AND Journal of Belles Lettres, Arts, Sciences, etc. This Journal is supplied Weekly, or Monthly, by the principal Booksellers and Newsmen throughout the Kingdom; but to those who may desire No. 103. SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 1819. REVIEW OF NEW BOOKS. ence to order and nice connexion, and matters. PRICE 8d. goras. I remember our newspapers insisting, that Thomas Kouli Khan was an Irishman, and that his true name was Thomas Callaghan. in the following paragraph (Aug. 1772) Locke: a very odd conjunction!—It says that Arts were brought from the East by Peter Gower. As I am not sure you will find an account of this singular person in all In January 1769, Mr. Walpole writes-Peter Gower was commonly called Pythayour collections, be it known to you, that I have been eagerly reading Mr. Shenstone's Letters, which, tho' containing nothing but trifles, amused me extremely, as particularly myself. I found there, what I they mention so many persons I know; did not know, and what, I believe, Mr. sceptic, having affirmed no less than four On reading over my letter, I find I am no Gray himself never knew, that his ode on times, that I am sure. Though this is exmy cat was written to ridicule Lord Little-tremely awkward, I am sure I will not ton's monody. It is just as true as that the write my letter over again; so pray excuse latter will survive, and the former be for- or burn my tautology." gotten. There is another anecdote equally vulgar, and void of truth: that my father, Mr. Shenstone thought, that, after he quitsitting in George's coffee-house (I suppose ted his place, he went to coffee-houses to learn news,) was asked to contribute to a figure of himself that was to be beheaded by the mob. I do remember something like it, but it happened to myself. I met a mob, just after my father was out, in Hanover-square, and drove up to it, to know about a figure of my sister. This probably what was the matter. They were carrying gave rise to the other story. That on my uncle I never heard; but it is a good story, and not at all improbable., I felt great pity, on reading these Letters, for the narrow circumstances of the author, and the passion for fame that he was tormented with; and yet he had much more fame than his talents intitled him too. Poor man! he wanted to place he had made; and which he seems to have all the world talk of him for the pretty have made only that it might be talked of. The first time a company came to see my house, I felt his joy. I am now so tired of it, that I shudder when the bell rings at the gate. It is as bad as keeping an inn, and I am often tempted to deny its being shewn, if it would not be ill-natured to those that come, and to my housekeeper. I own, I was one day too cross. I had been plagued all the week with staring crowds. At last it rained a deluge. Well, said I, at last, nobody will come to-day. The words were scarce uttered, when the bell rang. A company desired to see the house. I replied, Tell them they cannot possibly see the house, but they are very welcome to walk in the garden. Letters from the Hon. Horace Walpole to the Rev. William Cole and others, from 1745 to 1782. Now first published from the Originals. London 1818. 4to. pp. 259. The great success which attended the recent publication of Horace Walpole's Letters to Mr. Montagu, (of which we inserted a review in no fewer than four Numbers of our volume for 1818) has, we imagine, led to this second publication of the same kind and of similar merit. The lively and Montaigne-ish character of the writer; his intercourse with the literature of the day; his penetrable vanity in disclaiming value in himself, and undervaluing others; his acuteness of remark and frequent severity of opinion; his anecdote, and even his gossiping, form entirely so agreeable a melange, that few books offer more entertainment than his correspondence. From the praise of being eminently so, we must except the early pages of the present volume, which are not so amusing as the rest, though very far from being devoid of interest. The author is so well known, that we shall not deem it necessary to prolong our preface, further than to state that the MS. originals of the letters are in the British Museum, and that Mr. Cole, Vicar of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, was a distinguished antiquarian, who afforded much liberal and important assistance to his contemporaries, though he never published any thing himself. He died Dec. 16th, 1782, aged 68, and within six weeks of the date of Mr. Walpole's last letter, so that their friendship continued to the end; which was not the case with Mr. Montagu, who ceased for years before his death to have any communication with his once dearest friend. We may also premise, that many of these letters treat of the Chatterton controversy, and of the author's defence of himself from the charge of being harsh to that unfortunate impostor; and of his disputes with and I have got to-day, and am reading with contempt of the Antiquarian Society, entertainment, two vols. in 8vo. the Lives from both of which subjects, as they of Leland, Hearne, and Antony Wood. I would lead us into too much disquisi- ford. I think you should add that of your tion, we shall abstain in our extracts. friend Brown Willis. There is a queer These extracts will therefore appear piece on Free-masonry in one of the voalmost a selection of the most piquant fumes, said to be written, on very slender passages and anecdotes, without refer-authority, by Henry 6th, with notes by Mr. VOL. III. Three years later in date do not know the author, but he is of Ox I have seen Lincoln and York; and, to say the truth, prefer the former in some respects. In truth I was scandalized in the latter. William of Hatfield's tomb and figure is thrown aside into a hole; and yet the chapter possess an estate that his moson with my anathema, unless they do justher gave them. I have charged Mr. Matice. I saw Roche Abbey too, which is hid in such a venerable chasm, that you might lie concealed there even from a squire parson of the parish. Lord Scarborough, to whom it belongs, and who lives at next door, neglects it as much as if he was afraid of ghosts. I believe Montesino's cave lay in just such a solemn thicket, which is now spot, one can scarce find the ruins. so over-grown, that when one finds the I forgot to tell you, that in the screen of York Minster there are most curious statues of the kings of England, from the Conqueror to Henry 6th, very singular, evidently by two different hands, the one better than the other, and most of them, I am persuaded, very authentic. Richard 2d, Henry 3d, and Henry 5th, I am sure are; and Henry 4th, though unlike the common portrait at Hampton-court in Herefordshire, the most singular and villanous countenance I ever saw. I intend to try to get them well engraved. That old fool James 1st is crowded in, in the place of Henry 6th, that was taken away to make room for this piece of flattery. For the chapter did not slight live princes. Though the author afterwards gets a little more reconciled to Mr. Gough, and even lends him pictures for his work on British Antiquities, he seems never to against him, thus painted in 1773 :— have surmounted his prepossessions Mr. Gough wants to be introduced to me! Indeed! I would see him as he has been midwife to Masters ; but he is so dull He sprung upon him like a wild beas its utmost fury, and clung to him, overpowering him, threw him upon head, and broke his neck. Silent was warrior's heart, for Antar had annihila him, and he took possession of his arm and his stud. He next assailed the rear of the b and slew twenty of them; and t killing the chief, the Cahtanians w panic struck, and fled without their p In that age it is stated, The Arabs were of two classes; fr Yemen to India they were called the trib Cahtan; and in Mecca and Hijaz they w called the tribe of Adnan. to the favour of all the women, and Antar's last exploit recommended h that he would only be troublesome-and an author. He set out with Ornithology, | (who happened to be the possesso besides you know I shun authors, and would and a little Natural History, and picks up Ibla)never have been one myself, if it obliged his knowledge as he rides. I have a still me to keep such bad company. They are lower idea of Mr. Gough for Mr. Penalways in earnest, and think their profession nant, at least, is very civil: the other is a serious, and dwell upon trifles and reverence hog. Mr. Fenn, another smatterer in anlearning. I laugh at all those things, and tiquity, but a very good sort of man, told write only to laugh at them, and divert my-me, Mr. Gough desired to be introduced to self. None of us are authors of any conse- me-but as he has been such a bear to you,* quence; and it is the most ridiculous of all he shall not come. The Society of Antivanities to be vain of being mediocre. A quaries put me in mind of what the old page in a great author humbles me to the Lord Pembroke said to Anstis, the herald: dust, and the conversation of those that are "Thon silly fellow, thou dost not know thy not superior to myself, reminds me of what own silly business." If they went beyond will be thought of myself. I blush to flat-taste, by poking into barbarous ages, when ter them, or to be flattered by them, and there was no taste, one could forgive them should dread letters being published some -but they catch at the first ugly thing they time or other, in which they should relate see, and take it for old, because it is new our interviews, and we should appear like to them, and then usher it pompously into those puny conceited witlings in Shenstone's the world, as if they had made a discovery: and Hugh's Correspondence, who give tho' they have not yet cleared up a single themselves airs from being in possession of point that is of the least importance, or the soil of Parnassus for the time being; as that tends to settle any obscure passage in peers are proud, because they enjoy the history. estates of great men who went before them. Mr. Gough is very welcome to see Strawberry-hill; or I would help him to any scraps in my possession, that would assist his publications; though he is one of those industrious, who are only reburying the dead-but I cannot be acquainted with him. It is contrary to my system, and my humour; and, besides, I know nothing of barrows, barisms, and Phoenician characters-in and Danish entrenchments, and Saxon barshort, I know nothing of those ages that knew nothing-then how should I be of use to modern literati? All the Scotch metaphysicians have sent me their works. I did not read one of them, because I do not understand, what is not understood by those that write about it; and I did not get ac quainted with one of the writers. I should like to be intimate with Mr. Anstey, even though he wrote Lord Buckhorse, or with the author of the Heroic Epistle--I have no thirst to know the rest of my cotemporaries, from the absurd bombast of Dr. John son down to the silly Dr. Goldsmith; though the latter changeling has had bright gleams of parts, and the former had sense, till he changed it for words, and sold it for a pen sion. Don't think me scornful. Recollect that I have seen Pope, and lived with Gray. Adieu! There is much truth in these remarks, with much to which we cannot subscribe. The next paragraph is curious in several respects. (To be concluded in our next.) from Mr. Cole for nearly a twelvemonth. ANTAR, a Bedoueen Romance, translated (Continued.) Lion he had slain, and noticed the pru- lords; for They sat down to eat, and the wine cups pecially of Semeeah, his father's wi and previously his enemy. On the turn of Shedad he found the captur horses among his herds, and suspecti Antar of having murdered their ride for the sake of the animals, he bou him with a rope, and beat him with whip. Such was the filial reverence these days, that the son bore this punis ment without resistance: at length S Zoheir, also honoured him greatly f meeah came and discovered the secret his gallantry and conduct. The kin the deliverance he had wrought. H next feat was of the same kind, again the Princes of Abs on a party of ple 300 marauding Cahtanians who attack sure, but were routed by the extraord nary prowess and force of Antar. Fo this he was taken from tending th flocks, and raised by the King to th rank of a warrior. Antar's faithful love for Ibla is no and being called into the presence of h talked of with his other good qualitie mistress, he is desired to sing her prais positions of that era, at once beautiful His song is a fine specimen of the con simple and highly figurative. I love thee with the love of a noble bo hero; and I am content with thy imagina phantom. Thou art my sovereign in very blood; and my mistress; and in th is all my confidence. O Ibla, my descri Mr. Pennant has given a new edition of This sweetly painted scene is height-prehendest every perfection! Were I tion cannot pourtray thee, for thou con his former Tour, with more cuts. Among ened to introduce disaster. In the midst say thy face is like the full moon of heave others, is the vulgar head, called the coun- of their dancing and sports, a cloud of where in that full moon is the eye of t tess of Desmond. I told him I had disco- dust suddenly rises, and a troop of antelope? Were I to say thy shape is lik vered, and proved past contradiction, that seventy horsemen, "armed with cui- the branch of the Erak-tree; Othou slame it is Rembrandt's mother. He owned it, rasses and coats of mail, and Aadite it in the grace of thy form! In thy for and said, he would correct it by a note-helmets, crying out, O by Cahtan!" head is my guide to truth; and in th but he has not. This is a brave way of surprise and carry off the women and night of thy tresses I wander astray. Th being an antiquary! as if there could be any teeth resemble stringed jewels; but ho merit in giving for genuine, what one knows virgins, and Ibla among the latter. This can I liken them to lifeless pearls? Th to be spurious. He is, indeed, a superficial roused the spirit of Antar, who, un- bosom is created as an enchantment. man, and knows little of history or anti-armed as he was, pursued the ravishers may God protect it ever in that perfection quity: but he has a violent rage for being on foot, and, overtaking the hindmost To be connected with thee, is to be con ted with every joy, but separated from my world is the bond of thy connexion. Fader thy veil is the rose-bud of my life, thine eyes are guarded with a multiade of arrows; round thy tent is a lion rior, the sword's edge, and the spear's pt. O thy face is like the full moon of eaven, allied to light, but far from my Aipes. We know not how many of our alers will agree with us in thinking this song preeminently pathetic and ptical: we confess that we are not surprised at its effects on Ibla and her her, who were astonished, and Ibla garded the bard with affection, nor that the "verses were soon published ngst the whole tribe, and men and nen sang and repeated them." His rise in honour and fame augrented the hatred of Antar's enemies; but he continued his marvellous career, and fouled every stratagem to assassinate and overthrew every foe of the the of Abs, in which he was greatly sisted by his half-brother Shiboob, an ring archer. Antar, after a dreadful Battle, in which he destroys the King of the Cahtans, determines that Shedad l either acknowledge him as his Son, be will kill him and transfer his serVites to another tribe more sensible of las merits. The King gave Antar a beautiful robe, and mounted him on an Arab horse, and a klace of burnished gold, studded with pearls and jewels; he presented him also with an excellent sword, and Antar quitted he tents of King Zoheir, clothed in that perb robe and cloak, and mounted on the horse. But he soon dismounted, and sed by the side of his father; and when y entered the tent, Antar kissed his er's feet: O master, said he, why do For not grant me my due, as others, far and ar, have done? or bestow on me what I ush desire? Tell me, said Shedad, you want, make known what you , that I may be kind to you; I will avariciously refuse you. Now Shedad ht he wanted a camel to ride, or a to live in, or a female slave to attend But Antar replied, I request of you, ester, that the rank and dignity of an be appropriated to me; and that you acknowledge me as your son, and elf as my father, so that my rank may de known, and I become a Chief; in truth I will reward you as no one can, I will reduce the Arab Princes selves to your obedience, through fear iny sword and spear. When Antar had finished speaking, Sheeyes started into the crown of his a, his affections cooled, and his disorder mind increased. Thou base-born! he Ted, hast thou forgotten that thou hast ed the camels and the sheep, and cold the ordure of beasts among the Lontains? Thou son of a slave; verily, the robe of King Zoheir plays about thy | twelve hundred years ago the Arabs set loins, and his words float upon thine ears; upon particular breeds of their horses. thou hast indeed made a demand, and When we recollect how little of Arab hast raised thyself on high; and thou record, prior to the appearance of Mawouldst make me a by-word with every one homet, is known, the extract will, we that should hear thee: nothing have I for thee but a sword, and I will cut off thy think, be read with interest. head. Upon this, Shedad drew his sword, as soon as he had finished, and rushed at him, and all the slaves ran away from him. Semeeah however interfered, and prevented bloodshed. We quote the passage to shew the insuperable difficulties in the way of a person born a slave, emerging from his grade in these ancient times. Even Antar, the son of a high Chief, and the performer of so many heroic exploits, was denied and spurned for the request. In his despair he seeks his friend Prince Malik, who inquires the cause of his grief. my O, my Lord, he replied, I demanded of father the rank and honour of an Arab; but he has abused me, and beaten me, and wished to kill me, and has made me a laughing-stock among the Arab Chiefs. You have been wrong, said Malik to Antar, in this sad affair; you have done that which would not, at any rate, have induced him to tinued Antar, reprove my ambition, which acknowledge you. Do not, my Lord, conoften robs me of my wits and discretion; but had I not been intoxicated, this would not have happened, and I should have concealed my wishes, and submitted patiently to my misfortunes, till death had overtaken me. But in all circumstances thou art my master. Ah! my Lord, continued he, how often have I relieved them from their foes, and no one ever assisted me! Know too, that I love Ibla, the daughter of my Uncle Malik; and she drives away the sleep from my eyelids, and in my sleepless nights I am united to her; but my father Shedad has cut off all my hopes, and misfortunes upon misfortunes overpower me. I only demanded to be recognized as his son, that I might be united to her; but truly all my hopes of her are completely destroyed. No joy now remains for me, and the light of the day is the darkness of night in my eyes. I have no home but among the wild beasts and reptiles. This passionate complaint moves the sympathy of the kind Prince, who consulted with his father as to what might be done for Antar; but in the meantime, having armed himself, he set out alone, reckless of all, and pursuing no certain path in his desertion of his ungrateful country. Accidentally meeting with a predatory band of his own tribe, under the command of Ghegadh, he joins them on their plundering excursion, under condition of receiving a share of one fourth, and they proceed together. We copy the result, as not only curiously illustrative of the manners of the age, but of the prodigious value which even In this manner they proceeded till they approached the land of the tribe of Cahtan, where they saw a great quantity of cattle, and some high raised tents and lofty pavilions; grazing, and the people unsuspicious of a many horses running about and camels reverse of fortune. Here, my cousins, said Ghegadh, is a rich tribe, and the people few in number; let us attack and despoil them whilst it is dark, and we will quit their country in safety; before morning we shall be shook their lances in their hands, and drew far away among the wastes. They instantly their brilliant faulchions; and as they drove the camels and the horses from the tents and the habitations, the men mounted to keep them off from the women and families. But the sons of Abs forced them back towards the tents, and trampled them down upon the ground, seizing their property and spoil. Antar rushed down upon them, and obliged them to fly. Do you, said Ghegadh to Antar, drive away the cattle, and we will repulse all that dare pursue them. Antar drove away the cattle, and had proceeded some way, when lo! a knight rushed out from the ravines in the rocks, mounted on a dark-coloured colt, beautiful and compact, and it was of a race much prized among the Arabs; his hoofs were as flat as the beaten coin; when he neighed, he seemed as if about to speak, and his ears like quills; his sire was Wasil, and his dame Hemama. When Antar cast his eyes upon the horse, and observed his speed and his paces, and his uncommon beauty, he felt that no horse could surpass them, so his whole heart and soul longed for it. Antar was not a person to long for any thing and not attempt to obtain it. He left the plundered cattle, and pur 66 sued the stranger, a renowned horseman called Harith, the son of Obad," till sunset, when they reached a broad plain. Some parley ensued, and Harith ultimately gave his horse, on condition that the booty should be restored to the wretched Cahtans. His character of the steed is singular, and beats the best of our racing calendars. A horse like this, says he, whose lineage is as well known as that of the nobles' warriors; for should his master be in diffi culties, he will liberate him; he moves and flies without wings; and if you have not heard of his fame, I will tell you-he is called Abjer, whom Chosroe and the Grecian Emperors, and the princes of the tribe of Asfar, have anxiously wished to possess. Having found refuge and eaten bread with the tribe despoiled by Antar and his companions, the benevolent Harith | seems to have been less in proportion than Considerations on the Political and Commercial state of the European Powers, from the Revolution, to the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle. ANALYSIS OF THE JOURNAL DES SAVANS, Art. IV.-Morrison's View of China, for that is, those who have sent tribute in An bassadors to China, as the Coreans, th Tonquinese, the Ho-lan (Hollanders,) ti Houng-mao, or red hair, now called In ki-li (English,) the Oros, or Russians, a numberless others. As the author h taken these details from the great geogr phical work composed by order of t Mantchou Emperors, they contain curio particulars. The table of the latitudes a longitudes of several cities of Tartary, a cording to the grand imperial map, mu particularly engage the attention of geog Mr. Robert Morrison is acknowledged phers. But what Mr. Morrison has add by the English who study Chinese litera- to these authentic documents, and the co ture, to be one of those who have made the parisons he has endeavoured to make, co greatest progress in it, and have best sur-tain a considerable number of importa errors. For instance, he takes the Kalkas f the Kirgis; Ya-ke-sa, or Yaksa, for Y koutzk, which is above 200 leagues dista from it; Niptchou, or Nertchinsk, for T bolsk, which is nearly 500 leagues from &c. &c. What is more remarkable, in book printed in China, there are ma errata in the orthography or the pronunc tion of the Chinese characters; some which recur so frequently, that they c scarcely be attributed to negligence or i attention. Among the various political pamphlets The Author takes a rapid but masterly view of the events of the French Revolution, and their effects in the different States of Europe, and develops, with great ability, the probable results of the political arrangements consequent upon the expulsion of Buonaparte from Europe. This pamphlet has been much read by all parties in Paris, and, from the excellence of the style, the clearness of the reasoning, and the important facts which it contains, is so justly celebrated on the Continent, that we have thought it proper to announce its claims to English readers. CASUALTIES IN PRUSSIA, IN 1817. In preparing, for the Chinese dictionary which he has undertaken, the extracts which are to form the basis of his labours, Mr. Morrison perceived that a great number of details relative to the history, the government, the geography, or the customs of China, could not find a place in a dictionary, though they were indispensable to those who desire to read Chinese books. As he had wanted them himself, he judged that they might be useful to others, and has collected them in a volume, which may serve as a manual, and be of service even to those who learn nothing new from it. With respect to Chronology, the Author has not attempted any new discussion of those great questions, in the Chinese annals, which have a claim on the attention of all the nations in the world. It would reM. Von Kampz, at Berlin, has published quire long and profound researches on this a remarkable statement of all the casualties subject, to add any thing to the information that occurred in the Prussian Monarchy in which we owe to Gaubil, the Deguignes, the course of the year 1817, extracted from Couplet, Amiot, and so many other learned official documents. The number of those missionaries or laymen, whose works must always be the guide of those who shall who perished by a violent death, was no henceforth treat on these subjects. Mr. less than 1925; among whom were, in Morrison has not pretended to surpass bathing, 125; on the ice, 24; struck by them, and, if we may speak our thoughts, lightning, 44; frozen to death, 29; sufwe are tempted to believe that he is not acfocated, 25; by Hydrophobia, 8; by fire- quainted with them. He has contented The number of suicides was himself with drawing up a table, which he seven hundred! There occurred instances has, rather oddly, begun at our times, and of manslaughter, 60; murder, 48; infan- ended with the fabulous ages. This table, ticide, 94; persons murdered by their hus-less imperfect than those of Fourmont, and bands or wives, 12. There were duels, 11; Deguignes (the son,) is even preferable to robberies, 9646; burglaries, 1409; high- those of Couplet, and Deguignes (the way robberies, 141; arson, 159 instances. father,) the names of the Emperors being The whole number of crimes committed, set down in Chinese, with the years of their amounted to 12,292. The whole popula- reign.-Besides the list of Emperors, the tion of the Prussian Monarchy, according table contains likewise the series of remarkto official statements, amounts to about able events, or rather of the irregularities 10,058,000 souls. By accidental fires were which have struck the author in the course destroyed, 19 public buildings; 1298 barns of his reading. and other out-buildings; 1210 dwellinghouses; 684 farm-houses. In the district included in the Government of Berlin, arms, 60. After the chronological table, there is a View of the Empire of the Mantchous, comprising the twenty provinces of China and Oriental Tartary. The author states the name of the Capital of each Province, its distance from Pekin in Li, and the population of each, the sum total of which he estimates at a little less than 150,000,000. He gives the lists of the tribes of Mongols and other Tartar people, recently rendered subject to the Empire. Afterwards comes an enumeration of the tributary nations, The names and titles of the officers Government are among the matters the Chinese book, the most embarras ing to European readers. Mr. Morris has drawn up a table of them, which m be very useful, though it is not comple He has added the list of the festivals, of t Constellations, of the twenty-four divisio of the year, and, lastly, of the divinities spirits adored by the three predomina sects, with some notes on the marriage the funerals, the eight Trigrammes of Fo hi, &c. All these things, which stop us every page of the books, require explan tions, which it is as easy to obtain in Chi as it is difficult to procure in Europe. This is doubtless sufficient to recomme the work in which they are found unite but we are obliged to confess that this is chief merit. body knows, in the composition of a d Mr. Morrison, who is engaged, as eve tionary which will occupy his whole li terminates the work before us by observir that a European has few motives to und take the study of the Chinese, or at le no motives strong enough to induce him study it successfully. In another place, says that "No person in Europe has s ceeded in acquiring the language to extent." These two assertions appear to equally singular. They proceed, we thin from Mr. Morrison's opinion, that a pers at Canton possesses more means than be had in France or in England, to ma himself familiar with the Chinese Liter ture, and to judge of its merit. But th is a great error. None of those persons Europe who have seriously applied to t Chinese, would have committed the faul which we have noticed in the work of M Morrison. When he said, on a former o casion, that a person would be more adva tageously situated for composing a Chine dictionary, at London or at Paris, than at Cauton, this assertion may perhaps have appeared paradoxical. We would now go farther and say, that it is more easy to acquire there an intimate knowledge of the language, in a literary and historical view. There are more means of comparison, more materials prepared beforehand, more real aids. Without speaking of the Chinese, we may observe what happens in the study of other Oriental languages. We often see literati, who have never been out of France, surpass, in their knowledge of the languages, the history, and the literature of the Eastern nations, those who have had no other advantage than that of visiting the country, and sometimes even the best in formed travellers. We need not go far to find instances. (To be Cuntinacd.) ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. ON THE STATE OF MUSIC AND MUSICAL TUITION IN ENGLAND. ignoble, useful or pernicious. No wonder as many the ultimate reward is out of the reach of capable of teaching with effect, who cannot illustrate his lessons by example as well as precept. Nothing is more common than to hear the abilities of a teacher extolled to the skies, though he himself would bungle most miserably over the lesson he pretends True musical inclination never can be to teach. Nay, more! he would himself universal; it is not so among the most mumost unblushingly avow his own incompesical people in Europe. Fashion is much tence, and urge his knowledge of music more so. It says, "There shall be mu- and experience in the art of teaching, as a sic in society" -But what sort of mumost ample title to the credit he may enjoy. sic?" Any sort-only let every family In one respect he is quite right; he may comthat can afford it have a Pianoforte, municate a thorough knowledge of the eleand hire a master; then make what you tience to follow him through the drudgery ments of music, if any pupil has the paplease of it." And, indeed, we are a most egregiously musical nation. There of technical detail, with the certainty that are as many Pianofortes, and teachers in London alone, as in all the ca- both. In Music, it is most eminently true pitals of Europe put together! Yet as far that "example is better than precept;" and as social music is concerned, there is not I will venture to assert, that every pupil of one half the good music to be met with here talent will derive more benefit from hearing as in any one of them. All this is "passing his study correctly and tastefully performed, strange," yet of most easy solution. The than from mere dry instruction in the mefact is, that the great majority of our music chanical and theoretical part of it. It would masters know nothing at all about the mat-be silly to deny the necessity of precept; but ter. But since fashion has introduced the without constant and correct exemplificaThe obstacles to a proper study of Music Pianoforte and the Harp into every decent tion, it must remain a dead letter. in this country are indeed very numerous. family in the metropolis, the demand for Amongst the most formidable must be masters is proportionably great; there is reckoned that sort of dabbling in music an excellent market, and inferior goods which has become almost universal among pass off at a high price. Any man who can the wealthier classes of society. The art play a concerto of Handel, or accompany a has followed the course of every fashionable song without much blundering, sets up in occupation in this country; it has descended business as a music master. He cannot of gradually from the higher to the lower course teach more than he knows, and ranks of life, itself partaking of the degra- therefore pupils of talent fare no better than dation at each step. For it is requisite to those who have none. This stock is soon acquire by diligent practice and long tui- exhausted; but fortunately the deficiency tion, the facility of execution necessary to is not perceived, a cloud of happy ignoearn the approbation of a fashionable as- rance envelops parents, teachers, and pupils sembly. In such society, the degree of alike, and thus they blunder on together to skill attained is judged of by comparison the end of the chapter. Real talent rebetween rival performers, vying with each mains undiscovered, because it has no opother, which can excite the most astonish-portunity of developing itself. Every ment in the audience, by the dexterity of their musical feats. And though no real knowledge of music can possibly result from such efforts, considerable readiness in the mechanical part of the art is thereby gained. In the less exalted ranks of life this can never be, very generally at least, the case. There no expensive tuition can be resorted to, no great portion of time withdrawn from the common occupations of life to be consumed in musical study. There there are no crowded parties of soi-disant connoisseurs to exhibit before; and though the opportunities of gratification for individual vanity are perhaps not fewer, yet it is done at a much cheaper rate. The fare is coarser, but the appetite is quite as keen. But it is an artificial appetite, kept alive by fashion, and fed by the sordid craft of inHumerable musical quacks, who, for the benefit of their trade, purposely banish true knowledge, and cry down its advocates. In England, every thing is put to profit. A man's wits are often as productive a stock in trade as his money; nor can there be a fairer field for gain than the fashionable follies of the day: these succeed each other with inconceivable rapidity, and attach themselves to every pursuit, whether noble or If more attention were paid to ascertain the existence of real musical talent before expensive instruction is resorted to, there would be indeed fewer pupils and fewer masters; but the good consequences to the progress of the art in England, would be incalculable. Now, hours upon hours are consumed in unprofitable, because ill-directed, labour; and that, in a great measure, from want of knowing what might be done in the same time by a better system of study. The mists which obscure our musical horizon, disperse but slowly; and, indeed, I should consider it no bad symptom if Music were to go out of fashion, for then it would be intolerable in all but persons of real ability; others would have no teacher is interested in crying down the inducement to apply to it, as a means of higher class of composers, because their gratifying the passion for fashionable notoworks are beyond the reach of his ac- riety. It ought to be generally felt and quirements. They are as far from compre- understood, that we must begin with enhending Handel, as far from appreciating larging our acquaintance with the ancient his greatest beauties, as they are from pos- as well as the modern composers. We must sessing any knowledge of his great succes- throw off the degrading yoke imposed upon sors. I have myself known fainilies, who, us by the host of interested ignoramuses. after having drawn from their music mas- We must check the progress of that system ters all that they were able to teach (which of imposition which is now carrying on by indeed barely exceeded the first principles foreign masters, in imitation of the native of the art,) have retained them for a great tribe. Most of them are unquestionably length of time from mere ignorance of that superior to our own masters; yet such is fact; which, when clearly pointed out, has the vanity of the whole race, such the occasioned much surprise, and the sudden readiness with which they have adopted the dismissal of their musical quack. There is practices of the craft, that instead of leada test which, though in itself perfectly fairing their pupils directly to the fountain and equitable, would deprive half the mu- head of elegant and scientific harmony, sic masters in England of the means of im- they rather consider them as a channel for posing on the public. If every family en- disseminating and making profit of their gaging a teacher were to require him, as a own productions. They delight in sending proof of his qualification, to play with cor- out a race of musical rope-dancers and harrectness and taste, before some competent lequins, whose feats are surprising, but judge, any one piece out of that class of their music not worth a farthing. But it is compositions which he proposes to make a mistake to suppose that talent and feelsubjects of his instructions, I greatly fearing are at all necessary to compass such that barely one in five would come off with credit. It is preposterous to say that any man is tricks as these, either on the Pianoforte or any other instrument. This astonishing, this absolutely alarming accomplishment, is the |