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1803. | 
hymns that ‘* rational. and exprefiive 
mufic,”” he fo earneftly recommends. But 
prefatory ftridtures are dangerous; even 
Dryden’s examples cannot always ftand 
the teft of his own precepts. 
fon’s next publication, confitting of a 
third colleétion of fongs, though: diitin- 
guifhed by many of the attraétions pecu- 
liar to his compolitions, did not prefent’ 
that ageregate of excellence which cha- 
racterized his former colle&tions ; nor was 
any fingle air calculated fo far to fafci- 
nate the common ear as to become popular. 
His eighth and greateft work was an Ode 
to Fancy, the words from Warton. In 
this produétion he has neceflarily adopted 
a kind of oratorial ftyle; which, with all 
his merit in the lighter kinds of compo- 
fition, was, it is evident, beyond his com- 
pals. Dignity of expreflion, majetty of move- 
ment, bold contrivance and grand conftruc- 
tion, are all indifpenfable to the great 
Ode ; and thefe were not among the general 
charaéteriftics of Mr. Jackfun’s fiyle, confe- 
quently he has not always reached the fen- 
timents of the poet, nor given to the whole 
that force and importance of effect ex- 
pected trom this higher {pecies of compo- 
fition: Theeight fonatas for the harpfichord 
_ by which this work was fucceeded, were 
written with much tafte and f{pirit, and 
poli-fled many paflages which, at that 
time, were perfectly new. His opera 
nine, confifted of twelve canzonets for two 
voices ; the firft of which is his charming 
and fo jufily-admired compofition “ Time 
has net thwned my flowing Hair,” and 
which is alfo enriched with his two beau- 
tiful dwetts, “* From the Plains, fror the 
Woodlands and Groves,” and «* Ah! 
where does my Phillida ftray..". To 
thefe were afterwards added fix quartetts, 
confifting of harmonizations of old favo- 
riie airs, chiefly taken from Dr. Arne ; 
in the difpofition of the parts of which 
he has dilfplayed much ingenuity and 
knowledge in effeét; a colleétion of 
twelve canzonets for two voices, in which 
will be found that elegant and fweetly- 
affe@ing duett, ‘* Love in thine Eyes for 
ever plays; two operas comprizing 
much taftetul and expreflive mufic, and a 
book of epigrams. 
But the. catalocue of his mufical pro- 
duétions would be very incompleat wich- 
ont naming bis manulcript. fervices and 
anthems, which have been repeatedly per- 
formed, at Exeter cathedral, to the de- 
light of all who have heard them. Thete 
indeed, rank among the beft of his works ; 
Every real judge mut confefs that the 
2 
Memars of Mr. fackfon, of Exeter. 
141 
infpiration of the Poet and Mufician are 
in-perfeét union’; and that the conn:€tion 
is produétive of an effect the moft solemn 
and devotional. A piece called the ** Fairy 
Mr. Jack- » Fantafies,"* Milton’s ‘*May Morning,”’ 
‘< Lycidas,’ an elegy, and other vocal 
works. of Mr. Jackfon’s in. manufcript, 
are {poken of with fuch high commenda- 
tion, thatit is to be hoped they will ere 
long find their way to the public ear; and 
add to that praife which every real judge 
of fine compofition cannot but allow 
him, f } 
Tn the year 1782, Mr. Jackfon ap- 
peared as a literary author, when he 
publifhed in two’ volumes, {mall octavo, 
his * Thirty Letters on various SubjeGs,” 
forming a mifcellaneous col‘eétion on lite- 
rature anc fcience, replete with uleful in- 
formation, and elegant and clathical in 
their diction. On poetry, anufic, and 
painting, his opinions are frequently fin- 
gular, yet generally juit in themfeives, as 
well as'clearly and neatly conveyed. Gn 
fome fubjects, however, he ente tained 
peculiar ideas ; particularly in the initance 
of /poutaneous generation ; along-exploded 
notion which he attempted to illuftrate 
and revive. His opinion on this (ubje&, 
however erroneous in the judgment of 
others, 1s beldly given and forcibly main- 
tained ; and merits the attentive perufal 
of thofe who value argument above de. 
clamation, and are amufed with: ingeni- 
ous dedudtions drawn from problematical 
premifes.  Thefe letters procured the 
author much credit as a literary charac- 
ter. In the year 1795, when they had 
beer out of print feveral years, he pub- 
lithed a new edition of them in one volume, 
ogtavo, with feveral additions and correc- 
tions, 
About 12-years fince he put to prefsa 
pamphlet ‘* On the prefent Srate of Mufic 
in London,”’ contain: g mary judicious 
and valuable remarks, and of which a 
fecond edition was foon called for. 
In tne year 1798, Mr. Jackfon added 
another volume :o his Letters, under the 
title of « The Four Ages; with Effays 
on various Subjeéts.”? In this work he 
confiders the four mythological ages as 
defcriptive of fo many diftin@ periods 
of the world, bu€ ina different order from 
that in which the poets have placed them. 
Among the eflays there isa moft curious 
and entertaining one, on the charafer of 
Gainfborough, the painter. But how far 
the publication of the anecdotes given of 
that great artilt, come within the pale of 
that confidential triencfhip fuppoled to 
“ie have 
