wrote according to the rules of grammar, and were masters of the philosophy of it. We are frequently with our writers in no such condition; for where is the necessity of grammar to comprehend that which is written without? Most necessary is it, however, to make us capable of entering thoroughly into the meaning of the noble works of ancient Greece and Rome. He, therefore, who furnishes us with arms qualified most readily to achieve this purpose, is worthy of the highest distinction. In this situation stands the learned and ingenious Dr. Valpy, whose Latin Grammar has deserved so well of the rising generation, and whose present Greek Grammar on a similar plan, will be found a luminous torch to the remains of Grecian poetry, wit, and eloquence.

This elementary work has the advantage of experience to prove its utility. Among his own pupils, it has been tried, and the event of that trial has exceeded his most sanguine expectations." Advert.

Graminar cannot be too much simplified, and such has been Dr. Valpy's principal object with regard to the rules to be committed to memory, while the notes for the maturer student, are minute and comprehensive. With respect to the greek declensions, “Grammatici certant.' Vossius and others reduced the number to three, which has been sanctioned by Messieurs de Port Royal. Busby, in his metrical grammar, prefers five declensions, but in doing this, he had in view the assimilation of the Greek and Latin languages. Dr. Valpy judiciously adopts the simplest mode, and thinks, with Sharpe, that the formation of such nouns as are called patronymic, diminutive, amplifying, possessive, and verbal, is better acquired by use, than by a multitude of rules.

To

The plan of the conjugations is excellent, for the facility it gives to their acquisition; but we do not approve of the omission of a synopsis to the contracted forms of verbs. This is surely no simplification. have followed the ingenious system of Hermannus in the irregular verbs might have produced brevity, but "brevis esse, &c." and under Dr. V.'s peculiar circumstances, it was wisely avoided. The meaning and construction of prepositions are well elucidated, and Huntingford's Exercises recommended by a very honest and just eulogium. In the Syntax, though his pro

phane authorities are of the greatest purity, we should have preferred examples from the New Testament. The best works on prosody, rhythm, dialects, and accents, are prudently enumerated.

"The great object of the author has been, "says he," utility. He has endeavoured to explain the meaning of terms, and the causes of constructions, and to enliven the rules by anological allusions to other languages; a mode of comparison best calculated to illustrate and familiarize the subject." Advert.

Many of his remarks in the notes are new, and he courts even "the severity of censure," to improve a second edition. To cavil at what he has occasionally stated, or to differ from him with an appearance of reason, would be no hard task. It is well known indeed that nothing is easier in most things than to find fault, but especially in regard to classical criticism, in which we all are frequently obliged to guess, and every one most admires his own conjecture. He, however, who can offer to the learned grammarian, arguments sufficiently potent to shew the practicability of materialiy improving this grammar, according to its present dimensions and object, is one whose assistance Dr. Valpy may desire, but cannot easily expect.

REVIEW OF MUSIC.

THE list of literary periodical critics is a numerous one, that of musical critics is, we believe, very confined: willingly, therefore, we devote a few pages of our miscellany to a subject so pleasing and so popular. As music is divided into so many different styles, each of which has its warm and exclusive admirers, it may be asked, under the banners of which of these contending, though not discordant, leaders we propose to enlist ourselves. We answer, that every kind and style of music, whether solemn or airy, whether learned or popular, if it shall be found in our opinion to possess real and intrinsic excellence, will command our approbation and ensure our praise. We are admirers of every good school, and we hope bigots to none. Acknowledging with alacrity, and contemplating with admiration, the wonderful powers and the majestic genius of Handel, we profess ourselves

his warmest admirers; we regard him as the first of musi-cians; we joyfully award him the right of undisputed sovereignty in the empire of harmony: but while, we pay this willing tribute to his exalted merit, we are equally ready to bestow a portion of our praise, and by no means an inconsiderable one, upon those great masters of song who preceded, who flourished with, and who followed him. We can turn with delight from the learned and sublime compositions of Purcell, of Gibbons or of Croft, to the more light and elegant productions of Haydn, Pleyel, or Mozart: the works of our more modern English composers, equally with those of the present Italian school, will excite our admiration and applause. True genius is confined to no climate, is limited to no country; wherever we find it, we shall hail it with pleasure, and notice it with approbation. It shall be our constant care, and our unremitted endeavour to maintain the credit, and improve the style of the true and legitimate English school of inusic, a style which, equally removed from the quaint intricacies and subtleties of harmony, and the flimsy and meretricious appendages of false taste, has always boasted the most powerful supporters. In short, it is our duty, and shall be our pride to prove ourselves the steady supporters of genuine merit, and the constant friends of true genius. These remarks premised, we enter on the discharge of our duty.

"Secure by George's care.”

A Glee for four Voices. Composed by John Stafford Smith.

It is singular enough that neither the Germans nor the Italians, have any species of composition precisely answering to our Glee. They have their Motetts, and their Trios and Quartetts; but the Glee is of genuine English origin. This is the more surprizing, since, perhaps, of the various kinds of music, there is none which affords more pleasure, either to the singer or to the hearer, than a good Glee. The performance of it is not confined to the concert room, nor the enjoyment of it to the scientific hearer; it enlivens the festive board, and adds a zest to the pleasures of the table. The number of Glee writers has been very considerable, and the number of good ones by no means small. The names of Webbe, Cooke, Danby, Paxton, and many others, are familiar to all lovers of harmony, and among them that of John Stafford Smith, deserves to hold a high rank. The melodies of his Glees are pleasing, and his inner parts well arranged. His compositions display much originality of thought, and correctness of execution; and he has been careful not to write himself down by publishing every trifling production of his pen. The number of his Glees is indeed comparatively small, but every one of them possesses

sterling merit. That now before us is worthy of its author; the melody is well adapted, and the parts carefully arranged: the modulation is bold, and the different movements relieve each other with great effect. We have no doubt of its becoming a popular and standard Glee. We are sorry to see Mr. Smith give into the fashion of writing his Alto and Tenor parts in the G clef,

"O row thee in my Highland Plaid "

A favourite Scottish Ballad, written by Mr. Robert Tannahil, and set to Music, with an Accompaniment for the Piano Forte, by Mr. Ross of Aberdeen.

It is the fate of most imitators of what is excellent, to catch the peculiarities, rather than the beauties of their original. Thus most of those writers who have attempted to compose what they call Scottish Ballads, suppose that they have completely caught the character and manner of the genuine Scottish style, when they have in fact generally contented themselves with now and then interspersing a few of the obvious peculiarities of it, in different parts of their melody. The composition by this means assumes a heterogeneous appearance, it becomes a mixture of two different styles, and cannot properly be classed with either; precisely as if a man, not content with putting on a coat of English broad cloth, must decorate it with, now and then, a stripe or a fringe of the Scottish plaid. Some of the genuine Scottish airs possess much sweetness, and a degree of delicacy and tenderness, that has not been surpassed by the national music of any country. The airs of "Tweed Side," "The Yellow Hair'd Laddie," and "Roslin Castle," are exquisite specimens of unadorned elegant melody. Mr. Ross, to be sure, may claim a sort of national right, to be a composer of Scottish ballads, but we must frankly confess that he does not come up to our ideas of the character of the school which he adopts. Some of the turns and peculiarities of the Scottish music appear in his ballads, but they possess not the originality or the sweetness of the models he has copied. There is too great a mixture of the modern English with the old Scottish style. We cannot therefore bestow upon Mr. Ross in this instance more than a moderate share of our approbation.

"We'll meet beside the dusky glen."

A Scottish Ballad, written by Mr. Robert Tannahill, and set to Music, with an Accompaniment for the Piano Forte, by Mr. Ross.

We like this ballad rather better than the foregoing one. It possesses more of the characteristic simplicity of the Scottish style. It is however rather destitute of originality, and the same passage occurs so frequently as to tire the hearer, especially as the song is protracted to four verses.

66 Accept a heart my dearest girl.”

A favourite Rondo, written by Mr. W. Preston, and set to Music with an Accompaniment for the Piano Forte, by Mr. Ross.

Here we meet Mr. Ross on English ground, and here, strange as it may seem, he appears more at home than in Scotland. We re

gret that we cannot award him a distinguished place among our Composers; but to this we presume he does not aspire. The subject of the rondo is certainly not very new, the accompaniment however is well arranged, and the whole produces rather a pleasing effect.

"Tothy rocks, stormy Lannow, adieu.”

A Ballad, by Anne Seward, set to Music, with an Accompaniment for the Piano Forte, by Mr. Ross.

This ballad possesses more merit than any of the above-mentioned compositions of this author. The melody, though certainly not entitled to the praise of originality, is striking, and expresses well the sentiment of the words. We are sorry not to be able to give Mr. Ross our unqualified approbation even in this ballad, which we certainly on the whole are inclined to speak well of; but we think he has not made sufficient use of the advantage which the minor mood possesses, that of modulating with effect, into the major. At the commencement of the second part of the song, he does indeed change into the key of E flat, but it is for so short a time, that we scarcely feel it before we are carried back to the original one of C minor, where we are kept to the end of the song. The words are parodied by Miss Seward, on the elegant ballad of "Seaton Cliffs," which was set by the present Dr. Clarke of Cambridge, witb accompaniments by Dr. P. Hayes, and was one of the first of that ingenious Composer's productions.We will give Mr. Ross one piece of advice, which we think he will do well to attend to. Let him aim more at quality than quantity in his compositions, and let him beware of thinking that every production of his pen is worthy the public attention; for if he is desirous of establishing a permanent reputation, one composition possessing true genius and originality, will more certainly effect his purpose, than fifty flimsy productions which are forgotten as quickly as they are performed.

Aria et Rondo pour le Piano Forte, composeés et dedicés a mi Lady Charlotte Spencer, par L. Von Esch.

M. Von Esch is a Composer of considerable eminence for the Piano Forte. The style of his music is not indeed marked by much originality, nor can he be classed with the first writers for the instrument; but his compositions bespeak an intimate knowledge of it, combined with a pleasing fancy, and a correct taste. The aria before us, opens well, and the subject is skillfully kept up. The Polacca which follows, is lively and elegant. On the whole we can. recommend it as a good lesson for the young performer.

Marche Sicilienne, et Rondo pour le Piano Forte, composeés et dedieés a mi Lady Frances Pratt, par L. Von Esch.

The march in A major with which this piece opens, is bold and spirited; a Siciliana movement in A minor follows, which leads into a rondo, of which the subject is pretty, and the arrangement skilful. The whole lies well for the hand, and will be found a pleasing as well as useful lesson.