epigram, I am rather inclined to 
think that we are indebted to the follow- 
ing pafiage in his favourite Montaigne, 
for this excellent ballad. ‘* One that they 
were leading to the gallows, anfwered his 
confeffor, who promifed him he fhould- thar 
day {up with our Lord:—Do you go then, 
faid he, in my room; for I, for my part, 
keep faft to day.’’ Vol. 1. p. 403. Lond. 
1700. It was probably the fame amufing 
effayift that furnifhed the fubjeét of the lit- 
tle piece beginning 
<¢ Democritus, dear droll, revifit earth, &c.’® 
See the Effay entitled Democritus and 
Herachtus. ae 
Dublin, Fune 18,1799: De ed adel 3 

TO OUR READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS. 
BY an overfight of the Corrector of the Prefs a moft execrable error disfigured Mr. 
WakeEFIELp’s Letter, relative to the Slave Trade, in our laff Number. 
In the extra 
Strom Paul's firft Epijile to Timothy, the unmeaning word Bow is inferted and repeated 
infiead of LAW. 
requefled to correct it with the per. 
As the error renders the paffage ridiculous, the Reader is particularly 
A Correfpondent wifhes us to flate, that Claude le Feune was the author of the Hun- 
dredth Pfalm Tune in the time of Queen Elizabeth. ah 
W. 1. thanks Rujticus for his hints relative to Prefident Brad/baw, and he fhall dire 
bis inquiries in the way fuggefted. 
Mr. Batchelor’s la/t Letter is returned to the Poft-Office for the expeuce of the poftage. 
The faveurs of Correfpondents; if admifible, are rever neglected. 
Once more we repeat our requeft, that our friends will favour us with Biographical 
Memoirs of Perfous recently deceafed, and with communications relative to any other in- 
terefiing matiers of faci within the [phere of their obfer vation. _ 
