| Citation |
VGW(PA.736.013
29 Oct-5 Nov 1736:11, 12 (14)
The Monitor. No.12. . . [3 lines in Latin]
To the Monitor. Sir, Upon the perusal of your paper upon
musick, I find, that unless a man is to sit like an animal,
void of all symptoms of reason, for three or four hours, for
the sake of giving pleasure to the organs of hearing, musick
is thrown away on him.
I confess, I was once fashionable enough to be led away by
the stream; and at my first going to London, was inclinable
to learn to play upon some instrument, and my father, to
indulge me, bought me a drum; I must acknowledge this
instrument gave me a world of pleasure for some time; but
the Italian Singers, were just arrived, and my companions
soon laugh'd me out of my drum, and to refine my taste,
carried me to the Opera.
In short from Tuesday to Saturday, and from Saturday to
Tuesday, the topick of every conversation ran upon the
beautiful passage of a chromatick song of Signora Cuzzoni,
and the lively division of Signora Faustina. Then the
pathetick song of Senesino was ravishing; and tho' not a
hundredth part of the audience either understood musick, or
Italian; yet, when a connoisseur gave the word, 'twas tinder
to the soul. O cara! Bravo! Bravissimo! etc. went thro'
the house. I attended this August Assembly for a whole
winter, except one night, for which neglect I was very near
forfeiting my understanding: But, at last, I grew tir'd of
the expense, and asham'd at my folly, for throwing away so
much money, and more time, upon a jargon of sounds, without
sense.
And, folly as it grows in years,
The more extravagant appears. HUD.
I hope your worship will not be offended at the comparison
I am going to make; but I assure you, 'tis my real opinion.
Know then, Sir, that my father and mother, when they were
pleas'd to exert themselves, made as much harmony between
them, as I have heard at any one of these operas; my mother
had as shrill a pipe as ever was heard; my father as deep a
bass; both excellent lungs; and when they were inclin'd to
set off upon any little family dispute, the harmony of
sounds were undeniably distinguish'd: and, I think, from
the little judgment I am able to form, it was a true
representation of that they call in the terms of musick
fugha. Sometimes they went off together like unto a full
orchestre, that made the house ring again; the first whole
breath fail'd, made a pause for a few bars, whilst the other
carried it on; then joyn'd; then single; and often ended as
they begun.
I must acknowledge, had I never been at an opera, I shou'd
not have taken this for a description of harmony; if I am
mistaken in my notion, I shall be glad to be better
inform'd. Yours, Zackery Downright.
The subject of musick has been so often pointed out by
every little genius, that any man who will condescend to
write or speak against it, without saying a thousand pretty
things, must take a deal of pains to miss them.
To consider the Italian opera, as a meer dramatical
entertainment, is requiring of it what it does not profess.
But so many fine things have been so often repeated upon the
opposition between sound and sense, that at last they
consider it as real and solid truth. As to the precepts
concerning dictions, sentiments, and unities, I would have
my friend Zachary keep them for the stage, whose business it
is to observe them: a good ear has infinitely more right
to form a judgment on the matter in hand, at an
entertainment of musick, than a man who has spent a life in
Rapin, Aristotle, or Bossu without it. A squeamish critic
with no ear for musick, when present at an elegant
entertainment, vocal and istrumental [sic], is out of his
element, and makes the drollest of figures; he is dying at
the impropriety of an incident, while the rest of the
audience are charm'd with an air: And while every one is
listening with attention to a beautiful symphony, he is
inconsolable for the want of a sentiment.
I have known it urg'd against musick, as a proof of its
irrationality, that it is only an amusement. I should be
very sorry to be rational; if to maintain that character, I
were to renounce the enjoyment of innocent amusements.
Recreations and diversions, are as essential to the
preservation of health and vigour in the mind, as exercise
is to the body; the one wou'd be no more fit for thinking,
than the other for motion, without the due refreshments of
the spirits.
Allow musick therefore to be nothing but a meer
amusement, that very qualification (especially when at the
same time innocent, ) ought to render it acceptable to a
reasonable man; the nobler passions and affections of the
mind, are capable of being expressed by it with equal force
and delicacy as by either of its sister arts, painting, or
poetry. Nor is its being only conversant in sound, any
objection to its furnishing a proper employment to the
understanding. But it has this further to say for itself,
that no one can enjoy this pleasure compleatly without the
habit of attention, and clearness of head, which is
universally useful in every thing a man has occasion to
apply to.
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