1807. | 
more than human, to the moft delightful, 
the beft, and the noblett purpotes. 
That Gay was the author of the Acis 
and Galatea, is well known, as it is pub- 
lifhed among his works. Shenftone, in 
one inftance at leatt, compoled poetry, 
which was fet by Handel. Hughes, | 
think, wrote the poetry of fome of the 
oratorios, though I cannot at prefent 
afcertain-which. Not much (fo far as I 
recollect at the diltance of feveral years) 
has been afcertained on the fubject, by 
the refearches of Dr. Burney, or of Sir 
John Hawkins, in their Hiftories of Mu- 
fic: I fear therefore, that little can be 
learnt. Handel was too inceffantly oc- 
cupied’ (and happy it is indeed that fuch 
was his application, and fuch the fruits of 
it) as acompofer in mufic to have written 
the words; even had he been more faimi- 
liar than be appears ever to have been 
with our languageand verfification. But 
in general they are excellently adapted 
to the mufic, and I think it pretty evi- 
dent that the writers muft have had con- 
fiderable tafte in mufic themfelves, and 
habit in the adaptation of words; the dif- 
ficulty and delicacy of which art’ rifes inf 
proportion to the excellence of the mufic 
itfelf. Probably the late Mr. Melmoth, 
of Bath, and Mr. Avifon, the author of 
the excellent Effay on Mufical Exprefiion, 
might have both occafionally Goneributed: 
But harmonious profe feems to be yet 
more fuitable than poetry to accompany 
muficof the higheft order :—at leaft, if our 
old tranflation of the poetic part of the 
Bible can be called profe, and not rather ~ 
blank verfe in a variety of the free mea- 
fure of the dithyrambic kind; into which 
I think it might with the utmott propriety, 
be refolved. 
Accordingly, in that unrivalled com- 
pofition the Meffiah, the alliance be- 
tween words and mufic appears with 
a divine luftre; both in the felection 
and arrangement of the whole, and in 
the appropriate tranfcendant be: auty of 
every kind and fpecies of expretiion 
which facred mufic appears to admit, 
With the exception of one word, I 
agree in the merit of the inftance which 
have been quoted, both as excellent m 
moral and pious fentiment, and in all 
refpeéts fuitable for mufic. And one 
circumftance 1s moft truly remarkable, 
that fo little of falfe accent m relation 
to the words, fhould be found in the 
amazing quantity of the moft exquifite 
voes! compofitions, by this illuftrious 
and ever memorable foreigner; while 
in numerous and ftriking inftances, the 
Mr. Lofft, on the Mufic and Words of FFandel. 
343 
mufical emphafis of the recitative air, 
and chorus, is the {peaking emphafis 
itlelf, preferved with the moft perfect 
propriety, and heightened to ihe moft 
coniuinmate beauty “and etfeét; an eflect 
which words alone are, not capable of 
conveying. 
With Mr. Marthall’s character of the 
mufic of Handel, I entirely and warmly 
coincide; and in the with that the works 
of this glory of the art may become more 
extenfiy vely” known throughout the land. 
Nothing more is wanting to fecure to 
them the moft extenfive, permanent, and. 
beneficial influence. 
‘To this end what has heen already 
for fome time im progrefs, will affuredly 
much conduce: the adapting of bis mu- 
fic to the pinno-forte. The heavenly 
compofition of the air in Solomon, which 
Mr. Marfhall has quoted, is wonderfully 
fuited to that inftrument. And indeed 
the Pathes of Handel is not inferior to 
his fublimity. He is, like Homer, Mil- 
ton, and Shakefpeare, equal in both thefe 
excellencies. 
And undoubtedly the tafte and_voice, 
the ear and the heart of our fair country- 
women, merit that an inftrument of 
fuch perfection as the piano-forte now 
is, fhould be refcued from frivolities; 
unworthy of itfelf, and equally uuwor- 
thy of them, to whom, when their pur- 
fuits are not perverted, we are as much 
indebted for the ‘melioration of our 
hearts, as for all which moft enlivens 
and adorns fociety. 
Still I would not make a general con- 
demnation of the modern practice of 
mufic in this country, till Purcell, Arne, 
Jackfon, Haydn, Pleyel, and Clementi, 
are forgotten, and {ome other compofers, 
whom it might be invidious cr imper- 
tinent in me to enumerate, and till 
Handel finks into oblivion; and into 
fuch barbarifm I truft Eneland will ne- 
ver fall, Mufic cannot ceafe to pro- 
"duce the moft perfect. gratification to 
the ear, and to intereft in the higheft 
degree the nobleft powers of the mind, 
and the beft affeétions of the heart; 
yet I do acknowledge that there are 
fymptoms, and I fear. increaling fymp- 
toms, of a decline of tafte. Nothing is 
more likely to refift that decline, than 
whatever may bring the mutfic of Han- 
del, not only into our cathedrals, where 
it places all heaven before our eyes, 
but into our houfes. It has the un- 
fading frefhnefs of an immortal youth: 
very ‘little comparatively is of a nature 
ever to be obfulete, or to charm the 
Xx ear 
