children. It should be remembered, however, that the aggregate of this unisonous and simple chorus was supported by at least 4000 voices of innocent and helpless orphans; the sight of whom, and the ideas connected with them, helped the pathos which their united voices produced:-but can we hear such congregate sounds, and see such an infant assembly, every day? In the effects produced by the music of the antient Greeks, we may certainly conclude that collateral causes were laid under contribution. Poetry does not lose so much by age as Melody, which is a mere child of fancy. The poetry of Milton, Dryden, and Pope, is now in as high estimation as ever; while the melodies of Henry Lawes, Dr. Blow, and Dr. Green, the favourites of their day, are become uncouth and vulgar. We have no objection to such simple strains as our author desires, in the quiet hours of retirement;' only let him not oblige us to pay half a guinea for hearing them in public, at the oratorio, opera, or concerts. Indeed there is, always, for the hearers of these musical exhibitions, simple and easy music mixed with other compositions of a more elaborate kind; and so there should be, not only for contrast, but to suit the taste, science, and expectations of a mixed audience. The author may be assured that, if the undertakers of public musical performances could have been equally patronized by the lovers of the art, for simple music, executed by simple performers, such as our own capital and provincial cities can supply, they would never have hazarded the expence of bringing over from remote kingdoms such able musicians as Handel, Bononcini, Bach, Sacchini, and Haydn, to compose; nor Farinelli, Senesino, Faustini, Cuzzoni, Manzoli, Agujari, Pacchierotti, Marchesi, Mara, and Banti, to sing. In p. 39, the writer is unfortunate in his assertion that 'even histories, particularly [that of] Herodotus, were written in verse, and publicly sung by a chorus, to the sound of instruments." This is new information indeed! We had always understood that Herodotus was the first Greek writer in prose. Nor is there any poetry in his history, except some Delphic verses, and two or three quotations from Homer. PART II. Sketch of Harmony-its Use-and Misapplication. Nothing can more plainly prove the necessity of variety in the style and composition of music for public performance, than the complaints which the author urges in this chapter. The patrons of the antient school of composition speak of the modern, as "thin, flimsy stuff; whipt-sillabub, without contrivance, and unsupported by harmony;" and here is a gentleman who wants harmony to be wholly thrown aside. Rousseau, : in one of his paradoxes, which he could make specious and so well support, has said * "When we reflect that, though the people of every quarter of the globe have music of some kind, yet that the Europeans only have harmony or music in parts, it is very difficult not to suspect this harmony, with which we are so charmed, to be a barbarous Gothic invention, which we should never have wanted, if we had been gifted with more sensibility for the beauties of the art, for melody, and for music truly natural." Now to gain a little applause-or at least toleration-from both parties, what can a musician do, but court their favour. alternately, by the contrasts of pathetic and cheerful, hard and easy, full harmony and solo, complication and simplicity?-and whoever goes to an oratorio, opera, or public concert, in the capital, will certainly be presented with all this variety. The Italians, our masters in the elegant refinements of the art, have long since divided their music into three several classes: Musica di Chiesa, Musica Teatrale, & Musica di Camera; implying such composition as is suitable to the church, the stage; and the chamber;-and corn being found, must we return to acorns? To Scots tunes, never intended to have even the harmony of a simple base? To Welsh tunes with variations? Ta English ballads, and tunes of the street and nursery? For these, must music be made an art, a science, a profession, on the members of which our universities confer degrees?-A composer who ceases to avail himself of the powers of harmony, since its laws have been settled, would act as absurdly as an astronomer who determined never to observe the heavenly bodies with a telescope. PART III, Hints with a View to Improvement, drawn from the preceding Parts. • If the expression of the passions, and affections of the mind, is to be considered as the chief excellence of music, the improvement of that expression must be allowed to be highly deserving of attention. It may be making one step to point out a method by which consistency of expression would be promoted, Might it not be useful, in this view, to fix upon some distinguishing classes or divisions of that pathetic expression? according to which musical pieces might be composed: such as, for example: 1. Bold, courageous, magnanimous; 2. Merry, joyous; 3. Calm, cheerful, contented; 4. Tender, plaintive, compassionate; 5. Solemn, devotional.' * Dict. de Mus. Art. Harmonie. The The very classification here recommended has been long made and practised by the great dramatic composers of Italy ; and in chamber music, or such as is calculated for private concerts, or even solitary self-amusement, cantatas, solos, and single songs, may be instanced, in which the composer has found out and used such strains as will most forcibly excite those affections of the mind to which the class refers; and in which is admitted nothing, however sanctioned by custom, that has a tendency to destroy or confound the expression.' The selections recommended, in p. 74, of musical compositions to suit different purposes or states of mind, are published every day in volumes of anthems, books of hymns, marches, hornpipes, country-dances, &c. APPENDIX. Containing [an] Account of an Invention by the Author. This invention consists in doubling the number of strings on the violin, adding to each of the four usual open strings another thicker string, tuned an octave below the sounds g, d, a, and e, to be acted upon by the finger and the bow at the same time, as if single strings. The plan of self-accompaniment on the viol da gamba was carried to a considerable degree of perfection a few years ago, by the late exquisite performer, M. LIDL, nick-named Seventeen-string Jack; who, with infinite pains and difficulty, thumbed a base, pizzicato, with his thumb on strings placed behind the neck of his instrument, while the bow and his fingers acted as usual on the strings over the finger-board: but the execution of this Herculean labour in a concert, while two or three violoncellos and a harpsichord lie idle, is useless toil and ingenuity. The author of the invention now proposed may be assured that no good effect can be produced by loading the violin, and every melody which it plays, with octaves. It is a known fact among speculative musicians and instrumentmakers, that the resonance and vibration of every stringed, instrument are enfeebled in proportion to the pressure on the belly. Thus the unisons of a harpsichord or piano forte with only two strings are more powerful than the same two unisons, when an octave or 3d unison is added to them. The tone of a good violin would be ruined by the experiment, not only from additional pressure on the belly, but by the jarring of the duplicate strings arising from their vicinity during vibration; and if sufficiently separated to avoid that disagreeable effect, the finger-board must be widened; which would greatly incommode the performer, and render shifting a very hazardous operation. In a word, the VIOLIN, the most perfect instrument in in use, and the highest cultivated, is not likely to be meliorated in tone or facility of execution by what this author is pleased to call an Invention; and though the whole tract, a few Scotticisms excepted, is well-written in point of style, we find nothing very profound or practicable in the author's ideas; which, in general, seem to flow from inexperience and a superficial acquaintance with the art of music, and its powers on the feelings of mankind. ART. X. Reports of the late Mr. John Smeaton, F. R. S. made on various Occasions in the Course of his Employment of an Engineer. Printed for a Select Committee of Civil Engineers. Vol. I. 4to. pp. 450. 18s. Boards. Faden. 1797 In the preface to this volume, the order of civil engineers is stated to have commenced about the year 1760, at which time the advancement of the arts and sciences was remarkably rapid. Of the abilities of the artists of the above denomination, the canals, harbours, lighthouses, &c. of the kingdom are a permanent and honourable testimony. In 1771, Mr. Smeaton projected and established an association, or (in its formal name) a Society of Engineers. During a period of twenty years, the members of this society increased in number to sixty-five, of whom fifteen only were real engineers; the remainder being composed either of amateurs, or of ingenious workmen and artificers. In May 1792, this society was dissolved in consequence of an unpleasant circumstance, which had interrupted its harmony: but a renewal of it, under a better form, was soon intended, though not carried into effect during the lifetime of Mr. Smeaton; his death happened in October 1792, and the first meeting of the new institution entitled The Society of Civil Engineers was held on April 15, 1793, by Mr. Jessop, Mr. Mylne, Mr. Rennie, and Mr. Whitworth. According to the new constitution of the society, it is divided into three classes. The first class, as ordinary members, consists of real Engineers. The second class, as honorary members, is composed of men of science, and gentlemen of rank and fortune, who have attended to the subject of civil engineering. The third class, as honorary members also, consists of artists, whose professions and employments are connected with what is called civil engineering. The meetings are held at the Crown and Anchor in the Strand, every other Friday, during the session of Parliament. We shall copy the list of the members: The manuscripts, designs, drawings, &c. of Mr. Smeaton having been purchased by Sir Joseph Banks, application was made to him by the society, who proposed to publish those memorials in his possession which might be denominated Reports. In consequence of this request, the present volume, which contains nearly one half of the reports, is published under the care of the following committee: Sir Joseph Banks, Captain Joseph Huddart, William Jessop, Robert Mylne, and John Rennie, Esqrs. We seldom indulge a greater curiosity, than in examining the circumstances that relate to a great man. His figure, countenance, temper, manners, even his foibles and his prejudices, become objects of our concern. We inquire with avidity what books he read or valued, what was the order that he observed in his studies, and what was the time which he allotted to them? we wish to view him in domestic life, and in his hours of relaxation. Yet, in the estimation of some people, these circumstances of a person's life should be more than objects of mere curiosity. We wonder at the peculiarities of great men: we consider it as something anomalous in human nature, that with transcendent abilities should be joined prejudices the most absurd, or foibles the most strange and unmanly; yet, were our knowlege more full and particular, we |