The Sun.
London, England, 1818-09-04 00:00:00

REGISTER OF FASHION.

ARRIVALS.
Earl and CoUntess Spencer, in St. James's-place; the Earl
and Countess of Darlington, in St. James's-square, from
Baby-Castle, in Yorkshire; Countess Dowager of %Warwick,
in ChesterEeld• street ; Mr. Pocock e, Cbarles-street, Berke-
ley-square; Countess Dowager of Delaware •, in SariPe-row;
Hon. Percy Wyndham, in Grosvenor-pl-+ce; %fr. C. Smith, in
Upper Brook-street; Mr. and Mrs. Tempest, family, and
suite, from the Continent, at Morris's Hotel. At the Mount
Hotel, Thorold, Esq., and Dewor, Esq.

LI IT41:, AR Y REVIEW.

The QUARTERLY MUSICAL MAGAZINE and RE'VrEW,

No. i.

(Continued fr)n Iretlxmlay bzst)

Having resented :0 our n part of

troduction to this int erestin'g ninik,we conceive !hat

is is in some deto-ee a duty to the Author to insert the
remainder. Ir affords a griivral view of the %yolk,

Alus ir.ay tempt the younger Studen►s of both

sexes, in th.e beautiful and interesting art of

it treats, :end who -perh,ips already possess great

• facility in practice on their respective instruments,
-to acquire a kno'vle,tt:e of its essential principles,
which Will assuredly -cr‘ntribnte to increase their

enjoyment, it, addilq,;.-the stality of science to the

charms of ex' cation.
" I. Orignial correspondence upon Tll the
brAnclies of the science, theoretical and prac-

ticed.

" 2. Critical itnilimpartial accounts of musical
perfoimers.
`.` $. -Reviews of musical publications;
" 4 Ac.n,i,tb of ;hit metropolitan and pro.
.yincial est abllSlllnents for the rid( ivation tit music.
" Auectiotes.ot 11111*,ie And mosical men.
6 -Poetry, original or selected, that may'ap.
pear calcul-oed for intr,ical ad Aptation:
"7. A rt grster or t.hrouicle of musical trans.
actions. . - •
" By Mich an artangenient we conceive that
shall embrace every topic: of. interest, pc] sima
and general, vocal and itistrumental, throughout
all the bearings of talebt anti written Mont-'
position ; and we anticipate that by bringing
into pne circle of unbolt as manrof the connee-
ed family of musical genius as we can attract, - an
emulation may be excited, antra standird.7of com-
parisou erec!ed' which will lead to beneficial re-.'
not to the individual but, to the,pahlie:
In the soperior department of the conduct' rat ptrh-
17c amusements, the zeal, the taste, Nit -liberality
0f directors, .may be assimilated and 'bronght- to-
gether. The management and • the patronge of
Foreign and English amusements may.he weighed
aird balanced against each other., The eminent
novelties of every country communicated, not
only to those most immediately concerned, but to
their st,pporters. 'fo what extent • information
tryty he obtained. in the incipient.stage of our eft-
ter,irize we tVill not presume to promise ; our
wirangements for (oreign correspondence will de-
rti.od upon the reception our work experiences ;
Hitt by a clear expo,irion of our objects we :anew
the scope and rari..,,e of our intentions, arid while
we entreat the voluntary aid a those who may
possess the oppoitnnotes we covet, we at the
saute time engage to omit no effort of our own
to' establish a correspondence that may uhini,ftely
-coMptete the pertection of
,this compartment of
our miscellany.
" A portion, and not an inconsiderable portion
of our pages, will be devoted to criticism. We ate
led to 'sncli an expectation from the accuMulating
prodno ions of composers, from the increasing
ardour of professional enterprizc, from the wide-
spreading demand fur novelty, and from the con=
tircual accessiOn both of native and exotic pLisontil
talkt:

- •
" Tire mass of the public is .at all times either
par,ially directed by the. reinatks of indieidUals
(privileged, as it were, by thesanction.or their-
ktinven acquaintance with the principles of too e)
conveyed morally front one taanother, or generally
by the criticisms of the daily and per o•teal
Anil here again we have to deplore the want of
the' requisiie iharac'eristics in many of muse who,
under the semblance of clischitlging att rust, indif-
ferent to themselves but vitally impottant to
others, are but too of en wedc in judgment
though fluent in objection, destittr e of the Fell
facility of discrimitiation, but fully conversant
with the murderous art Of dealing out keen and
cutting dispraise. We know not how it hap-
pen:s—h,t so it is, that ..while every species of
publication throughout the amazing range of
E,glish and Foreign literature is most ably and
most completely dissect: tl, demonstrated, and
prepared for the guidance of general observe-
tiod—wbile 'the sister att of paining has been
illustrated by every expence of judgment, and
travil, and design, and execution, employm4
the 'highest efforts, both graphic and .descrip-
tive, music sod musicians are almost entirely
abandoned to the Ineagle, hasty, crude, and
but too often partial and personal effusions of the
journals of the day. Let not our description be
thought invidious. It cannot be more accurate;
we appeal to the feelings of the profession. and to
the discernment of persons of taste. llowever
irritable or warped by resentment or injustice the
first may be, there is vet a testimony to be drawn
from the univeLsal sentimeht, which caunot err.
No prrjudiees can petrel t such a body of evidence,
no attachments can influence such a jury, neither
hopes nor feats can shake the impartial justice of
a court of such ant hot ity. Placing ourselves then
in the enlightened presenve of the assembled abi-
lity which is employed either profes•sionaily 0;
judiciAly, aud about to become in our own pro-.
ductions the object of a similar examination, we
arraign the existing criticism directed to musical
transactions. We eCrdigil it as sometimes unjust
and oppressively iejnrions, as commonly
and as almost always uncertain, indisciiminate,
or venal. The degrees of merit are rontounded
and Inst in mere newspaper jargon. It shall be
our part to roiigate, as far as in us lie::, the flip.
Kant •aipetity which_ wounds in mere •haste and
wantonness, or rather perhaps because it is lie*.
cessary to say something. We shall eudek.vour to
modify the too enormous power of preset ipt•irr.,
whilst, avoiding every sint..of detraction, Ite give
to exalted genius its own elevated place of honour.
We shall hope.to encourage the hesitating and
slues advances of modest merit ; we shall most
carefully abstain from every thing that borders
upon personality ; and at the same time that we
are exerting a tabu vigilance for the interests of
t he science (in %illicit We consider the interests of
the public atiSnlntely vested), we shall solicitously
bear in mind'-that the private happiness of an ar-•
dausis,• add as we esteem it a most meritorious

ii)VolvtAl in tilt bon:am:11)1e or ais-
hollow able exercise of rublic criticistn. We do
not enter upon our ditties with levity, neither
si,„ll. we poblisa our thoughts hastily or (mad-
v redly. IVe hope to do scuoe good, and We in-
vite the assistance of all who can appreciate our
titolires, clll,-ttge our sphere of intelligence, or in
any way confirm our purpose.
" Thus have we hilly described the disposition
which will attemper the most delicate, and yet
perhaps to the curiosity of our readers the most
pieasto able, discharge of our voluntary office.—
There is yet a large and important division to be
spoke!' of in the purposed review of illogical coin-
posir ions. Every na ion had originally, and even
up to this day retains, leading characteristics of its
own style, almost as ,i,titiet and prenliar as is
prorer tongue, and in spite of the incursions of
foreign powers, invited by novelty and condocted
by remit's—hi spite of the commanding superio-
rity with which the enchanting langliage, the ex-
quisite attainments, arid finished taste of Italy,
the mistress of the world, have fitted her mission-
aries for the task of conversion, there are yet in
every country predominating principles, derived
!root this national and pet haps natural inclination,
that are found to bias very Intite.ClatiV, though
they do not wholly govern thepubliciiidgment.
With.these, however, all the improvements and
inventions of other countries are so commixed and,
blended in our own, that varieties the most ,ano-
maliitis are every where disCoVerable. NVe should
he led to conjecture that the objects of musical
taste are no where so diversified as in England.
Nor does it appear very difficult to account for.
The reagoos are interwoven with manners, And
till strike us at ollft, on conipaling the institu-
tions cud habits of ,be Continent with those of
our own island. In catholic countries, the
dietrch Ser%ice is in a great degree musical, and
"the' performance is frequently excellent. Hence
it
.ses, not only that the judgment of the peo-
ple, (row their mere constant !attendance at the
roars of devotion, grows daily more polished,
but-that multirwles of native Musicians are trained
tip in onetittiform tystent of discipline.—ftte reli-
gioitses'abijsli9ietits have very generally or cower-
vatorio atl4Ched ,io their fotoolations, which is
l!ie school velirein these nati<icians are educated.
Dins thelte is an ttniveiNal diffusion o: the, same
vernacular. principles and praCtice. Music is to
be heard from morning till night, in the church
and in the streets gratuitously, and is th,• theatres
tor a very small expellee. Even comedy and rigs
gedy are oritz;.icai.—Sriell an eternal application of
the. art cannot tail to stamp its .halacietistics
deeply upon the whole petiVe, ‘shile among pro-
fess/its it. ensures the annininent of the winos.
possible skill. by mill tit design, by iocessant
repetition, by the menial exeltemetit pioluced,
and by tI e facility and acqu,intalice a[teudant on
,litVantaCeS. In point of tact they have
but one school, and their school is a school of
national toondatiote Fraocr is certainly to lie
exempted from our desert') ion ; for whether
it he that the 'Fr, nett laoguage places ,11
in-
supt:rahle battier, or whetherthele is a levity
and mobility in the constitution of Fienehtnen
that nofit them 1.4 mosieal excellence, we pre-
tend riot to decide, 6111 dial there exists some po-
sitive i,npeditnent w hif•lt has hitherto recheted
their. r(twlittiS the point of- cohivation
whiell nt sr of rhf•ir nviglaumrs hide ic,acilVd. is
ilic..o•E:V,t)k. The ills'afieeN Of ally native
11*.11.1Ce as a ‘tte.ll per toi mer in
any other cannily Intl: his own ale exceeding/y
rare, anti Ile instrumentalists are comparatively
so vet y, yen, tett , lit they are scarcely known or
temeint..!rtt d. Fern at C4lllol),,Sitt nc, excipt for
rom;ii.ces da.tces, are equally scarce. France
hinivevrt i;iven birth to theorists of cousi.ler-
able note.

• " In England we partake, we enliy die fruits
of every other -region, and we engtaft them upon
out clan strong and barfly stocks. We have till
somewhat of a prevailing national [este, though
it is almost exlriting. indeed the want of a
seleml•nceesaiily contributes to the classification
of opinion according to the distribution of wealth.
To to the tOnlitaill head, we must Tune the
pet boned example of our venerable Sovereign him-
self, Who itas thane Much to perpetuate, by his
own partiality, the love of Handel among his sub-
jects, and all that yet remains of the nervous,
sound, noble, and majestic style of performance
which is i,equired by the sttely of that comno•er.
Descending a single step in Society, we shall im-
mediately be brought within the at traction of the
opera and Italian music. The cost and rides of dress
and of admis,ion, and the want of acquaint mice
with the language, render the King's Theatre
not commonly accessible except to the wealthy
and the well cane:yen ; hut no one of !misted
feeling wlio sets foot upon this charmed ground
departs without having tasted " the orient liquor
in a crystal glass" that enchants and fixes hint for
ever the delighted sifojeer of the power of the
place. 'flue air is bled h spells. It is impos-
sHde to escape them. Lie who has heard the best
music of flue theatre and Oratorio, - forgets the
gay as well as all tee solemn sent iineots they may
have inspired, in the ttansporting and delicious
tenderness which the " foreign wontlei" breathes
as it w ere into the very soul. His sensations are new
and penetrating ; they are never alter obliterated,
f,ir they leingle with the finest affections of our
nature. From SE) captivating RIO! SO Copioos a
spring, it is no wonder that the waters should
permeate tar and wide. They are in truth the
thousand lleliconian rills, to which almost the
Wh..10 contort' assemblage of high rank and
splendid fortune and elegant accomplishment
Coiner,

Athirst to prove
The ;:ennine infltlence 01 the stream they love.'

" S. pa late and distinct as these two curiettts of
taste mast he said to be in their ;mince and origin,
they are nevertheless wilted in their plogitss, and
at no great distance trout lie source. The (iris-
curios and niiseellaneolis Cnllcerts ofa higher or-
dtr ate all suppotted nearly by the same perfor-
mers, and pationized by the same audiences ; and
!he selecihnis are made from Italian and English
music of gen;,itie excellence. There happens,
however, 114,,,, ~re general commistiire of
,ot hen the Theatr, s arc used as conceit ;
Ptlld t. ts."1114'11 these occasiuns that the slemitr
portion of good taste is infused among the to !liuir
of beaters which incites the desire for better

'things) arta which shows itself in the elisions mo-
dern mosaic of English-Italian German composi-
tions lot the theatre anti the chamber, and in the
momentary Of etnations from good to had taste
with which our.ears are •asgailed in tli;e. perfor-
mance of maw/ of the half bred, haittaught
singers of the English Tlicatres. Some we have
known w 1)) find it necessary to yield to the pie-
judice they cie•pise. It is this intermixture that
originates a third description of taste, which
ing a compound of all styles, is of ail the most
alloVed, dull, and deteriorated. In the midst of
the cootosion, some national airs have been te-
animated for a lime, rather by the reputation of
the poets rvho have written words fur them than
front any ()dirt cause. But they have small in-
fluence upon the formation of taste, because they
ate cast into the he and devoured and forgotten
amidst the profusion of good, bad, and indifferent
with which t e unnatural bantering alter novelty
is to he hourly indulged ,onl sa:iated.
" eloin this slig.t outline of the divisions of
the rblic appetite, it may he seen how
and how vations a duty awaits the Iteriewer of
compositions intended for the English nation,
amid more especial 4 of those by some of our native
awthots. The ealeAt, the plainest, and most
hottest way of discharging our trust, will be found
in our 'endeavour to tollow rather than to lead
the jiidgmert, by allotting to whatever may he
selected for out rematk its legitimate distinc-
tion in the academic groves of science, or in
the humble walk of national predilection.—
We shall consider to %%dirt height its aims
are directed, and we shall allot it such a prece-
dence, the pt imary consideration being set-
tled, as the composition may appear to merit in
its province. ‘Ve do not imagine that there is
tint in each of these departments some merit
snit tly classical.—Far from it. We know that
genius is neither to be confined nor allured -to
one regiou It is a Spirit too volatile. To find
it under. the obseurations with which poverty and
envy too otters cover it, will be our first part, and
in so d. hie,. we may perhaps, by the gradual f..rce
of accomolited instances, extract something like
a system, and at list arrive at the elements which
ate inherent and essenlial.

" Hy the last division of our plan, we hope in
time to have gone far towards the collection of a
complete history of the progress of music in our
own country; and as fashion and example exert a
liomerfel influence even over t hose pursuits that
in their proper nature do not seem to require •aid
so adventitious, we anticipate the tin-tiler di'fftr-
Simi of the science by the force of that emula-
tion among towns and cif its and provinces, which
prevails arming individuals, and to whieh• natural
impulse the world ones its most rapid ad‘a:uce-
tnent towards the ultimate limit of llama!) virtue,
as well as towards human, gratification. We es-
pecially invite the attention of those prnie,soes
and Amateurs - who have interested themselves in
forming permanent establishments upon a public
scale for the practice of music, to lend their assjs-
lance to the Olitst:.ation of this topic. We think
they will agree with us, that it may come to afford
st most usetul and aereeab!e means of yeterence
and comparison. There is scarcely any thi g
which contributes more to facilitate that friendly
intercourse which ought to subsist amongst
of science, than a pi L-vious acquaintance with each
others partirolar pursuits, and the degree ,rf ex,
celleuee to which they have attained. From such. .
A general law we think it is a legitimate deduction
that the correspondence of the lovers of music
will be promoted and .enlarged by the knowledge
to In extended through such a medium. Men .
are anxious to be made acquainted with the fea-
tures of persons for whom they are interested
either by a similarity of taste or by a pre-eminent
reputation. The hand-writing even has been said
to convey ideas of character. The histories we
hope to collect will present the features of intel-
lect and of knowledge, and while they mark the
direction of talent and the gradations of scientific
acquirement, they may serve to depicture and
convey from mind to mitid the activity, the de-
votion, the power, and the enthusiarn of genius
in one of its most favourite occupations.
" We have thus disposed of the principal propor-
tions of our work.- For what remains, we hope
rather to be indebted to the generous contribu-
tions of scientific ability than to our own labours.
To furnish out a con•inual supply for the banquet
to which we have given invitation, is beyond the
means of a small circle of individuals. We lute
been content, therefore, to associate such asesist-
lance as may enable its to present the lipiskrai
world with a fair specimen of what our own or:h-
oary strength can etf.ct, and we are met without
sanguine expectation, that wit Ii evet y soceerel-
jog publication we shall find our correspondeyce
extended and increased, and our own consequent
usefulness appreciated and enlarged. For our..
early essays, hoWever, we most entreat
allowance of indulgent admission.—The first spe-
cimen of our work must he regarded tallier as the
bud which contains the flowers of promise and of
hope, than as the full, mature, and expanded eer-
fection of the entire plant, milk'. The,lneridian
suashine of public flavour.
" We have stated our views, we have been mie
notely particular in reciting the obligations Oink;
which we slim!l consider ourselves to lie, in older
that our readers stay at ;the outset be aWare. of
tlie motives sthicledirect us, and the responsibi-
lit y which ' those motives 'inipose upon u;. We
neither intend to -support- out dignity by
moor,' nor to degralle' otrrseives to the joutore.i
the foolish flatterers of ,in idol or a party.
We conclude therefore with 'a solemn prothit>e,
that our abilities, such as they are,- shall be ex-
erted to theirsuemost, in the sefsice of thepi'ib-
the support of the profession,' and Cue
propagation of all that may appear to usttO Mils%
trate or exalt the science."