The Sun.
London, England, 1818-09-02 00:00:00

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IA FERMIN' REVIEW.

The QUARTERLY MUSICAL MAGAZINE and REVIEW,

N,). I.

INlnstc constitutes so prominent a part of our
pnblic amusements, And oprtat es so pow e! folly on
the mind, that we consider it as s practical science
twoich %veil deserves our notice. kVorks that appear
to be ot tHe most rniff.eltievous ciescription.-
itivin to the sordid nth-reins and bad passions of
mankind, too frequently rise into a dangerous
popularity, but happily their pernicious qualities
an‘l tendency rouse Authors of a moral and pa-
triotic cuaracter to institute those of an opposite
nature, which act as a powerful antidote to the
ori~io.+l unison. Stich was the case with The Edin-
burgh Review. The mischievous spirit, the pre-
suitiptsions insolence, and asperity, as we'll
as insidirtos artifice, by which- it was characterised,
enabled it to form a new epocha in the annals of
Politic Criticism. The novelty of its arrogance
at first excited concern, as well as sin-prize, and
triettds to the Constitution of the Country,

that Constitution which gives rrepre-etninence as
peorde over-every other nation on ear4li, felt
considerable alarm on observing the celebrity which
attended it, and the eagerness with whichit was
generally received. At length it stimulated Weil
of superior taking and learning, %vim taw the
dangerous consequences which were likely.to te-
stilt front such a systematic and daring attack upon
Morals, Religion, and the best interests of
ciety, to tike, and endeavour to check the pro-
gress of so pernicious a publication, and hence 1 HE
QUARTERLY REVIEW, if it did not put a stop to
it, soon attained an ascendancy, and has been
for some years the eniet support of all that is
valuable to mankind. This admirable Review
has led to many other Quartetly Works, and we
have 'tow a periodical ponliwtion, of which the
subject is Music. ‘Ve shall not presume to enter
into ally technical examination of the met its of
this work, nut as it does not confine itse4 to the
abstract principles of the Science, but is of a 1111
cellaneous chatacter, though maintaining a con-
btlittt relation to the essential subject, and as
there are errors, prejudices, and follies in this

art, as well as in politics, we consider it as pio-

perly entitled to the attention of our Readers in
zeneral, acid shall thereto, e present to them ail
Extract from tile introductory part, in order that
they may he able to form An estimate Of the plait
of the work; and, as opportunity serves, we 511411
su•lect such other pas•agett as are Of an amusing
and instructive nature.

" The cultivation of Music has been carried to
sucb a degree of perfection in this country, it has
become so universally necessary among the ac-
quirements of educati•on, it occupies so consider.
able a portion of the 'line, thoughts, and engage.
Lllents of youth, maturity, and age, the Englibli
public is inciebied to the science for so much of
elegant amusement, and private life for so much
of individual solace atot delight, that it is rather
matter of wonder we have 110 periodical %yolk ex-
clusively devoted to the subject, tian of apology
for the introduction of our presei:t publication.
Perlin/1s it may have aprai ell, on a distant 3(,(1
COlitelllpidtioll of the powt,•rs
of music, that but a limited foundation and situ.
der materials could he found whereon to built; an
useful superstructure of bitch a kind. The ['mei-
'tics of the art might be thought to lie within a
small compass, and to be illustrated better by
musical then by verbal composition. el ire essay
We already postess have added little or nothiog to
the stock of musical knowledge, if tve except a
few (and they are a very few) regular treatis(s on
the more abstruse hr.:riches. musicians

very much dihregala such artentlttE. It 611011 M
almost seem that the r ytikhok by which we ex-
press the objects of our other faculties are consi.
tiered to he inapplicable to nor a:prehension of
sounds, and that words in their combinations
could do nothing. either to improve the practice
or to increase the enjoyment of the art. It can-
not be that literature and this delightful occulta-
tion are seldom united ; (key are both the con-
sistent aced dignified pursuits of Icisure, affluence,
and elegance of mind. It is not indeed a neces-
sary propel ty of intellect to combine the pertee.
lions of the scholar and the musician ; but in
this our refined age, such accomplishment is by

no means uncommon, end perhaps it is the attri-
bute of a stern cast of thought, or of a still more
stern abstractio., to reject the beauties and the
blaudishments of a syren who solicits the heart
with such grace, such tenderness, such sweetness,
who promises a relaxation so Voluptuously mono.
cent, who steeps the senses in stab enchanting
forgetfulness, who at her pleasure elevates the
soul to the rapture of adoration, or sinks it to the
thrilling langour of a delicious and touching sen-
sibility. But however this may he, literature has
dune less for music than for any other brunch of
useful or ornamental acquirement .and we are
not without hope, that by opening a receptacle
for the contributions of those, who, rich in such
attainments, have felt and rosy be inclined to di-
vide the happiness they confer, we may be the
founders of an establishment which, in our very
humblest aspirations, we are convinced may be
rendered an useful and agreeable depository of
much that is worth collecting or recording rela-
tive to the progress of music And the tfausactions
of the musical world. At the outset, we do no
mote than erect a mere mortal fabric ; but ire
have given it the dimensions, and we hope it may
come to enjoy the privileges of a sacred edi-
ti;:e—to be consecrated by the gifted hand of
• genius, to be endowed by the bene%olences of
taste.

" The happiest distinction of any plan which
at the commencement of such an nudertaking
could he laid down is, that it should be suffi-
ciently, comprehensive to embrace whatever may
iwetn to contribute to amusement or to instruc-
tion. Our work is not addressed to any partien-
ti clam or denomination of amateurs or of per-
formers, but to the whole. Guided by this sim-
ple outline, we hope to provide a variety that
may gtatify where it tails short of the higher and
Letter aim ut rlicititth or of conveying something
I,ot bttote known. If any justification tor such
a &sign be wanting, we should seek it the
dispos.ciona of Nature herself. It appears to be