human ear, or penetrated to a human heart, and which Mr Gardiner himself is afraid to disparage, he praises it by the appropriate observation, that it has "the dramatic force of a modern composition!"

We strongly suspect, indeed, that Mr Gardiner greatly prefers Horne to Handel, and chiefly admires Haydn's chorus of the "Heavens are telling," because it resembles the "Lass of Richmond Hill;" of which, by the by, he has given us a set so accentuated that we defy the most perfect master of the syncope to sing it. Of his correct estimate of Mozart, an opinion may be formed from the circumstance that, in drawing a parallel between music, poetry, and painting, he assigns as Mozart's companions, in the one Barrett, and in the other Cowper. To assimilate Mozart to a mere landscape painter, however truthful and pleasing, and particularly to one whose peculiar department is that of mere grace and of beauty, without any attempt at grandeur-in short, an English imitator of Claude in water colours, is as absurd as if he had compared Niel Gow to Michael Angelo. But really the other branch of the analogy is still more ridiculous. Cowper and Mozart! what a comparison! what a contrast! Heaven forbid that we should name the name of Cowper without a just tribute to the merits of a good and a great poet. His admirable sense, his thorough knowledge of the heart, in its common domestic and social relations, his love of virtue, his love of nature-make him one of the wisest and best teachers that have ever enlightened his fellowcreatures; and he had imagination and diction more than enough to suit his wants and wishes, and a real originality, amidst an age of imitation, which entitle him to the name of a true poet as well as of a moralist and a Christian. But in what did he resemble Mozart? In sublimity? in passion? in polish ?-we apprehend not. No person that knew them both could compare them to gether; but Mr Gardiner, we suspect, knows neither. The Task is no more like Don Giovanni or the Nozze, than John Gilpin is like the Zauberflote. In no one point do Mozart and Cowper agree, except in this, that they were both men of genius and intellect, who, if their good-nature had suffered them, would have kicked Mr Gardiner out of their company for

prating either of poetry or of music, or aspiring to do more than to bring them a sight of his best worsted stockings for the winter, " men's size."

Let it not be supposed, from what we have said, that we presume to place the name of Mozart, or any other name in music, however high, in competition with that of any faithful and genuine poet. One moral saying in articulate speech, one heaven-descended precept (let it be r for Mr Gardiner's sake), whether in prose or rhyme, is worth, in sterling value, all that either music, painting, or sculpture, has ever contributed to the advantage of mankind. Poetry, which is Wisdom in her most lovely and alluring shape, is the mistress of all the arts, and is so immeasurably their superior, that no standard of commensuration between them can be discovered. Truth must ever take precedence of beauty: truth and beauty combined, must be preferred to beauty by herself, or beauty in such a form as can convey instruction in but faint and inarticulate language. It is not we, but Mr Gardiner, who has instituted the comparison; and we criticise it merely upon the principle, not of comparing Mozart with Cowper, but of determining whether their relative places in their several departments are similar and corresponding. We humbly conceive that they are altogether different, and at variance.

The genius of Mozart, it will now be generally admitted, is the greatest, save one, that has appeared in the history of musical composition. Handel alone is his equal, his superior. These two divine orbs of harmony are, in power and splendour, as far above all competitors, as the sun and moon exceed the lesser lights of heaven. Haydn and Beethoven, noble as they are, are yet but as brilliant stars, that disappear, or grow pale, before their presence. No adequate comparison of these pre-eminent masters has yet, we think, been attempted, and the task would be one of no ordinary difficulty. To estimate judiciously their relative merits in originality and in power, their several characteristies, the effect which each had on the progress of musical taste, the effect which the earlier had upon the later composer, would be a pleasing as well as a profitable employment for any one who could bring to the subject both literary and scientific talent. The theme, in

its full developement, is beyond our own powers as much, probably, as it would be beyond Mr Gardiner's. We shall venture, however, to notice a few more obvious points of comparison. Each of these great masters was admirable as much for science as for genius, for melody as for harmony, for sublimity as for sweetness. Handel had less variety of expression than Mozart, but the style in which he excelled was the highest of all. Mozart was alike at home in depicting all the more earthly passions of our nature— love, fear, joy, despair. Handel chiefly excelled in expressing those pure and solemn emotions which elevate our nature above itself. Mozart is, at least to modern ears, more full and flowing; but the stream of his composition has somewhat too much of an instrumental character. Handel is pre-eminently vocal: his music is not merely expressive but articulate: it does not breathe but speak. Mozart, we cannot help thinking, was unfortunate in his chief subjects. His soul was fitted for better things than to dramatise the silly or libertine intrigues of Spanish barbers or grandees. Yet he has risen infinitely beyond his matter, and has produced the highest purity and sublimity out of folly and dulness. Handel had little dramatic power, and by an involuntary impulse originally wrote some of his finest sacred pieces to stage compositions, for which they were comparatively inappropriate. He found at last, however, in the sound feeling and generous patronage of an English public, an opportunity to exert his peculiar and unrivalled talents, more favourable than any that his successor ever enjoyed. From any comparison between them we would wholly exclude the choruses of Handel, as these stand by themselves, without any thing that exists, aut simile aut secundum. And it is the greatest proof of Handel's genius, that even without these, his superiority must be conceded. It is eminently to Mozart's credit that he acknowledged Handel for his master; and while we comment on the difference between them, we should ever remember that Handel lived to the mature age of 75, while Mozart died

at 36.

If we are to assimilate these illustrious composers to any of the far greater lights of the world in the department of poetry, we should set

Handel down as the Milton of music; but, perhaps, with less luxuriance of imagination, and a still more severe simplicity of style. Nothing can be conceived more characteristically Miltonic than the whole oratorio of Sampson, and more especially that noble air, Total Eclipse, which Handel, in the blindness of his latter years, must have reviewed with feelings near akin to those that crowded upon Milton's mind when brooding over his own bereavement. Mozart, we would venture to designate as the Virgil of melody-tender, graceful, majestic, sublime now leading us through green and gladsome pastures-now through the dark and dreamy shadows of an unearthly world: here awing us by the terrors of supernatural agency, or the tortures of guilty despair: there melting us to pity, by the sorrows of bereaved affection, or the pangs of deserted love.

-

If any thing that we have said is fanciful or fallacious, we are, at least, certain, that if we know little of the matter, Mr Gardiner knows less. If Mozart's writings are not like the Eclogues or the Eneid, they are, at least, like truth, or the Tirocinium. Revenons donc à nos moutons. Let us return to our "fleecy care," and have another pull at the Hosier.

Thank you, Mr Gardiner, for some part of your theory. If our melodies, like our kilts, are Roman, we can boast of the oldest music, as well as costume, in modern Europe. We wonder whether Mr Gardiner has read Mr Dauney's book, and with what feelings he has found his own views of Scottish musical history confirmed by the formidable facts there established.

We have neither time nor temper to follow Mr Gardiner through all his blunders and absurdities; but shall content ourselves with making a few further extracts, with as little commentary as possible.

"THE CHASE ;" OR, GARDINER
versus GILPIN.

the description my friend gave of the delights "Our time passed pleasantly, and, from of the chase in Leicestershire, they determined to pay a visit to our green fields the following season. In November the champions arrived, with horses, grooms, and lacqueys. Finding that I was no hunter, they expressed great surprise at my want of taste, and insisted upon mounting me on one of their steeds, and that I should see, for the

greatest writer that ever appeared?' He replied, Voltaire was the most powerful of any author he had read.' He afterwards named Bossuet. I asked him if Cicero was not very great. Yes, sir,' he replied, Cicero did not write for a paltry island;

"Some to church repair,

Not for the doctrine, but the music there," but we little expected to have the conduct of Dissenters thus explained, by one who knows the secrets of their prison-house.

GARDINER AND THE REV. ROBERT HALL.

"In dedicating The Sacred Melodies' to the Prince Regent, I was desirous of wording my address so as not only to express the honour conferred upon me, but to pay a due compliment to the Prince's taste and knowledge in music; and I waited upon my neighbour, the Rev. Robert Hall, to request his approval before I printed it. This was my first interview with that extraordinary man, who had left Cambridge to reside in his native county. He received me kindly, and talked much about music, of which he was passionately fond, but said he had no This I could scarcely believe, as the melody of his language, I remarked, was strikingly beautiful. But, sir,' he replied,

ear.

I

I can't sing a note.' Though you neither sing nor play, had you paid as much attention to musical sounds as you have done to music of words, you would have been as refined in music as you are in language.' Why, sir, I can always tell what pleases me,' and referred to a psalm-tune in 'The Sacred Melodies' (page 14), as being one that gave him great delight. As you seem sir, to have an ear for language,' he said, should like to ask your opinion of the wording of an epitaph which a reverend gentleman brought me yesterday; it is intended for Mr Robinson's tomb, in St Mary's Church. I will read it to you as it was first shown me; then, as I have altered it.' 'Well, sir,' I replied, "if I don't tell which is yours, I will give you leave to crop off one of my ears.' He laughed, and said, Will you dare me to it, sir ?' I said, Yes; get your shears, Mr Hall, I am ready.' He read them, and I laughed heartily at the ridiculous contrast. The boldness of my challenge pleased him; and after I had decided rightly, he said, 'Is it not a mere clatter of unmeaning words?' I asked him, Who, in his opinion, was the

I

visit I paid him was to request his opinion upon the words I had selected for the oratorio of Judah. I had previously sent them to him; he had read them with great attention, sir, where did you get this passage? and made the following remarks;- Pray, ?' think from Nahum, sir.' Ah! he was a great prophet, sir, and a great poet, sir. Isaiah was greatly indebted to him.' On enquiry, he told me Nahum preceded him five hundred years."

We hope Mr Hall's friends mean to prosecute our autobiographer for a libel in this passage. Voltaire, the most powerful writer of Mr Hall's acquaintance! Cicero writing for the whole world! Shakspeare and Milton for a paltry island, to which, of course, the dialect and dominion of Britain are exclusively confined! Isaiah greatly indebted to Nahum! "A great prophet, sir, and a great poet, sir!" We wonder he did not add - and a mighty pretty fellow in his day!

THE HOSIER'S Gift to Haydn. "In this place I beg leave to record a circumstance in which Mr Salomon rendered me a service before I had the pleasure of knowing him. I had a small present that I wished to be conveyed to the great Haydn, the nature of which the following letter will explain. I sent it to Mr Salomon, with a request that he would forward it to his friend :

"To Joseph Haydn, Esq., Vienna,

"Sir, For the many hours of delight which your musical compositions have afforded me, I am emboldened (although a stranger) to beg your acceptance of the enclosed small present, wrought in my manu. factory at Leicester. It is no more than six pairs of cotton stockings, in which is worked that immortal air, God preserve the Emperor Francis,' with a few other quotations from your great and original productions.† Let not the sense I have of your genius be measured by the insignificance of the gift; but please to consider it as a mark of the great esteem I bear to him who has imparted so

peror.'