appearance of printed music, and gave it a more connected and uniform character than the separate notes could admit of. Matthew Lock, in his "Melotheria," which was printed by John Carr, in 1673, from copperplates, joined the notes together; and from this specimen it is supposed that Playford took the idea, and transferred the same im'provement to letter-press printing, as abovementioned. The practice of printing from copper-plates began in Rome, about the year 1636; this the Germans and French quickly adopted, and the English followed the same method, as appears from a collection of lessons by Dr. Bull, Byrd, and Orlando Gibbons, entitled "Parthenia! or the Maydenhead of the first Music ever printed for the Virginals, 1659."

Playford lived to the patriarchal age of fourscore, and died, as he had lived, beloved and honoured by all who knew him. It has generally been supposed that he died about the year 1693, but on examining some old newspapers a short time since, I saw the following advertisement in the "London Gazette, May 3, 1686 :”—

"An antient printing house in Little Britain, late in the possession of Mr. John Playford, deceased, well known, and ready fitted and accommodated with good presses and all manner of Letters for Choice Work of Music, Mathematics, Navigation, and all Greek and Latin Books, with fair and convenient dwelling house, and convenient rooms for warehouses, all which are to be sold as they are ready standing, or let by lease, or yearly rent. Enquire of Mrs. Ellen Playford, at the said house over against the Globe in Little Britain."

This advertisement, therefore, proves the period of his death to have been a few years prior to the date usually assigned; and it is curions also in another point of view, because it shows us, from the brief enumeration of his different type, that no kind of printing came amiss to him, he being amply provided >with a sufficient variety (then a desideratum,) of letters to enable him to print any kind of works that might be required.

Playford was not only industrious himself in his trade, but also his wife, who appears to have been a shrewd sensible woman, and "equally persevering with her husband, and evidently superior to her station in life, as we may conclude from the following advertisement, printed at the end of one of his publications:" At Islington, over against the church, Mrs. Playford now keeps a boarding school, where young gentlewomen may be instructed in all munner of curious work, and also reading, writing, music, dancing, and the French tongue."

Such an industrious couple could not fail of succeeding in business; and through life

they possessed the friendship and esteem of all the eminent musicians of the period, for they fully appreciated the merits of "honest John Playford."

He was succeeded in the business by his son Henry; but as there are no works that bear his name subsequent to the year 1710, it is conjectured that he did not long survive his respected parent.

The music published in the early part of the eighteenth century, began to make a different appearance, being principally collections of songs; and the music itself was printed from copper-plates instead of the old moveable-type system, which, after the death of Playford, rapidly declined, insomuch that it became quite obsolete; and it is only within these very few years, since the extensive improvements made in type-founding, that it has been revived.

Most of the musical works of this period are embellished with copper-plate engravings at the head of each subject, generally representing the burden or principal incidents of the songs. The music of them were chiefly engraved by one Thomas Cross, who lived in Catherine-Wheel-court, near Holborn, or as it was then more generally called, the Snowhill Conduit: he appears to have been well known to the music printers of that time, and likewise to the wits about town, as appears from the following couplet, which originally appeared in the "Orpheus Brittanicus," 1701.

While at the shops we daily dangling view ·False concord, by Tom Cross engraven true.” This is a short compliment to Tom, but not

so to those writers of false concord.

The most extensive printer of music that may be said to have filled the place of Playford, was one Walsh, who lived in Catherine-street, Strand; his publications range through a long series of years, commencing from 1700, being nearly half a century; the books which he published are of course too numerous to be detailed here. There were other music printers of the period, one of whom was "John Simpson at the base viol and flute, in Sweetings-alley, opposite the east door of the Royal Exchange ;" and a second was "D. Wright, next the Sun Tavern, neare Holborn Bars;" but as it is scarcely worth while, in a short dissertation like this, to mention the names of all the music-printers of the period that are known, we shall conclude with the two following, viz., " J. Hare, at the Golden Viol," and "John Young, at the Dolphin and Crown ;" both of whoin lived in St. Paul's Churchyard.

I have already briefly adverted to the fact of the music being printed from engraved copper-plates; it also appears that the music of the popular operas of the time were also engraved on copper-plates, as is evident from

the following title, copied from the original work; viz.,“The Beggar's Opera, as it is acted at the Theatre Royal, Lincoln's Inn Fields, written by Mr. Gay: the third edition, with the overture in score, and the songs and the basses (the overture and basses composed by Dr. Pepusch,) curiously engraved on copper-plates, 1729."

This tedious method of engraving the notes on copper-plates was gradually superceded by the method of stamping them on pewter-plates, but it did not, however, become commonly used until about the middle of the last century; and the first editions of the works of Correlli, and the immortal Handel, may be looked upon as some of the earliest specimens of this style, which in appearance, however, do not materially differ from the copper-plates.

The great improvements that were made in this art in England, is due to the exertions of a man of the name of Phillips, who produced some very fine specimens; so much so, indeed, that they challenge comparison with the best productions of any other artist of the day, whether English or foreign: although he certainly did make very great improvements, yet he has been accused of having derived his principles from one Fortier, a French watchmaker of some celebrity, and also a stamper of music plates.

About the year 1760, an attempt was made in England to revive the old and original method of printing music from moveable types, by one Fought, a native of Lapland, who settled in London about that time, and took a shop in St. Martin's Lane, and there commenced the business of printing music from type which he himself had made; but he did not succeed, for the Metropolitan music-sellers copied his productions, and by stamping them on pewter-plates, they were enabled to undersell him.

The method of printing music from stamped pewter-plates has continued in practice almost ever since the time just mentioned; within these few years the old method of printing from moveable type has been again revived, and which will most like soon supercede the common method. To those who are not exactly aware of the difference in the appearance of a stamped and a type-printed sheet, it may be necessary to refer them to some example which may be commonly seen, and as such we may mention the "Harmonist," a new work now publishing periodically, and which is a very good specimen of moveable-type printing:-this may be compared with some of the stamped works now printing, and the difference will be seen not

From the eminent press of Messrs. Clowes and Sons. These celebrated typographers have, most undeniably, in the above, and other publications, produced the finest and most correct specimens of music-printing, from moveable-type, that ever emanated from the English press.-Ed. M.

to be very great in point of appearance, though quite sufficient to show the difference of the two systems, when the advantages of moveable-type printing will become manifest; besides, type-printing is far more expeditious than the mode of stamping.

Another and very obvious advantage is, that the music-type may be readily incorporated in any required way with the letter-press type itself, so that it is an easy matter in this system to give letter-press remarks or notes after any line of music, such as are essentially necessary, and always used in books of instruction, and elementary works on the theory of music; and as this is known to be a very difficult branch of the art, it is necessary that the remarks and explanations should follow the music itself in the same page, which the moveable-type enables us to effect without any difficulty; and it is therefore hoped by these means, that in the course of a very few years, cheap and abundant supplies of good elementary works on the theory and practice of music will be easily attainable, by being vended at such a price as will place them within the means of all classes: doubtless it will be acknowledged, that the principal reason why this delightful science is not so extensively cultivated as might be wished, is, that musical works are too highly priced, indeed so much so, that they cannot be compared with anything else in the whole range of typography.

Manners and Customs.

ROYAL MASQUE.

THE following description of a royal masque, which was exhibited by the Inns of Court, before Charles I., his queen, and the court at Whitehall, in February 1633, is extracted from the Memoirs of Bulstrode Whitelocke, who was one of the principal managers of this magnificent entertainment:-The first that marched were twenty footmen in scarlet liveries with silver lace, each one having his sword by his side, a batoon in one hand, and a torch lighted in the other; these were the marshal's men, who cleared the streets, made way, and were all about the marshal, waiting his commands. After these, and sometimes in the midst of them, came the marshal, Mr. Darrell, who was afterwards knighted by the king. He was mounted upon one of the king's best horses, and richest saddles, and his own habit was exceeding rich and glorious; horsemanship very gallant. After him followed one hundred gentlemen of the Inns of Court, five and twenty chosen out of each house; every one of whom were in very rich clothes, scarce any thing but gold and silver lace to be seen of them; and each gentleman had a page and two lackeys, waiting on him in his livery by his horse's side: the lackeys carried

torches, and the page his master's cloak. The richness of their apparel and furniture, glittering by the light of a multitude of torches attending on them, with the motion and stirring of their mettled horses, and the many and various gay liveries of their servants, but especially the personal beauty and gallantry of the handsome young gentlemen, made the most glorious and splendid shew that ever was beheld in England. The torches and flaming huge flambeaus, borne by the sides of each chariot, made it seem lightsome as noon-day, but more glittering, and gave a full and clear light to all the streets and windows as they passed by. The queen did the honour to some of the masquers to dance with them, and to judge them as good dancers as ever she saw; and the great ladies were very free and civil in dancing with all the masquers as they were taken out by them. The persons employed in this mask were paid justly and liberally; some of the music had one hundred pounds a piece; so that the whole charge of the music came to about a thousand pounds: the clothes of the horsemen, and the liveries of their pages and lackeys, which were at their own particular charge, were reckoned, one with another, at a hundred pounds a suit, at least. The charges of all the rest of the masque, and matters belonging to it were reckoned to be full as much as the value of the clothes; and so the charge of the whole masque, which was borne by the societies, and by the particular members of it, was accounted to be above one and twenty thousand pounds.

ORIGIN OF LORD

W. G. C.

King of England, less fortunate, could find no one of his subjects willing to take up the gauntlet, until his captive in the Tower, the gallant Earl of Ulster, was prevailed upon to accept the challenge. But when every thing was prepared for the contest, and the champions had entered the lists, in presence of the monarchs of England, France, and Spain, the opponent of the earl, seized with a sudden panic, put spurs to his horse, and fled the arena; whereupon the victory was adjudged with acclamation to the champion of England. The French king being informed, however, of the earl's powerful strength, and wishing to witness some exhibition of it, his lordship, at the desire of King John, cleft a massive helmet in twain at a single blow. The king was so well satisfied with this signal performance, that he not only restored the earl to his estates and effects, but desired him to ask any thing within his gift, and it should be granted. To which Ulster replied, that having estates and titles enough, he desired that his successors might have the privilege (their first obeisance being paid) to remain covered in the presence of his majesty, and all future kings of England, which request was immediately conceded.

MR. HAMPTON'S DESCENT IN A

PARACHUTE,

KINGSALE
PRIVILEGE OF WEARING HIS HAT IN THE
ROYAL PRESENCE.*

SIR JOHN DE COURCY, earl of Ulster, performed prodigies of valour in Ireland: but upon the accession of King John, his splendour and rank having excited the envy of Hugh de Lacie, appointed governor of Ireland by that monarch, the Earl of Ulster was treacherously seized while performing penance unarmed and barefooted in the churchyard of Down-Patrick, on Good Friday, anno 1203, and sent over to England, where the king condemned him to perpetual imprisonment in the Tower, and granted to Lacie all the earl's possessions in Ireland. After his lordship had been in confinement about a year, a dispute happening to arise between King John, and Philip-Augustus of France, concerning the Duchy of Normandy, the decision of which being referred to single combat, King John, more hasty than advised, appointed the day, against which, the King of France provided his champion; but the

From Burke's Peerage. (1839. Churton.)

It was on

his ascent afterwards at Rochester, that he particularly displayed great presence of mind, and determined spirit, for, on that occasion, shortly after he had left the earth, the wind shifting, drove his balloon sea-ward, and it descended on the ocean, some miles from the coast; while in this perilous situation, he clung to his balloon, until rescued by a trading vessel, which landed the aeronaut, with his Albion balloon, at Whitstable. He ascended next at Canterbury, when the balloon, not being sufficiently buoyant, from a want of gas, the intrepid Hampton cut away the car to lighten the balloon, and he ascended standing on the hoop to which the ropes that passed over the balloon were atof last summer, Mr. Hampton ascended from tached, and descended safely. In the course Cremorne House, and also at other places, with the greatest facility, and descended without accident. At length, he determined to outstrip all competition, by descending from his balloon, by means of a newly constructed Parachute: the Montpelier Gardens, at Cheltenham, was the place chosen for this

daring exploit; but the sad fate of Mr. Cock ing, and the censure which the proprietors of Vauxhall Gardens incurred, by permitting .the descent from the Nassau balloon, induced the owner of Montpelier Gardens to withhold his consent to Mr. Hampton's experiment; but in order to gratify the curiosity of the immense concourse of spectators that were assembled upon that occasion, he consented that the balloon and parachute should he exhibited, but to ascend no higher than sixty feet from the earth, for fear of accident; when Mr. Hampton had reached this altitude, he could not resist the desire he had of put ting his parachute to the test, and accordingly severed the rope which passed over his balloon, the two ends being held by men, stationed in the gardens for that purpose. The astonishment of the spectators may be ima gined, when they beheld the intrepid aronaut majestically soaring towards the clouds. When about two miles from the earth, he determined upon descending; but, unlike Garnerin, who depended upon the atmospheric pressure, Mr. Hampton opened his parachute before he separated it from the balloon. The wind was very high. It appeared, when viewed from below, to be driven along at a great rate; and was, perhaps, the most boisterous Mr. H. ever experienced, the wind carrying him over the Leckhampton hills with great violence. He was not up more than twenty minutes, and descended at Cobberley. This ascent was in May, 1839.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PARACHUTE.

The above engraving shows the admirable construction of the parachute: the upper part is in the form of an umbrella, and about fifteen feet in diameter, with an ornamented border. The ribs are eight feet long, and expand from the top of the parachute to its extremities; they are formed of very thick See Mirror, p. 66, vol. xxx.

whale-bone, strongly fastened by brass clamps: the ribs are connected to the copper-tube by stretchers, inade of bamboo. At the ends of the ribs, curtains are suspended, 24 feet deep; and by an admirable contrivance, Mr. Hampton, when in his seat in the parachute, can by a rope which runs from the car to the curtains, either contract or enlarge them, in the same manner as the sailor furls his sails. In order to guard against every possible accident, the car of the parachute is strongly guarded by iron hoops, to prevent the possi bility of its receiving injury on its reaching the earth. Mr. Hampton, while in the car, can, by a pulley which runs through the copper tube, (connecting the balloon to the parachute,) open a small valve in the balloon, by which means he can let as much gas escape as he may think necessary immediately previous to his descending. When Mr. H. imagines enough gas is let off, he severs the rope which holds the parachute to the balloon; (this rope also is conveyed to the balloon through the tube, which is 11 feet high, the altitude of the parachute); and he descends.

The engraving on our first page represents the manner of Mr. Hampton's ascending, with the top of the parachute closed, and also as it appears when expanded; with the mode the gas escapes from the balloon; and his mode of descending, as also that of his balloon; and his reaching the earth at Cobberley.

The ascent at Cremorne House on Thursday last, was a pleasing sight, not so repulsive to the feelings as that of the ascent of Mons. Garnerin, some years since.

Shortly before the ascent, the rain impeded the progress of making the necessary preparation: indeed, for some time, it was imagined no ascent would take place: at length, between eight and nine o'clock in the evening, the car was affixed to the balloon, and everything being ready, the undaunted æronaut gently ascended, amidst the cheers of the assembled company. When he had been up a short time, he severed the rope which connected the parachute with the balloon, and descended in fine style, alighting on the Fulham-road, in perfect safety.

He was conducted back to the Gardens, accompanied by an immense concourse of people, who were not sparing of their approbation of his daring exploit.

The gardens, unfortunately, were very thinly attended, the admittance money being considered too high, which was, doubtless, the cause.

It is now certain, that Mr. Hampton has proved to the public, he can descend with perfect safety in his parachute.

He will shortly make another experiment.

Arts and Sciences.

EXHIBITION OF ARTS AND MANUFACTURES IN PARIS: MAY MDCCCXXXIX.

(Concluded from page 363.)

QUITE in the corner of the right-hand gallery are the beautiful products of Messrs. Virbente, brothers, of Toulouse, under No. 2,098, consisting of all kinds of architectural ornaments, capitals of Corinthian columns, fretted mouldings, rich cornices, statuettes, &c., all in baked clay, in fact, in brick-work. The lightness, the durability, and the very low prices of these articles are remarkable. Above them is a large group of figures, "An Entombment of Christ," in the same material. Next to this is a curious model of the gymnastic apparatus of Colonel Amoros, well known for his establishment in the Champs Elysées; the swimming roundabout is amusing enough, but, we apprehend, perfectly useless. Of the carriages and vehicles in this court we may observe a steam-carriage for common roads ;-a fine locomotive engine, No. 1,736, by Stehelin and Huber, of Bitschwiller, in the Haut-Rhin, which, being entirely of French manufacture, should be carefully examined by all persons acquainted with similar products of British industry:-a travelling-barouch, with an ingenious system of double horizontal springs; and No. 3,019, a gig, with air springs, light as a zephyr ! There is a curious piece of marine artillery, No. 1,203, in this gallery, with a horizontally-revolving circular breech, perforated with a dozen charging-holes or more; into one of which a ball, with the requisite cartridge, is introduced; the breech is worked round by a screw, till the aperture comes into a line with the bore of the piece, and the shot is then fired. If the gun would stand the heat thereby occasioned, 12 or 15 shots of any calibre might be fired in a minute by this contrivance. Close by it is a large anchor, which, we understand, is a very remarkable instance of improvement in French ironwork! and in the same gallery there are some curious specimens of fine grained tough iron, made at the foundry of Grenelle, a suburb of this capital, entirely from old nails, old rusty iron, &c.

ments.

We must beg pardon of our readers for having kept them so long among the machines, but we must repeat, that though not and sinew of national progress in all manuoutwardly attractive, yet they form the bone fuctures-that but for them France could not produce her splendid silks and cachemires, steel work, nor any of her other best proher feathers, her jewellery, her sculptured ducts; and that, unless her progress in mechanical ingenuity continues to be great, her advance in manufactured products cannot be

considerable. The riches of all the other

galleries of the exhibition are entirely dependent upon the excellence of this, the first and the ground-work of the whole.

On entering the gallery No. 2, and proceeding down the left-hand, or eastern side, we are struck with some uncommonly ingenious automaton figures, No. 1,023, one of which in particular, a conjuror, is really a first-rate thing of the kind. Two singing figures, standing on small organ works, that imitate the human voice, are also exhibited under the same number. No. 1,504 comprises some clever anatomical models, &c., in wax; and a little further on will be observed, various collections of othopedic apparatus, surgical corsets and instruments, all of which possess their several claims to merit. At Nos. 666 and 1,564 will be found some urns, coffee pots, &c., in brown metal, the classic forms of which, with their beautifully-executed ornaments, will enable them to stand a comparison with any of the products of Birmingham. In the mere mechanical part of the fabrication of articles of this kind, the progress of France has of late years been immense; and, however the question may be decided as to the excellence of the material, there is no doubt that, in form and design, English manufacturers are behind their French competitors. Nearly opposite to these standings, against one of the pillars on the left-hand, will be observed the caoutchouc tubes for bell-ropes, checkstrings of carriages, &c., by means of which, you may "waft a sigh from Indus to the Pole "-if you can get a tube long enough. They are really very ingenious useful things.

ticular part of the gallery, highly held in estimation by gentlemen of 60, who have not given over their dancing days, and tender