monly with those which we apprehend through the medium of the eye. When he recalls the ideas of a scene of anguish and despair, or of tranquil enjoyment, or of rustic manners, the pencil of a Reynolds can place an Ugolino before us, a Wilson can exhibit to us Cicero at his Villa, or a Wilkie can shew us a Blind Fidler in a peasant's cottage, to realize those ideas. We are proud to quote these instances among the artists of our own country. The art of such men is to examine the pictures which fancy draws, and give to them the semblance of life and reality on the canvas; and their excellence in such cases consists in this, that we adopt their imagination as better than our own, and derive, by means of their works, a higher enjoyment from the labours of the poet. The case is the same with music. If the poet excites in our minds ideas of sounds" of linked sweetness long drawn out," of the "choral harmony," of the "melancholy cadence," or of the "enlivening carol," these ideas have been best apprehended by the great masters of the musical art, who, by developing them in their works, have taught others also to apprehend and enjoy them. The fact is not materially different if we withdraw the supposition of actual previous poetic description. Both painting and music, at least the higher specimens of each, pre-suppose a degree of poetic talent and imagination without which they cannot exist, and of poetic feeling without which they cannot be relished.

Such considerations as these seem to forbid all comparison between the arts of painting and music; and to leave to each an existence equally important and independent. Perhaps, then, it is more philosophical to consider the two arts as subservient in this manner to that of poetry, than to attempt to arrange the three as objects of comparison on any principles that are applicable to them all: but, whatever may be the most philosophical view of the subject, the actual power of music in affording delight to a large portion of the human race will not be denied. It is a truth which the opinions of mankind, from the earliest period of Grecian mythology to the present day, concur in supporting; and the rocks and trees, in the fable of Orpheus, are but hyperbolical symbols of the rugged and regardless bosoms over which the writer meant to represent the influence of this delightful art. The most remarkable circumstance, however, in this part of the subject, is the use that was at all times made of music in religious ceremonies; not only in the mythological and fanciful worship of the heathens, but among that people with whom the knowlege of true religion was through so many ages preserved: who always regarded the Psalms or Holy Songs of David as the most inspiriting and impressive parts of their sacred writings; and who, in the midst

of

of their religious pageants and processions, assigned an important place to the "damsels playing with the timbrels."

Still, in one point of view, and one with which we are principally concerned at present, music must be admitted to be yet very deficient; viz. in her literature. It seems to be a tolerably just observation that, of all the fine arts, music has been the least cultivated by literary men; and its professors have hitherto done little for it on this head, since, with some exceptions, they have not given proofs of knowlege or powers beyond their particular pursuit. For one and perhaps the most splendid of these exceptions, we may refer to our own country and our own times. Dr. Burney made his writings on music at once interesting and instructive, both to those who are in quest of scientific acquirement and to those who read for amusement. Possessed of extensive information in the art, and with a mind enlarged not only by classical erudition but by an habitual association with the finest scholars of his day, he was peculiarly fitted for opening to music that passage to the regions of general literature, which he has effected for it in his masterly History; and, perhaps, no other writer could so far have diversified the barren and unpromising subject of German organs, German orchestras, and obscure Italian singers, as to render it in any degree palatable to the general reader. His writings have the same freedom and familiarity of narration, sprightliness of style, and particularity of description, which characterize the novels of his daughter, so long and so justly celebrated; and he must always be remembered as the elegant historiographer of music, and as one of that constellation of literary characters (at the head of whom stands the revered name of Johnson) who adorned the close of the 18th century.

It is well known that Mozart, of all professors perhaps the most unrivalled in excellence, was also an adept in other branches of knowlege; and we have heard that his classical wit and humour are to this day celebrated at Vienna :—but he has left us nothing on the subject of his art beyond the exquisite compositions which must for ever intitle him to admiration. Probably, as he was indefatigable in exertion, and possessed of the greatest possible facility, he would, if he had lived longer, have given the world the benefit of instruction which no one was better calculated to afford. - In a neighbouring country, it is well known, one of the most engaging of their authors, Rousseau, directed several of his efforts to the illustration of music; and though among us, we believe, those parts of his writings have not in general been highly esteemed which relate to the science of music, yet, in those which respect taste merely, his excellence has long been

acknowleged;

acknowleged; and the orchestras are indebted to him for some of the most striking improvements in the art of accompaniment. Rousseau, however, was not a professed musician; he was endued with exquisite sensibility, which fitted him for a critic on the performance of music, but which gave him no title to instruct in the composition of it. Among the French Encyclopedists, indeed, music was a favourite subject; and D'Alembert has also left a treatise on it, which, like all his other works, abounds with genius and acuteness.

To the student who is designed for the profession of music, this want of a literature is perhaps of little importance: but to the amateur, whose views go no farther than the prosecution of his amusement or the indulgence of his taste, the want is severe. Such a person cannot be expected to toil through dry and uninteresting treatises, in which the terms of art are left with unintelligible explanations to perplex him. The cause of this defect has been the sort of trade-level, to which the profession of music has been reduced. A boy is apprenticed to it, as he would be to a grocer; he learns to chant by rote; he is told that such and such conclusions are rules; he adopts them, and teaches them when he has the opportunity:- but he seldom gives himself the trouble to examine the principles from which these rules are the results. In this respect, music is nearly in the same state among us as painting was when Sir Joshua Reynolds began to induce the noble revolution, for which that art is indebted to his luminous Discourses. The road, then, appears to be quite open to the learned author now before us; and it remains to be seen whether he will accomplish for music in his country that which Reynolds has effected for painting. The treatise under review is for the most part merely elementary but it is well known that the Doctor has already given to the world three volumes of Specimens of different kinds of music, with observations; a work which is frequently quoted in the present, and which in fact forms a necessary companion to it, as exemplifying many of its remarks. The author has moreover illustrated his opinions by several public lectures. On this occasion, he has not treated of taste farther than by cautioning against the use, in one species of composition, of passages which he considers as peculiarly appropriated to others; and in those cases the above Specimens are constantly cited.

Dr. Crotch has divided his volume into nine chapters. In the first, he treats of the Gammut generally, or of Notes, Intervals, Scales, and Keys: this part therefore contains the rudiments of Melody, which, as usually defined, is a regulated succession of different sounds. The second chapter relates to Concords,

Concords, and the third to Discords: these therefore contain the Elements of Harmony, which, generally defined, is the regulated succession of two or more notes sounding at the same time. Chapter iv. treats expressly of Melody, according to its technical meaning, or the art of combining sounds in succession. The fifth comprizes music in parts, or the art of producing Harmony, as it is technically understood, consisting in the agreeable combination of Concord, Discord, and Succession. The sixth is on the subject of Modulation, the next stage of composition, or the art of varying the mode or key; the seventh is allotted to Canon, Fugue, and Imitation; the eighth explains the principal points of difference between vocal and instrumental Music; and, lastly, the ninth contains an account of the subjects of Temperament and Tuning.

The first chapter is quite elementary; and it was certainly necessary to a complete view of the subject: but few, we think, will apply to a treatise on composition until they are well acquainted with this part of the science. Yet even here the hand of a master is apparent; and we would by all means recommend this chapter to young beginners, as supplying the necessary information in the most perspicuous manner. In the chapters on Harmony, the author has simplified the subject very considerably. Instead of the long set of rules contained in former treatises, he has reduced the whole of this part of the science to two principal rules, seven that are subordinate, and the necessary rules for the resolution of discords. The two rules are; 1st, to avoid consecutive perfect fifths; and, 2dly, to avoid consecutive octaves. The first of these appears, in fact, to be the only arbitrary rule in the science; (on the second we shall presently make an observation ;) and consecutive perfect fifths seem to be the only succession which the ear will not tolerate. Dr. Crotch has not explained the grounds on which he considers the first rule to be founded. That such a succession is generally unpleasant cannot be denied: but the same may be said of many discords which may nevertheless, when used with skill, produce the most pleasing effect; and we know that some masters have designedly disregarded even this rule. On a former occasion, we ventured to suggest (but we must not be understood to speak positively) that the ground of this rule may be that, in a repeated succession of notes differing from each other by the interval of a perfect fifth, the modulation is violently changed. The effect against which the rule is directed will easily be conceived by those who are little conversant with the art, but who have watched the tuning of a fiddle or violencello, or have heard the open strings only played, those strings being tuned in fifths to each other;

and

and few persons would be found who would deem this an agreeable effect. As to the second rule, (that of avoiding consecutive octaves,) it is liable to many exceptions, and seems to be objectionable as not being any composition, rather than as being bad composition; because octaves in harmony may in general be considered as repetitions of the same note. - The seven subordinate rules are of more or less importance, and must be frequently violated when the object is to produce any particular effect. The resolution of discords is treated in the only way in which it is possible to make that subject intelligible; namely, by taking each discord separately, and explaining the different modes in which it may with propriety be resolved. These parts of the subject exhaust the whole of the Elements of Composition; since, when the composer knows what notes and chords may follow each other, without violating rules, all that remains is the work of genius and taste. It appears to us that the grand point to be inculcated on the subject is, that these rules are not merely artificial, but that they result from the observation of pleasing and unpleasing effects produced on the ear, and that this organ of sense is in every instance to be regarded as the criterion of merit in musical composition. This is, in fact, the same grand principle of producing natural effect which forms the basis of the modern improvements in the art of painting; a principle which every research, in every branch of human science, tends to make more clear and more sacred. The greatest composer, then, and the greatest painter, will be those whose works are the most generally interesting; and, however necessary it may be that the established rules of art should not be disregarded, it will be in vain to urge that they have been observed with the utmost strictness, if the composition be dull and spiritless, or a crabbed and barren exhibition of art and skill.

Dr. Crotch's observations in chapters iv. v. vi. vii. and viii. appear to us to have this effect for their principle; combined with another which he frequently inculcates, that of keeping dif ferent styles of music distinct. For this purpose, he distinguishes modern music from that of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, which he styles antient music; and church-music from that of the theatre or the chamber. In referring these distinctions to particular successions of chords, we cannot doubt that their origin is correctly pointed out; though, in some instances, the author appears to have carried this research too far; and we apprehend that some of his observations should be taken with the qualification that it is the habitual or frequent occurrence of any particular succession, and not its occasional intro