SIR, Yet, temp'ring GLORY's ardent flame She bends from fcenes of blood th' averted eye, And courts the charms of PEACE 'mid fhouts of VICTORY. III. She courts in vain ; the Ruthless Foe, Deep drench'd with blood, yet thirsting still for more, Views with rapacious eye each neighb'ring Shore; Where'er my Sword prevails, my conq'ring Banner flies.". IV. Genius of ALBION, hear! Grafp the ftrong fhield, and lift the avenging Spear. Whelm'd by ELIZA's Barks beneath the stormy tide; Breathing, to ancient mood, the foul-inspiring ftrain, "Succefs depends upon our hearts and fpears! To the EDITOR of the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE. AT the fame time that I confider and acknowledge the Defultory Remarks on Mufic as highly honoured in having a permanent ftation in your elegant repofitory, I cannot but regret their not undergoing a revifion from me before they were admitted to appear in your admired work. Thefe remarks are genuine, and most certainly were addreffed to a young Lady, as expreffed in their front: they were prefented to Mr. Meyler for his paper, in requital to a very acceptable mark of attention which he had recently fhewn to the memory of one nearly related to their author. For certain reafons they were prefaced with an introductory fictitious letter to the Printer, and an address to the young Lady herself: thefe, I obferve, you have rejected. The Bath, Dec. 5, 1796. neceffity there was for correction I will evince to you in one inftance. Section 11th, on the Adagio Movement, in the Bath Herald, and copied fo in the fecond column of your Vol. XXX. page 270, after "modeft merit," we read thus: "It will make its way to the heart, and its impreffion fhould there remain. A pause therefore, an adagio thus executed, and thus clofed, ought to take place," &c. By this unlucky derangement of the words, all fenfe and meaning is loft. Thus ftood it in the MS. "And modest merit. An adagio thus executed, and thus clofed, will make its way to the heart, where its impreffion fhould be fuffered to remain. A pauie, therefore, ought, &c." Vide Bath Herald, 21ft May, wherein is an Address in verfe to a Friend, on his Lofs; written, molt assuredly, by the celebrated Mr. Anftey; in a note to which there should be this correction: Fortune was intended, which, en her decease, her father divided between her three fifters and the Gentleman, &c. This and other corrigenda, with fome addenda, fo far as to the clofe of Section 20th, are now too late for attention from you however, I will beg your permiffion to notice, that on the paragraph refpecting Deportment, after 15th, I have thefe alterations: "Indeed rather ludierous, &c. defects, fuch as I have noticed to you, are obvicus, as will enable you gracefully to turn your head," read, as will allow of a graceful, a Guidonic turn of the head," &c. "The aims, &c." read this paffage thus: "The arms fhould be on a level line with the keys, neither hanging in fharp angles below them, nor get foreshortened, in crippled ftate, above them; elfe will the shoulders be raised up to the ears in pinioned form, and all articulation of joint thereby prevented. The fingers should diverge a little, and the hands be rather convexed, &c. to tuning it; add, or like the dancing puppets at the end of an itinerant dulcimer." As you mean, I prefume, Sir, to bring thefe Defultory Remarks to a conclufion in your next month's Magazine, I will beg leave to offer to your confideration a few matters regarding them. In Section 22, to " produce effe&t,” is fubjoined as note: "As nothing is more flattering to the vanity and indolence of mankind, than the being able to produce a pleafing general effect with little labour or study, fo notning more obftructs the progrefs of the Arts than fuch a facility." Ellay on the Pictureique, 2d edit. p. 170. At the conclufion of the Defultory Remarks, thus fays the Editor of the Bath Herald: "We have now, &c." As you have omitted the introductory letter to him, his two paragraphs might be thus arranged in one: Pains in tranfcribing them for us. We have feen copied, &c." thus making them originally deftined for the European Magazine. It is but juftice to certain parties mentioned in the Defultory Remarks to lay, that the matter spoken of in them is the now celebrated Mr. Duflek; that the Mr. Jn is Mr. Janien, eminent in his profeflion as a Dancing Mafter, and an admired musical amateur performer; that the young lady, to whom are addieiled the Desultory Remarks, has been complimented on her ikill, her tafte, and expreffion, by Haydn, Clementi, Giornovicchi, and many other of the eminent Profetfors of Music; and that in this city, on the 27th February 1793, at a Concert for a Public Charity, he made fuch a display of talent in the execution of a grand and VOL. XXXI. JAN. 1797. very difficult Concerto, as procured her On feeing the Pilure of Handel over THE mingled chords when Chiron tries, I have omitted in the Defultory Re marks one circumftance, which I had in, tended, but then, and even now, want time for its purpofe, to have offered a few words of advice to the young Lady : on my memorandums it is thus noted." On the conduct of a Lady at the Piano Forte, while accompanying the voice, its heads are thus minuted: In this department of music, the inftrument must be fubordinate to the fong; being then deftined alone to fupport, to enliven, and to relieve the voice, which must have the lead; and that only in the prelude, interludes, alternate parts of the two performers, and a cadence, can the hand of the player be fuffered to advance to notice: hence it is a task of condefcenfion, but one which requires great judgment to execute in a becoming and graceful manner. Rauzzini moft excellent herein. The accompaniment, often too loud, fometimes harth, and not duly according with the voice, the very meaning or el fence of the phrafe, obligato, is thus done away, and the finger is difturbed, con. fufed, and rendered incapable of difplay ing his powers. The perfon accompa nying thould have an eye on the finger, and an ear on the fong, that due afliftance may be rendered the inftant found neceffary. Those who undertake the friendly but fubmiffive part of accompanying the voice, fhould poffefs a delicate finger, be perfect timeifts, and able to execute their portion of the task with the utmoft precifion and clearness. On the Duet, or two performers on one inftrument, its inefficacy and failing ever C in the effect intended or expected, I meant likewife to have faid fomething, but time is wanting. I clofe then, Sir, with offering to your acceptance the following genuine Essay: THE POWER OF MUSIC. A BATH ANECDOTE. Addreffed to a fair Friend, 1794. Sounds fympathetic touch'd the fair-one's foul, And down her cheek a tear unbidden stole. THE force of Mufic over the ftern monarch of the lower regions was fuch that, as our illuftrious bard, in his Penforofo, fays, "it drew iron tears down Pluto's theek." Poetic ftory alfo tells us of its wonderful effects on fome among the more benign deities of the celeftial fpheres. But fhould thefe be only fictions of the Mufe, yet are there proofs inconteftable of the influence of harmonic founds on the human frame; for, as it is justly remarked, "what paffion cannot Mufic raife or quell?" One very pleafing inftance of its irretible powers was lately manifefted at a Concert in this city, and which, on more confiderations than one, merits notice.A part of the entertainment was Pleyel's favourite Concertante, wherein is a movement deferving the epithet of it adagio divino; the motivo or fubject of which was delivered in ftrains fo fweet, fo ex preffive, and fo truly pathetic, that it W- "A woman, lovelieft of the lovely kind, Pleafe to pardon inaccuracies and in- AN ACCOUNT OF SIMON OCKLEY, SIMON OCKLEY, an eminent Orien- J. B. held to the day of his death, which happened at Swavefey the 9th of Auguit, 1720; immaturely to himself, but more fo to his family. Ockley had the culture of Oriental learning very much at heart; and the feveral publications which he made were intended folely to promote it. In 1706 he printed at Cambridge an ufeful little book, entitled, Introductio ad linguas Orientales, in quâ iis difcendis via munitur, et earum ufus oftenditur. Accedit index auctorum, tam illorum quorum in boc libello mentio fit, quam aliorum qui barum rerum ftudiofis ufui effe poffint. 12mo. Prefixed is a dedication to his friend the Bishop of Ely, and a preface addressed to the Juventus Academica, whom he labours to excite by various arguments to the pursuit of Oriental learning; affuring them in general, that no man ever, was, or ever will be truly great in divinity without at least some portion of skill it: Orientalia ftudia, fine quorum aliquali faltem peritia nemo unquam in Theologia vere magnus evafit, imo unquam evafurus eft. There is a chapter in this work relating to the famous controverfy between Buxtorf and Capellus, upon the antiquity of the Hebrew points, where Ockley profeffes to think with Buxtorf, who contended for it: but the reader may be pleafed to know, that he afterwards changed his opinion and went over to Capellus, although he had not any opportunity of publicly declaring it. And indeed it is plain, from his manner of clofing that chapter upon the points, that he was then far enough from having any fettled perfuafion about them: bis, in præfentia affentior, nolo tamen aliquid temere affirmare, quod, si postbac fententiam meam mutare mihi vifum fuerit nollem ut quifpiam ea quæ bic fcripfi mibi exprobret. In 1707 he published from the Italian of Leo Modena, a Venetian Rabbi, The Hiftory of the prefent Jews throughout the World; being an ample, though fuccin&, account of their cuftoms, ceremonies, and manner of living at this time: to which is fubjoined a fupplement concerning the Carraites and Samaritans from the French of Father Simon," 12mo.. In 1708, a curious little book, called, "The Improvement of Human Reafon, exhibited in the life of Hai Ebn Yokdham, written above 500 years ago by Abu Jaafar Ebn Tophail," from the Arabic, and illuftrated with figures, 8vo. The defign of the Author, who was a Mahometan Philofopher, is to thew, how human reafon may, by obfervation and experience, arrive at the knowledge of natural things, from thence to fupernatural, particularly the knowledge of God, and a future ftate; the defign of the tranflator to give thofe, who might be unacquainted with it, a fpecimen of the genius of the Arabian Philofophers, and to excite young scholars to the reading of Eaftern Authors. This was the point our Rabbi had conftantly in view; and therefore in his Oratio Inauguralis for the Profefforfhip, we fee him infifting upon the beauty, copioufnefs, and antiquity of the Arabic tongue in particular, and upon the ufe of Oriental learning in general, and dwelling upon the praises of Erpennius, Golius, Pocock, Herbalot, and all who had any ways contributed to promote the study of it. In 1713, his name appeared to a little book with this title, "An Account of South Weft Barbary, containing what is most remarkable in the territories of the King of Fez and Morocco. Written by a perfon who had been a flave there a confiderable time, and publifhed from his authentic manufcript. To which are added, Two Letters; one from the prefent King of Morocco to Colonel Kirk; the other to Sir Cloudefley Shovell; with Sir Cloudefley's Antwer." 8vo. While we are enumerating these small publications of the Profeflor, it will be but proper to mention two fermons : one, "Upon the dignity and authority of the Chriftian Priesthood," at Ormond Chapel, London, in 1710; another, "Upon the neceffity of inftructing Children in the Scriptures," at St. Ives, in Huntingdonfhire, 1713. To thefe we must add a new tranflation of the fecond Apocryphal book of Efdras, from the Arabic verfion of it; as that which we have in our common bibles is from the vulgar Latin. Mr. Whifton, we are told †, was the perfon who employed him in this tranlation, upon a strong fufpicion that it must needs make for the Arian caufe he was then reviving; and he accordingly published it in one of his volumes of Primitive Christianity Revived. Ockley, however, was firmly of opinion, that it could ferve nothing at all to his purpote, as appears from a printed letter of his to Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Thirlby, in which are the following words: You fhall have my Eidras in a little time, two hundred of In a Letter, 15th March 1717, prefixed to Wotton's Miscellaneous Difcourfes upon the Traditions and Ufages of the Scribes and Pharifees in our Saviour's Time, he has the following paffage: "We are obliged to you for having evinced beyond contradiction, that Hebrew learning is neceffary for us Chriftians. If I had ever had an opportunity, I would most certainly have gone through the New Teftament under a Jew. Whatever fome may think, this I am well affured of, that they understand it infinitely better than we do. They are thoroughly acquainted with all the forms of fpeech, and all the allufions which (because they occur but rarely) are obfcure to us, though in common ufe and very familiar among them, as hath been admirably demonstrated by the learned Surenbus in his Reconciliator. See the Preface to "An Epiftolary Difcourfe concerning the Books of Ezra genuine and fpurious, but more particularly the fecond Apocryphal Book under that name, and the variations of the Arabic Copy from the Latin." By Francis Lee, M. D. Author of the Hiftory of Montanism, which in 632, and carried down through a fuc ceffion of Caliphs to 705. This history, which illuftrates the religion, rites, cuf toms, and manner of living of that warlike people, is curious and entertaining; and the public were much obliged to Ockley fr it; for he was at vaft pains in collecting materials from the most authentic Arabic authors, especially manu. fcripts, not hitherto publifhed in any European language; and for that purpofe refided fome time at Oxford, to be nea the Bodleian Library, where those manufcripts were repofited t. It is in two *This Letter, dated the 15th of October 1712, is entitled, "An Account of the Authority of the Arabic Manufcripts in the Bodleian Library controverted between Dr. Grabe and Mr. Whifton," 1712, 8vo. +He was at Oxford from April to November in 1716; and what manner of employment the Bodleian Library afforded him may appear from the following paffages of a letter written to a favourite and accomplished daughter while he refided there :-" My condition here is this One of the most useful and necessary authors I have is written in such a wretched hand, that the very reading of it is perfect decyphering. I am forced fometimes to take three or four lines together, and then pull them all to pieces to find where the words begin and end; for oftentimes it is fo written, that a word is divided as if the former part of it was the end of the foregoing word, and the latter part the beginning of another; befides innumerable other difficulties known only to those that understand the langwage. Add to this the pains of abridging, comparing authors, felecting proper materials, and the hike, which in a remote and copious language, abounding with difficulties fometimes infu perable, make it equivalent at least to the performing of fix times fo much in Greek and Latin. So that if I continue in the fame courfe in which I am engaged at prefent, that is, from the time I rife in the morning till I can fee no longer at night, I cannot pretend once to entertain the least thought of feeing home till Michaelmas. Were it not that there is fome fatisfaction in anfwering the end of my profeffion, fome in making new difcoveries, and fome in the hopes of obliging my country with the history of the greatest Empire the world ever yet faw, I would fooner do almoft any thing than submit to the drudgery. "People imagine, that it is only understanding Arabic, and then tranflating a book out of it, and there is an end of the story: but if ever learning revives among us, posterity will judge better. This work of mine (in another way) is almost of as different a nature from tranflating out of the Greek or Latin, as translating a Poet from one language to another is different from profe. One comfort I have, that the authors I am concerned with are very good in their kind, and afford me plenty of materials, which will clear up a great many mistakes of modern Travellers, who paffing through the Eastern countries, without the neceffary knowledge of the history and ancient cuftoms of the Mahometans, pick up little pieces of tradition from the prefent inhabitants, and deliver them as obfcurely as they receive them. One thing pleafs me much, that we shall give a very particular account of Ali and Hofein, who are reckoned Saints by the Perfians, and whose names you must have met with both in Herbert and Tavernier; for the fake of whom there remains that implacable and irreconcilable hatred between the Turks and Perfians to this very day, which you may look for in vain in all the English books that have hitherto appeared. It would be a great fatisfaction to me, if the author I have were complete in all his volumes, that I might bring the History down five or fix hundred years: but, alas! of twelve that he wrote we have but two at Oxford, which are large quartos, and from whence I take the chief of 'my materials. "I with that fome public fpirit would arife among us, and caufe those books to be bought in the Eaft for us which we want. i fhould be very willing to lay out my pains for the fervice of the public. If we could but procure 500l. to be judiciously laid out in the Eaft, in fuch Books as I could mention for the Public Library at Cambridge, it would be the greateft improvement that could be conceived: but that is a happiness not to be expected in my time. We are all fwallowed up in politics; there is no room for letters; and it is to be feared that the next generation will not only inherit but improve the polite ignorance of the prefent."—June 10. volumes, |