Hom.

I

Am very forry to find, by the Opera Bills for this Day, that we are likely to lole the greatelf Performer in Dramatick Mufick that is now living, or that perhaps ever appeared upon a Stage. I need not acquaint my Reader, that I am fpeaking of Signior Nicolini. The Town is highly obliged to that Excellent Artift, for having thewn us the Italian Mafick in its Perfection, as well as for that generous Approbation he lately gave to an Opera of our own Country, in which the Compofer endeavoured to do Juftice to the Beauty of the Words, by following that Noble Example, which has been fet him by the greatest For reign Mafters in that Art.

I could heartily with there was the fame Application and Endeavours to cultivate and improve our Church-Mufick, as have bern lately beftowed on that of the Stage. Our Compofers have one very great Incitement to it: they are fure to meet with Excellent Words, and, at the fame time, a wonderful Variety of them. There is no Paffion that is not fiuely expreffed in thofe parts of the Infpired Writing, which are proper for Divine Songs and Anthems.

There is a certain Coldmefs and Indifference in the Phrafes of our European Languages, when they are compared with the Oriental Forms of Speech; and it happens very luckily, that the Hebrew idioms run into the English Tongue with a particular Grace ard Beauty. Our Language has received innumerable Elegancies and Improvements, from that Infuiion of Hebraifras, which are derived to it out of the Poetical Paffages in Holy Writ. They give a Force and Energy to our Expreffions, warm and animate our Language, and convey our Thoughts in more ardent and intenfe Phrafes, than any that are to be met with in our own Tongue. There is fonicthing fo pathetick in this kind of Di&tion, that it often fets the Mind in a Flame, aud makes our Hearts born within us. How cold and dead docs a Prayer appear, that is composed in the most Elegant

If any one would judge of the Beauties of Poetry that are to be met with in the Divine Writings, and examine how kindly the Hebrew Manners of Speech mix and incorporate with the English Language; after literal Tranflation of Horace or Pindar. He will having perufed the Book of Pfalms, let him read a find in these two laft fuch an Abfurdity and Confofion of Stile with fuch a Comparative Poverty of Imagination, as will make him very fenfible of what I have been here advancing.

Since we have therefore fuch a Treafury of Words, fo beautiful in themfelves, and fo proper for the Airs of Mutick, I cannot but wonder that Per-. fons of Diftinction should give fo little Attention and Encouragement to that kind of Mufick, which would have its Foundations in Reafon, and which would improve our Virtue in proportion as it raised our Delight. The Pallions that are excited by ordinary Compofitions, generally flow from fuch filly and abfurd Occations, that a Man is ashamed to reAc& upon them feriously; but the Fear, the Love, the Mind by Hymns and Anthems, make the Heart the Sorrow, the Indignation that are awakened in gether reafonable and praife-worthy. Pleafare and better, and proceed from fuch Caules as are altoDuty go hand in hand, and the greater our Satiffaction is, the greater is our Religion.

Mufick among those who were filed the chofen which we have reafon to believe were in high rePeople was a Religious Art. The Songs of Sion,

pute

pute among the Courts of the Eastern Monarchs, were nothing elfe bat Palins and Pieces of Poetry that adored or celebrated the Supreme Being. The greatest Conqueror in this Holy Nation, after the manner of the old Grecian Lyricks, did not only compofe the Words of his Divine Odes, but generally fet them to Mutick himfelf: After which, his Works, tho' they were confecrated to the Tabernacle, became the National Entertainment, as well as the Devotion of his People,

The firft Original of the Drama was a Religious Worship confifting only of a Chorus, which was nothing elfe but an Hymn to a Deity. As Luxury and Voluptuoufnefs prevailed over innocence and Religion, this form of Worship degenerated into Tragedies; in which however the Chorus fo far remembered its first Office, as to brand every thing that was vicious, and recommend every thing that was laudable, to intercede with Heaven for the Innocent, and to implore its Vengeance on the Criminal.

Homer and Hefiod intimate to us how this Art fbould be applied, when they represent the Mufes as furrounding Jupiter, and warbling their Hymns about his 1 hrone. I might fhew, from innu.nerable Paffages in Ancient Writers, not only that Vocal and Infrumental Mulick were made afe of in their Religious Worhip, but that their most favourite Diversions were filled with Songs and Hymns to their respective Deities. Had we frequent Enter. tainments of this Nature among us, they wou'd not a little purifie and exalt our Paffions, give our Thoughts a proper Turn, and cherish thofe Divine Impulfes in the Soul, which every one feels that has not filled them by fenfual and immoderate Plea fures.

Mafiek, whenthus applied, raises noble Hints in the Mind of the Hearer, and fills it with great Conceptions. It firengthens Devotion, and advances Praife into Rapture. it lengthens out every act of Worbip, and produces more lafting and permanent Imprenons in the Mind, than those which accompany any tranfient Form of Words that are uttered in the ordinary Method of Religious Worship,

ADVERTISEMENTS.

For the Benefit of the Box-Keepers. At the Defire of feveral Ladies of Quality. By Her Majesty's Company of Comedians, A

Tthe Theatre Royalin Drury-Lane, on Tuesday next, being the 17th Day of June will be Reviv'd, a Cm dy called, The Jovial Crew: Or, the Marry Baggers. With feveral Eterminments of Singing And Comic-Dincing proper to the Play. To which will he added. A Fares of uge A only, call'd. The Stage Coach. ByHer Majesty's Corani, no Pefons are to be adicted behind the Scenes. And on Thursday next will be prefented Play call the Indian Emperor, or the Co queft of Mesisu by the Spaniards, for the Benefit of Mr. Bickerfia and Mr. Newmin.

The The 14th Day of June. Signor Caver
T. the Queen's Theatre in the Hay-Market, this

liera Nicolino Grimaldi of Apt'achus, And by will Play all the time. pier Gallery. 6 d. obaly a deven

will take his lease of England, in the Opera reafin, of the Hot Weather, the Water Fail Boxes 8. Pics, Firt Gallery 20. 6d. UpDietas upon the Stage half a Guines. To begin

This Day is Publish'd,'

The third Vol. of the Iliad of Homer, with Notes by Madam Dacier, done trom the French by Mr. Brome of St. John's Colledge in Cambridge, and by him compared with the Greek. luftrated with Cut. Note, The 4th and 5th Vol. with a complent Table to the five Vols. are in the Prefs, and will be Publifh din July next by Bernard Lintout at the Crofs Keys between the two Temple Gates in Fl edtreet: Of whom may be had the fine Mifcellany lately Published. This Day is Published,

The whole Works of that excellent Practical Phyfician Dr. Thomas Sydenham, wherein not only the Hiftory of acute D.feafes are treat d'uf after the most accurate Method; buc alfo the J. Pechey of the Colledge of Phyficiaus, price 51. 1afeft way of curing moft Oaron cl D feals. The 5th Edition, by The Works of Etmullers abridg'd, or a compleat system of Phyfick, being a Defcription of all Difesies in ident to Men, Women and Childreu, with the Mechod of Cure. To which is died a fhort account of the Ani mal Functions, with an exa& Claffes of Medicines, price 6 s. Printed

for R. Wellington at the Dolphin and Crown in St. Paul's Ceurchyard.

Whereas John Prince, John Sadler, and William Jodrell. Mercers, at the Black Lyou in Kingstreet Covent Garden, have refolved to leave off the Mercers Trade, Thefe are to give Nocice, That at the faid Shop are to be fold at very low Prices, all Sart of the neweft Fahion Gold and Silver Silks, and Accralles, Flowered and phio Velvers. Silk Brocades, fi wered and plain Satins, Damasks, Watered Tab, Farendines and M hairs, Shigreens, sarfnes, Perfiaus, Silk Night Gowns, Thread Sacoins, Poplins, Norwich Crapes, Silk and othai Druggets, Hair and Worsted Camblets, Hair Shage and haloons.

Juft Publish'd, The Second Edition of Creation. A Philofophical Poem. Demonttrating the

Exiflence and Providence of a Gud. In Seven Books, Blackmore, Enc. M. D. and Fellow of the College of Phyfica in •By Sir Richard London. Printed fur S. Buckley, at the Dolphin in Litde Braids and J. Toplon, at shak. Spear's Head over again Catherine feet in the Strand.

just Published,

A very neat Pocket Edition, in two Vols. 12mo. of the Works Mr. Thomas Oway. containing, Alcibiadee, Do Car. los, Trus and beteica, Friendship a Fafhion, Souldies P rtune in wo Parts, Orphan Caius Marius and Venice Preferved. With his Poems and Live Letters. To which is adfed fune Accunt of the Lite and Writing, of the Author. Primed for 1. Tonfon at Shak. fpear's Head is the strand; andSold by W. Tayir at the Shpin Pater noflr row. The Retir'd Gard'ner, or, Dialogues between Gentleman and a Gard'ne Conta bing the Meheds ut Makinga O dering and Impr ving a Fruit and Kitchin Garden, together with the Mariner Babung and Cultivating Flowers, Planta, Saruba, and Ung-Shrube, neceffary for the Adorning of Gards Scc. In which is explain'd, the Art of Making and Dip Gng terres, Ari our of Greene, Wood-Works, Archet, Columns, and other Recta and Cornpar mens ufually found in the moß Beartitul Gardens of Cornuy Seats. The whole enrich'd with Variety of Figure being a Tradation from the Sieur Louis Liger. To which is add d, a Defcription and Plan of Count Tallard's Garden Nottingham. The whole Revis'd, with fevral Alterations and Additio, which reader it proper for our English Culture, By George London, and Henry Wife. Priced for Jacob Toulon a: Shakespear's Head over against Catherine Street in the Strand.

Par

The Works of Mr. Francis Beaumont and Mr. John Fletcher, in y Vells. 8vo. adorn'd With Cues. Plutarch's Lives ius Volia, trimlared by leveral made. Seneca's Morals tranflated by Sir Ruger Edrang: The Satyrs of Decirgus Jonius Juvendia, &c. tranflated into English Verfe by Mr. Dryden and feveral other eminent Hands. The Works of Mr. Congreve in 3 Volls, confifting of his Plays and Poenis, Poem on feters Occsfim written by Mr. Prior. Paradife los, a Poem, in 12 Books, by Mr. John Mile. The Chriftian Hero, wrirren Sy Mr. Steele. N: B. The three lift are protited with a near Eltever Letter in fmail Pocket V lames: All Printed for Jaab Topfonæ Shakeípter's head over-against Catherinetrees in the Strand.

Letters and Negotiations of the Count D' Eftrades Amballador from Lewis the Four cebrb to the States General of the United Provitices of the Low Countries: From the Year 1663 6 the Year 1569, Confiling chiefly of Original Letters and Inflreckfons trum he French King: and the Minifters, to the faid Count: with bit Anfwers. Where feveral fecret Triafactions between the Coun of England and France during that time. Tranflated by Several, Hands. In Three Volumes Printed for D. Brown, J. Tonon, A. and J. Churchil, J. Koepton, R. Kaplock, G. Strahan, E. Sanger, and J. Pemberton.

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