, 996 
Lea, when my fpirits fail me, ; 
Po hatiee can’t avail me, 
Ner ficknefs comfort bring.’ 
Tt would be a. lively fatisfaction to 
know what mind conceived fentiments 
of fuch affecting fimphicity and forcible 
truth, and clothed them in poetical lan- 
guage of an order of excellence fo fu- 
perior, fo chafte, fo fweet, fo beautiful. 
The above fpecimers of poetical merit 
are not more tinking than a multitude of 
others in Handel’s works: they firft oc- 
curred ta my recollection. Shall we 
wonder at the fafcination caufed by fuch 
aflociated poely and me the? Is it fur- 
prifiag that it holds the mind in enchant- 
ment, affects the foul as though it were 
the w ane of facred infpiration, and fug- 
gelis to the pnare tion the opening 
doors of heaven, and a hoft of the 
“ bright feraphim” raifing Cae celefiial 
harmony? Indeed, the fad that has 
the full enjoyment of Handel’s- mufic 
feels as though it were liftening to fome- 
thing of divine authority; it bears with 
zt ail the w eight and pow er of folema 
ruth, {peaks to the ee fianding as 
well as the heart, and when emp layed 
upon facred fubject s feems to give addi- 
tional evidence to religious oblisation, 
and greater power to the fanction of v oe 
tue. "Tt is to be regretted, that the pro- 
duétions of this great man’s genius, 
which feem to be allied to the obled 
hes 
purfuits and moft important interefts fe 
hie, are not fo extentively ben reficial a 
they might be, either as a fource of a 
vated and 1 refed Bear or religious 
and moral infirumentality’ The annual 
performances in the metropolis evince 
that there is {till fomething left in nation- 
al character fuperior to the levity of 
roodern taite ; and the occafional feftivals 
of mufic in different parts» of the king- 
dom are equally honourable to Handel’s 
prehd: ng genius, and to thofe who liftén 
with delight to his holy ftrains. But 
might not mufical men fpread the know- 
ledge cf Handel more penerally, and en- 
larve his iphere of wietulnefs by intro- 
ducing more fiudents into the Handelian 
{chool, and feizing more occafions 
adapt ing the firaias of this maiter to the 
afiectine circumfiances of human life 
which daily oceur ; whereby the two 
valuable objects, rational entertainment 
and moral gosdnefs might, perhaps, be 
equally promoted? Would not the houfe 
of worthip be more attractive, and the 
ordinancies of religion flill more beanti- 
ful, by a judicious combination of fuch 
powers of mulic as may be drawn from 
Excellence of Handel's Mufical Compost idlonss 
ot 
[April 1, 
the flores of Handel?.. What could be 
more ornamental to public devotion, or 
more fuccefsful to interett thofe clafies of 
fociety who are difgufied with the fre- 
quently uncooth mode of celebrating the 
praifes of the Deity? When the offi- 
clating minifter ee “¢ T know that 
my Redeemer liveth,” or “ The trumpet 
fhall found, and the. ea: fhall be rai= 
ed,” what heart is moved by the cold, 
the lifel efs, impatient manner which ge- 
nerally accompanies the annunciation of 
the ciorlous tidmes? But whocan be 
indifferent when Handel takes up the 
theme, and by the power. of his fong 
realizes to the mind thefe folemn and 
aifeéting truths ?- 
Inclined as I feel, Mr. Editor, to ex- 
ercife very Gaufideraine faith in the de- 
Votional influencies of mufic, I much re- 
egret the difcontinuance of the Abbey 
performances, in which the memory of 
Handel received fuch diftinguifhed ho- 
nour, and his genius triumphed fo nobly 
It is, perhaps, a national lofs ; as we 
nc every eo in the prefent day of 
inducing a man! ly and ferious character 
in the people of this country, the pre- 
vail ung fpirit running in fo oppofite a 
courfe, and fafhionable folly and levity 
lording it fo abfolutely. When we fee 
fo ravely the ilamp of intellectual and 
moral greatne{s in that clafs of fociety 
which is firft in rank and emimence of 
fituation, fo little nobility of mind and 
erandeur of character to fupport the 
hop es of a country looking to the mdi- 
viduals of that order as its _legiflators, 
fiatefmen, and governors; it is to be la- 
mented that any occafion fhould be loft 
-of giving to fuch a great feeling, an 
elevated « emotion, or ferious unpreilion, 
It mutt {till live in the memory of many, 
how deep a fenfation was produced by 
the magnificent performances I allude 
to; and it fhould-not be forgotten, that 
if the affection raifed by them’ were not 
devotion or virtue itfelf, it might be the 
dawn of fuch a fpirit in the ‘mind. If 
there be a character light enough to treat 
rehgicn with levrty in every other form, 
Handel’s religion never fails to infpire 
reverence for the {u ibjeét ; there is in it 
a folemnity fo impreihve, an elevation 
and cereatnefs fo obvious and affecting, 
that the lighteft mind is ftruck with awe, 
the boldett ; impiety is abafhed, and the 
inott profane bow in {pirit-to its autho- 
rity, its grandeur, its fublimity, and — 
beauty, as cifplayed by this wonderful 
matter of harmony. 
Is it not an honeft indignation cp 
; oe 
