lowest classes of the inhabitants. The principal amufement of the common people of every country and in every age has been a turn for melody and fong. Many of the vulgar fongs of France and Spain poffefs the first degree of poetical merit, and afford as much entertainment to the highest ranks as they do to the loweft. The common people of Italy liften with rapture to the fublimest flights of Ariofto, whom they appear to comprehend as well as the ableft critic; and difficult would it be, in many ftates, to find a peafant unable to chant his ftanza of the Jerufalem delivered. The English vulgar have never, perhaps, fhewn fuch a brilliancy of intellect, and therefor the compofitions which they most relifh are hardly to be endured by thofe of any other defcription. Nothing can be more common than to see a large crowd attending with apparent fatisfaction to rhapfodies in which, though written in a jargon, and with a groffnefs perfectly fuitable to fuch an audience, it is evident that the compofer has not understood what he wrote, that the performer does not understand what he fings, and that the auditors do not understand what they hear; and yet, what is most extraordinary, no one of these circumftances appears to render the compofition lefs favourite or delightful. But even this depravity of taste is not confined to a mob. The ftage itself, the ftandard of national tafte, has, of late, with refpect to poetry and mufic, declined with a rapidity which not many years fince would have been scarcely thought poffible. A fpirit of moralifing may lead us entirely from our subject. We have folely to regret the lofs of melody and fong, which, with objects, perhaps, of far greater importance, it is 'much to be feared are fallen to rife no more. The profeffed purpose of this flight effay being to exhibit fome account of the history or ftate of fong of fuch European nations as are any way celebrated in this refpect, it may be deemed unpardonable to omit all notice of the Scots, who have been long and univerfally famed for the beauty and elegance of their paftoral fongs, and for the pathetic fimplicity of their natural melodies, which in terest tereft and affect the mind beyond any other fpecies of mufical modulation. But, as an accurate investigation and ample difcuffion of this curious and important fubject is intended for a future opportunity, when it will be naturally expected, and may more properly appear, it is thought fufficient, on the prefent occafion, juft to inform the reader that the omiffion has not been unintentional. PART Stothard del LOVE-SONG S. CLASS I. Blake so A SONG I. H Chloris! could I now but fit Your infant beauty could beget No happiness nor pain. I little thought the rifing fire Your charms in harmless childhood lay, Like metals in a mine; Age from no face takes more away, VOL. I. Than youth conceal'd in thine. B But |