arts, which before shunned the commerce of the world, into the service of life; and it is to you we owe, that the man of wit has turned himself to be a man of business. The false delicacy of men of genius, and the objections which others were apt to insinuate against their abilities for entering into affairs, have equally vanished: and experience has shewn, that men of letters are not only qualified with a greater capacity, but also a greater integrity in the dispatch of business*. Your own. studies Johnson calls "the blandishments that were practised upon Halifax." Mr. Stepney, himself no bad poet, bequeathed "to Prior 50 pounds, and to Lord Halifax a golden cup and 100 tomes of his library." This nobleman, to his great honour, was, to the end of his life, peculiarly kind and serviceable to Steele, who was of congenial political principles, and lived long with him in habits of familiarity and friendship. If the accomplishments of Lord Halifax had even been fewer, and his merit less than the generality of his contemporary writers lead us to believe, our author's account of him claims particular regard and credit. Steele, who knew him well, had a penetrating understanding, and an independent spirit. His pen was always ready at the service of his friends and his party; but it was always guided by a strict regard to truth, and a nice sense of honour; and though gratitude, or friendship, might induce him to lavish, nothing could have swayed him to prostitute, praise. These considerations are surely sufficient to exempt what is said here, and in Letter 190 from the imputation of intentional flattery, and to furnish, so far as Steele's testimony goes, a strong presumption, if not a decisive proof, in favour of Lord Halifax. To the last mentioned letter, and the note upon it, the reader is referred for a more particular account of this amiable and respectable nobleman. See also Theobald's account of him, soon after his Lordship's death, which was caused by an inflammation in his lungs, May 19, 1715. "Censor," vol. I. N° 28, pp. 197, 198, &c.

* Apparently an intended compliment to several of Steele's friends, and particularly to Addison, who, though he never re

have been diverted from being the highest ornament, to the highest use to mankind; and the capacities which would have rendered you the greatest Poet of your age, have, to the advantage of Great Britain, been employed in pursuits which have made you the most able and unbiassed Patriot. A vigorous imagination, an extensive apprehension, and a ready judgment have distinguished you in all the illustrious parts of administration, in a reign attended with such difficulties, that the same talents, without the same quickness in the possession of them, would have been incapable of conquering. The natural success of such abilities has advanced

you to a seat in that illustrious House *, where you were received by a crowd of your relations.

Great as you are in your honours, and personal qualities, I know you will forgive an humble neighbour the vanity of pretending to a place in your friendship, and subscribing himself, my Lord,

Your Lordship's most obliged,

and most devoted servant,

RICH. STEELE.

mitted the fees of his office, never would accept of any more than was stated and customary. A remarkable instance of this integrity was, his refusal of a bank note of 300l. and afterwards of a diamond ring of the same value, from a Major Dunbar, ascertained by an original letter of Addison himself, for which the publick were originally indebted to the publications of Edmond Curll.

* He was made a peer in 1700.

177. TO

177. TO MR. HUGHES.

DEAR SIR,

*

[APRIL] 1711. MR. CLAYTON and I desire you, as soon as you can conveniently, to alter this poem for musick, preserving as many of Dryden's words and verses as you can. It is to be performed by a voice well skilled in recitative; but you understand all these matters much better than

Your affectionate humble servant, RICH. STEELE.

178. FROM MR. HUGHES.

DEAR SIR,

[APRIL 1711.]

SINCE you have asked my opinion about the musick, I take it for granted you would have me

* "Alexander's Feast, or the Power of Music, an Ode for St. Cecilia's Day." Agreeably to this request, Mr. Hughes made several alterations in that admired ode; which are pointed out by Mr. Malone, in his Life of Dryden, vol. I. p. 303. But what his opinion was of the musick both of that and of "Sappho's Ode by Philips," will appear from the following letter. The honour of doing justice to Dryden, as well as to Milton, was reserved for Handel, who composed " Alexander's Feast" in 1736.—" It is to be regretted," says Dr. Warton, in his Essay on Pope,'" that Mr. Handel has not set to musick Pope's Ode' as well as Dryden's." But should it not be observed, that that excellent Poet, as well as judge of music, Mr. Hughes, was the first who altered "Alexander's Feast" for music? DUNCOMBE.

give it you and therefore I will shew how faithfully I intend always to obey you, in doing it with a freedom, which I would be loth to use to one for whom I had less friendship, and in whose candour and integrity I did not think myself safe.

I shall therefore, without taking any hints from others, just give you some few observations which have occurred to me, as well as I could judge upon the first hearing.

That which seems to me to strike most are the prelude-bases, some of which are very well fancied; but I am afraid they are in themselves too long, especially when repeated; for prelude-bases are only to begin the subject of the air, and do not shew any composition (which consists in the union of parts); so that, if they are not artfully worked afterwards with the voice-part, they are no proof of skill, but only of invention.

The symphonies in many places seem to me perplexed, and not made to pursue any subject or point.

The last air of Sappho begins too chearfully for the sense of the words. As well as I can guess, without seeing the score, it is in D sharp, from which it varies (in another movement of time) into B flat 3d, and so ends, without returning to the same key either flat or sharp. This being one continued air (though in two movements of time), let some master be asked, "Whether it is allowable (I am sure it is not usual) to begin an air in one key sharp, and end it in a different key flat?" For though the passage is natural, the closing so is, I believe, always disallowed.

The

The overture of Alexander ought to be great and noble; instead of which, I find only a hurry of the instruments, not proper (in my poor opinion) and without any design, or fugue, and, I am afraid, perplexed and irregular in the composition, as far as I have any ideas or experience. Enquire this of better judgments.

The duet of Bacchus is chearful, and has a good effect; but that beginning" Cupid, Phoebus," &c. I cannot think shews any art, and is, in effect, no more than a single air. Nothing shews both genius and learning more than this sort of composition, the chief beauty of which consists in giving each voice different points, and making those points work together, and interchange regularly and surprisingly, or one point following itself in both the voices, in a kind of canon, as it is called. These artfulnesses, when well executed, give infinite delight to the ear: but that which I have mentioned is not formed after those designs; but where the voices join, they move exactly together in plain counterpoint, which shews little more than a single

air.

I think the words in general naturally enough expressed, and, in some places, pathetically: but, because you seem to think this the whole mystery of setting, I take this opportunity to assure you, that it is as possible to express words naturally and pathetically in very faulty composition, as it is to hit a likeness in a bad picture. If the musick in score, without the words, does not prove itself by the rules of composition, which relates to the harmony and motion of different notes at the same