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 Ruthlefs Foe, Deep drench'd with blood, yet thirsting ftill for more, Views with rapacious eye each neighb'ring Shore ; "Mine be th' eternal fway," aloud he cries, "Where'er my Sword prevails, my conq'ring Banner flies." IV. Genius of ALBION, hear! Grafp the strong fhield, and lift the' avenging Spear. Whelm'd by ELIZA's Barks beneath the ftormy tide; Breathing, to ancient mood, the foul-infpiring ftrain, "The Oracle for War declares, "Succefs depends upon our hearts and fpears! To the EDITOR of the EUROPEAN MAGAZINE. AT the fame time that I confider and Bath, Dec. 5, 1795. 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 paufe therefore, an adagio thus executed, and thus clofed, ought to take place," &c. By this unlucky derangement of the words, all fente and meaning is loft. Thus ftood it in the MS. "And modeft merit. An adagio thus executed, and thus clofed, will make its way to the heart, where its impreffion fhould be fuffered to remain. A paufe, therefore, ought, &c." *Vide Bath Herald, 21ft May, wherein is an Addrefs in verfe to a Friend, on his Lofs; written, moft affuredly, by the celebrated Mr. Anftey; in a note to which there should be this correction: Fortune was intended, which, on her deceafe, her father divided between her three lifters and the Gentleman, &c. This 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 permifon to notice, that on the paragraph refpecting Deportment, after 15th, I have thefe alterations: "Indeed rather ludiCrous, &c. defects, fuch as I have noticed to you, are obvious, as will enable you gracefully to turn your head," read, "as will allow of a graceful, a Guidonic turn of the head," &c. "The arms, &c." read this paffage thus: "The arms fhould be on a level line with the keys, neither hanging in fharp angles below them, nor yet forefhortened, in crippled ftate, above them; elfe will the boulders be raised up to the ears in pinioned form, and all ar ticulation of jointthereby prevented. The fingers fhould 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 effect," 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 nothing more obftructs the progrefs of the Arts than fuch facility. Effay on the Picturefque, 2d edit. p. 170. 2 very difficult Concerto, as procured her univerfal admiration and unbounded applaufe; and that this compofition was afterwards published by Dufek, under dedication to that pupil who had done him and his mufic fo much credit. The following lines appeared in the Bath Pa pers, a few days after her performance: 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 fay, that the mafter spoken of in them is the now celebrated Mr. Duffck; that the Mr. Jn is Mr. Janten, eminent in Lis profeffion as a Dancing Mafter, and an admired mufical amateur performer; that the young lady, to whom are addreffed the Defultory Remarks, has been complimented on her skill, her tafte, and expreffion, by Haydn, Clementi, Giornovicchi, and many other of the eminent Profeffors of Mulic; 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. On feeing the Picture of Handel over Ajembly Rooms, Bath. I have omitted in the Defultory Remarks one circumftance, which I had intended, 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 mufic, the inftrument must be fubordinate to the fong; being then de ftined 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 ef fence of the phrafe, obligato, is thus done away, and the finger is difturbed, confuld, and rendered incapable of difplaying his powers. The perfon accompanying should have an eye on the finger, and an ear on the fong, that due affiftance may be rendered the inftant found neceflary. Thofe who undertake the friendly but submiffive part of accompa nying the voice, fhould poffefs a delicate finger, be perfect timeifts, and able to execute their portion of the talk with the utmost precision and clearneís. 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 Effay: THE POWER OF MUSIC. A BATH ANECDOTE. Addreged 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 cheek." Poetic story 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 Mule, 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 pleating instance of its irrefiftible 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 il adagio divino; the motive or subject of which was delivered in strains fo fweet, so ex preffive, and fo truly pathetic, that it "A woman, loveliest of the lovely kind, 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 August, 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 au&orum, 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 addreffed to the Juventus Academics, 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 leaft fome portion of skill in it: Orientalia ftudia, fine quorum aliquali faltem peritia nemo unquam in Theologia vere magnus evafit, ime unquam evafurus eft. There is a chapter in this work relating to the famous controverly between Buxtorf and Capellus, upon the antiquity of the Hebrew points, where Ockley profefles 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, fi pofthac fententiam meam mutare mihi vifum fuerit nollem ut quifpiam ea quæ bic fcripfi mibi exprobiet. In 1707 he published from the Italian of Leo Modena, a Venetian Rabbi, "The Hiftory of the present 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 Reason, exhibited in the life of Hai Ebn Yokdham, written above 500 years ago by Abu Jaafar Ebn Tophail," from the Arabic, and illuftrated with gures, 8vo. The defign of the Author, who was a Mahometan Philofopher, is to hew, 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 Profefforship, 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, Herbelot, 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 moft 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 published 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 Aniwer." 8vo. While we are enumerating these small publications of the Profeffor, 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 these 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 translation, upon a strong fufpicion that it must needs make for the Arian cause he was then reviving; and he accordingly published it in one of his volumes of Primitive Chriftianity Revived. Ockley, however, was firmly of opinion, that it could ferve nothing at all to his purpofe, as appears from a printed letter of his to Mr. (afterwards Dr.) Thirlby, in which are the following words: You fhall have my Eldras 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 Pharisees in our Saviour's Time, he has the following paffage: "We are obliged to you for having evinced beyond contradiction, that Hebre learning is neceffary for us Chriftians. If I had ever had an opportunity, '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 aequainted with all the forms of speech, 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 demonftrated by the learned Surenbufius 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 Montan.fin. which I preferved when Mr. Whifton reprinted his, purely upon this account, because I was loth that any thing with my name to it should be extant only in his heretical volumes. I only stay till the learned author of the hiftory of Montanism has finished a differtation which he has promifed me to prefix to that book*." But the most confiderable by far of all the Profeffor's performances, is "The History of the Saracens," begun from the death of Mahomet, the founder of the Saracenical Empire, which happened in 632, and carried down through a fue ceflion of Caliphs to 705. This hiftory, which illuftrates the religion, rites, cuftoms, 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 au thentic Arabic authors, especially manufcripts, not hitherto publifhed in any European language; and for that purpol refided fome time at Oxford, to be hear the Bodleian Library, where thofe 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 neceffary authors I have is written in fuch 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 thofe that understand the language. Add to this the pains of abridging, comparing authors, fele&ting proper materials, and the like, which in a remote and copious language, abounding with difficulties fometimes infuperable, make it equivalent at least to the performing of fix times to 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 leaft thought of feeing home till Michaelmas. Were it not that there is fome fatisfaction in answering the end of my profeffion, fome in making new difcoveries, and fome in the hopes of obliging my country with the hiftory of the greateft Empire the world ever yet faw, I would fooner do almost any thing than fubmit 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 ftory: but if ever learning revives among us, pofterity 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 tranflating 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 hiftory and ancient cultoms of the Mahometans, pick up little pieces of tradition from the prefent inhabitants, and deliver them as obfcurely as they receive them. One thing pleafes me much, that we fhall give a very particular account of Ali and Hofein, who are reckoned Saints by the Perfians, and whofe names you must have met with both in Herbert and Tavernier; for the fake of whom there remains that implacable and irreconcileable hatred between the Turks and Perfians to this very day, which you may look for in vain in all the Engl fh 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 Hiftery 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 wish that fome public fpirit would arife among us, and caufe thofe books to be bought in the Eaft for us which we want. I should be very willing to lay out my pains for the fervice of the public. If we could but procure 500l. to be judicioufly laid out in the Eaft, in fuch Books as I could mention for the Public Library at Cambridge, it would be the greatest improvement that could be conceived: but that is a happiness not to be expected in my time. We are all swallowed 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, |