New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-07
DIR. SAMUEL PEPYS.
Ho1o He Delighted an the Noble
art of Musique.

SAMUEL. PEPYs LOVER OF MUsIQUE. By
Sir Frederick Bridge, NJ. V. o.. Mus, Doc
i6no pp I28. Imported by Charles Scribner's
Sons
For Musique heavenly maid, Master Samuel
Pepys writer of an immortal Diary felt life
long misunderstanding for her, indeed, more
constant and consistent admiration than for
any other of her sex. The Diary is full Of ref
erences to his delight in musical performances
at his own house and elsewhere. and to his keen
interest in his own exercises in singing. in play
ing on various instruments and in composition
'Musique is the thing Of the world love most.
he wrote when young man; and it is evident
from his pertinent illusions that he took an in
:eI!ectual as we'll as sensuous pleasure in it
One of his songs Beauty Retire" survives to
testify to his genuine taste-"a very fine song
it seems to be-" says its composer.
a "Consort OF Musique" was often heard in
Pepyss house. his friends gathering there to
sing with him and his servants; for this passion
ate amateur generally managed to have musical
page boys and serving maids about. Nine
Pepys's 'gentlewoman" sometimes lending
voice. Indifferent service was often condoned
for the sake OF skilful singing. AS for the lady
OF the house her for music was so bad
that it made her husband angry-'the poor
wretch cried TO see me so vexed at her" Let
US put to her credit, however, this relentinS
entry in the Diary: But Lord, how did l per-
suade myself TO ask Betty Turner TO sing! 10
see what beast she is for sngtng-not one
single note in tune-so that but for the expert
-nent would not for 40s hear her sing again,
worse than my wife thousand times. so that
1t do little reconcile me to her" The poor
wretch" did her best TO please her lord, and.
gaining permission to share the instruction OF
his singing master, learned after a while TO
MARBLE inoffensively at least Pepys himself
spent many good pounds-which he parted with
reluctantly enough-upon his singing lessons.
and he practised with assiduity. He notes that
he goes for a walk humming to himself the
trillo,' adding land find by 1t do come
upon me- Rowing UP down the Thames
upon business or pleasure, he beguiles the way
with song; and one of the pleasantest passages
in the Diary shows how, calling a boat by
night. he CHANGED upon one that already had
a gentleman in 1t. and the stranger proved
man of love to Musique. and he and sung to-
gether the way down with great pleasure. and
an incident extraordinary to be met with"
Some of his most enthusiastic phrases are APP
piled to the musical companies at the houses
OF his friends. Il spent the night in extasy
almost" he writes of an entertanment-"th
best company for Musique I ever was in in my
life and wish I could live and die in it,
DR.. Bridge has a couple of agreeable chapters
on Pepyss musical contemporaries Lock,
Lawes Pelham and the rest He quotes the
comic story of 'Tavola' ii. e., table in
dex)." the so-called Italian song which Lawes
wrote in ridicule Of IAN ignorant admiration for
what was foreign just because it foreign"
something not unknown TO this day:
The music of this is charming. the bright, lively
being alike beautiful but the words nothing
more or less than an index TO collection Of Italian
number OF voices for which ~. they are set The
In that frozen heart,
My i SiiS Weens.
For two voices
Oh, even when thou seekest to save me
May not the unhappy one believe
Alas! with former lights.
What anguish from the paIhd lip.
T F6T three my hf Toices"
This is Lawes's account OF the. origin OF the
song, as given IN the preface to his first book OF
Ayres: Il never loved to set or sing words which
help Of others who were able TO interpret this
present generation is stated with what's native.
a language which commonly they understand as
little sensible of this ridiculous humour. took
Table or Index of old Italian songs 4or one, two
gether makes strange medley OF nonsense) l set
to varied ayre and gave out that 1t came . IRON
song. This very ! have here printed II
would be interesting to know what Were the feel
ings of those who had ignorantly admired this
mock Italian song when they saw me same same IN
print in Lawes's Book of Ayres and Dialogues.
In MS concluding chdpler Ut. bIluse oilel9 d
special plea for the memory Of Pepys. He
thinks that those who object to the frankest
passages in the famous Diary forget that the
writer was not "Old Pepys," as he is often
called, but a young man with the folles of
youth still possessing him. He was entering
upon only his thirty-eighth year when he closed
the record. AS for hts later life. we may ac-
cept the judgment of John Evelyn, quoted at
the end of this volume: He universally
beloved, hospitable. generous, learned in many
things. skilled Il music. very great cherisher
of learned men. of whom he had the CONVERSE
ton"