MR. Pepusch having desired that some account should be prefixed to these Cantatas relating to the words, it may be proper to acquaint the public that they are the first essays of this kind, and were written as an experiment of introducing a sort of composition which had never been naturalized in our language. Those who are affectedly partial to the Italian tongue will scarce allow music to speak any other: but if reason may be admitted to have any share in these entertainments, nothing is more necessary than that the words should be understood, without which the end of vocal music is lost. The want of this occasions a common complaint, and is the chief if not the only reason that the best works of Scarlatí, and other Italians, except those performed in operas, are generally but little

MR. Pepusch having desired that some account should be prefixed to these Cantatas relating to the words, it may be proper to acquaint the public that they are the first essays of this kind, and were written as an experiment of introducing a sort of composition which had never been naturalized in our language. Those who are affectedly partial to the Italian tongue will scarce allow music to speak any other: but if reason may be admitted to have any share in these entertainments, nothing is more necessary than that the words should be understood, without which the end of vocal music is lost. The want of this occasions a common complaint, and is the chief if not the only reason that the best works of Scarlatí, and other Italians, except those performed in operas, are generally but little

known or regarded here. Besides, it may be observed, without any dishonour to a language which has been adorned by some writers of excellent genius, and was the first among the Moderns in which the art of poetry was revived and brought to any perfection, that in the great number of their operas, serenatas, and cantatas, the words are often much inferior to the composition; and though, by their abounding with vowels, they have an inimitable aptness and facility for notes, the writers for music have not always made the best use of this advantage, or seem to have relied on it so much as to have regarded little else; so that Mr. Waller's remark, on another occasion, may be frequently applied to them;

Soft words, with nothing in them, make a song.

Yet so great is the force of sounds, well chosen and skilfully executed, that as they can hide indifferent sense, and a kind of associated pleasure arises from the words though they are but mean, so the impression cannot fail of being in proportion much greater when the thoughts are natural and proper, and the expressions unaffected and agreeable.

Since, therefore, the English language, though inferior in smoothness, has been found not incapable of harmony, nothing would perhaps be wanting towards introducing the most elegant style of music in a nation which has given such generous encouragement to it, if our best poets would sometimes resist this design, and make it their diversion to improve a sort of verse, in