| Citation |
CJ-B.782.005
31 Jan 1782:41,42 (310)
Boston, January 20, 1782. Proposals to the Friends of Music
and the Fine Arts.
Animated by the encouragement lately given in this young
country, to certain of the sciences (and they have all a
chain of union) the subscriber, professor of music in
Boston, begs leave to propose printing by subscription, The
New Minstrel; intended to be a collection of original
compositions of music, one number to come out every month;
and each number to consist of at least, one composition for
the harpsichord, piano forti, or spinnett, one for the
guittar, and one for the German flute, also, of one song in
French, and two songs in the English language.
The work to be amplified on large folio half sheets,
sewed;
With the first number will be given an original
frontispiece, and each composition displayed on copper
plate, all engraved with elegance and taste by an adept in
the art and educated in Europe.
Each number will be prefaced with about sixteen printed
pages, of an Essay on Musical Expression, by Mr. Avison,
which pages may compose, when the essay is compleat, a
separate volume, according to the fancy of the possessor.
As all the paper expended in this work must be of a
particular size and quality, and made for the purpose; as
every plate will cost Mr. Selby more than eight dollars, and
as each of the numbers could not be executed in London for
less than five shillings sterling, the price for each of the
numbers is one dollar and half. On the first of March next
(if a sufficient number of subscribers appears) the first
number will be delivered at Mr. Robert Bell's, Philadelphia,
Messirs Watson & Goodwin's, Hartford, Mr. John Carter's,
Providence, Mr. Buckley Emerson's, Newbury, Mr. Samuel
Hall's Salem, Messirs Fleet's in Cornhill, and Mr. Gill's
in Court-Street, Boston, to each subscriber on his paying
one dollar and half. The price of each number to a
purchaser who does not subscribe, will be two dollars.
[signed] William Selby.
Mr. Selby conceives that he need nor urge the literary
and other benefits which might arise from a due
encouragement of works of the above kind. At this age of
general civilization, at this aera of our acquaintance with
a nation far gone in politeness and fine arts--even the
stern patriot and lover of his country's glory, might be
addressed on the present subject with now less propriety
than the man of elegance and taste.
The promptness of this young country in those sciences
which were once thought peculiar only to riper age, has
already brought upon her the eyes of the world. She has
pushed her researches deep into philosophy and her statesmen
and generals have equalled those of the Roman name. And
shall those arts which make her happy be less courted than
those arts which have made her great? Why may she not be
"In song unequall'd as unmatch'd in war."
A cry has gone forth against all amusements, which are
but a step from Gothithism. -- The raisers of such a cry
being unacquainted with distinctions, and little considering
that "indulgences are only vices when pursued at the expense
of some virtue" and that "where they intrench upon no
virtue, they are innocent, and have in every age been
acknowledged such by almost all moralists." [signed] W. S.
Note. The whole of the above work will be comprised in
ten numbers.
Those that are inclined to encourage said work, are
earnestly requested to send their names as early as
possible, to any of the above places, as it will enable the
publisher to get them engraved and printed ready to deliver
by the said first of March. A list of the subscriber's
names will be printed alphabetically with the last number.
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