more than human, to the most delightful, the beft, and the nobleft purposes.

That Gay was the author of the Acis and Galatea, is well known, as it is publithed among his works. Shentone, in one inftance at leaft, compofed poetry, which was fet by Handel. Hughes, I think, wrote the poetry of fome of the oratorios, though I cannot at prefent afcertain which. Not much (fo far as I recollect at the diftance of feveral years) has been afcertained on the fubject, by the refearches of Dr. Burney, or of Sir John Hawkins, in their Hiftories of Mufic: I fear therefore, that little can be learnt. Handel was too inceffantly occupied (and happy it is indeed that fuch was his application, and fuch the fruits of it) as a compofer in music to have written the words; even had he been more familiar than he appears ever to have been with our language and verfification. But in general they are excellently adapted to the mufic, and I think it pretty evident that the writers must have had confiderable taste in mufic themselves, and habit in the adaptation of words; the difficulty and delicacy of which art rifes in proportion to the excellence of the mufic itself. Probably the late Mr. Melmoth, of Bath, and Mr. Avifon, the author of the excellent Effay on Musical Expreflion, might have both occafionally contributed. But harmonious profe feems to be yet more fuitable than poetry to accompany mufic of the highest order—at least, if our old translation of the poetic part of the Bible can be called profe, and not rather blank verfe in a variety of the free meafure of the dithyrambic kind; into which I think it might with the utmost propriety, be refolved.

Accordingly, in that unrivalled compofition the Meffiah, the alliance between words and mufic appears with a divine luftre; both in the felection and arrangement of the whole, and in the appropriate tranfcendant beauty of every kind and fpecies of expreflion which facred mufic appears to admit.

With the exception of one word, I agree in the merit of the inftance which have been quoted, both as excellent in moral and pious fentiment, and in all refpects fuitable for mufic. And one circumftance is most truly remarkable, that fo little of falfe accent in relation to the words, should be found in the amazing quantity of the most exquifite vocal compofitions, by this illuftrious and ever memorable foreigner; while in numerous and friking inftances, the

mufical emphasis of the recitative air, and chorus, is the fpeaking emphalis itself, preferved with the most perfect propriety, and heightened to the most confummate beauty and effect; an effect which words alone are not capable of conveying.

With Mr. Marshall's character of the mufic of Handel, I entirely and warmly coincide; and in the wish that the works of this glory of the art may become more extenfively known throughout the island Nothing more is wanting to fecure to them the moft extensive, permanent, and beneficial influence.

To this end what has been already for fome time in progrefs, will affuredly much conduce: the adapting of his mufic to the piano-forte. The heavenly compofition of the air in Solomon, which Mr. Marshall has quoted, is wonderfully fuited to that inftrument. And indeed the Pathos of Handel is not inferior to his fublimity. He is, like Homer, Milton, and Shakespeare, equal in both these excellencies.

And undoubtedly the tafle and voice, the ear and the heart of our fair countrywomen, merit that an inftrument of fuch perfection as the piano-forte now is, fhould be rescued from frivolities; unworthy of itself, and equally unworthy of them, to whom, when their purfuits are not perverted, we are as much indebted for the melioration of our hearts, as for all which most enlivens and adorns fociety.

Still I would not make a general con demnation of the modern practice of mufic in this country, till Purcell, Arne, Jackfon, Haydn, Pleyel, and Clementi, are forgotten, and fome other compofers, whom it might be invidious or impertinent in me to enumerate, and till Handel finks into oblivion; and into fuch barbarifin, I trust England will never fall. Mufic cannot ceafe to produce the most perfect gratification to the ear, and to intereft in the higheit degree the nobleft powers of the mind, and the best affections of the heart; yet I do acknowledge that there are fymptoms, and I fear increating typtoms, of a decline of tafte. Nothing is more likely to refift that dechue, than whatever may bring the mutic of Handel, not only into our cathedrals, where it places all heaven before our eyes, but into our houses. It has the unfading frefluefs of an immortal youth: very little comparatively is of a nature ever to be obfolete, or to charm the

I Magaz p. of in obferva- notes exiflence; and hence, in many

the fake of obtaining circumftantial statements".

Is not the object of every part of speech the fame as this? Does fuch an office belong exclufively to prepofitions? Does it not belong, in the fame degree, and in the fame way, to the only ellential parts of a fentence, the fubject and affirmation, the moun and verb; and to the object, whether noun, pronoun, or any thing elfe? When I fay fpontaneoufly, "I love her", does not I prevent the question's being afked, "Who loves her"; does not love prevent the queftion, "What do I"; and does not her prevent afking "Whom do I love"? In the fame way it certainly is, and in no other, that prepofitions avoid questions and give their Information; for, if I fay "I went with John", I communicate in the fame way two circumstances, and the meaning is "I went-join John"; or, if, giving a paffive form to the preceding example, I fay," She is loved by me", does by me, a prepofition and pronoun, express any relation different from that which, in the active form, is denoted by I the fimple pronoun? In the writer's own example, "Darius was vanquished by Alexander", does by Alexander exprefs a different relation from that which is expreffed by the mere noun or name in "Alexander vanquished Darius". Indeed, if Mr. Tooke's theory be true, according to which prepofitions are chiefly nouns and verbs, is it poffible that they can have any other effential nature than that which they poffefs as nouns and verbs? It is true, that, when I fay "I went", I may abitain, if I pleafe, from adding more, and the reafon is, that " I went", being a complete affirmation, conftitutes a complete fentence. The other part is merely fubfidiary, or an adjunét to the affirmation, and I may either mention it at once, to prevent a queftion, or, afterwards, in anfwer to a question. But this circumftance is merely accidental or optional, and nowife connected with any peculiarity in the nature or fervice of prepofitions; for, in the fame manner, it is optional to me either to declare or to fupprefs, with or without a question, the whole of the information contained in the affirmation itself, " I went". The truth, I believe, is, that the intention of all language is to communicate thought; that, for this end, only two parts of peech are indifpenfably neceffary; and that all the parts, whether reduced to two, or diftributed, for the fake of con

venience, into ten, contribute alike to this purpose. Whether the information communicated be given fpontaneously, or to anticipate or prevent questions, or in anfwer to previous queftions, are circumftances merely accidental or optional, and nowife connected with the intrinfic nature either of the effential or the convenient parts of oral or of written language.

Thefe few remarks refer merely to the obfervations of Mr. Payne, and not. to Mr. Salmon's works, either published, or unpublished, which, as a whole, may not be liable to that kind of ex purte animadverfion, to which they are expofed, with, I am confident, no fuch illiberal intention, by being laid before the public in partial or imperfect extracts. Crouch-end, April 4, 1807, Your's, &c.

J. GRANT.

To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine.

SIR,

Ascited Ice of wright has of late exe
of your readers who have no opportu
cited confiderable attention, some
nity of vifiting that delightful fpot, or of
reading elaborate defcriptions of it, may
be amufed by the following imperfect
fketch. Should you deem it worthy a
place in your Mifcellany, it is very much
at your fervice.
Leicester.

I could rove

At morn, at noon, at eve, by lunar ray,
In each returning feafon, through "yon ifle"
Could vifit every dell,
Each hill, each breezy lawn, each wandering
brook,

And bid the world admire; and when at last
The fong were clofed, each magic fpot again
Could feek, and tell again of all its charms.
GISBORNE.

TO the inhabitant of an inland county, who has been little accustomed to marine excurfions, failing down the Southampton river affords new, varied, and highly interefting enjoyment. The fcenery on the borders of this expantive branch of the fea, is uncommonly rich and diverfified. The country is well wooded, agreeably irregular, and highly cultivated. Manfions of various orders give cheerfulness to the landscape view, and heighten the intereft of the woods with which they are ornamented. Netly Abbey rifes from its fhaded vale with folemu grandeur. The majestic woods with which it is furrounded, open fuffi

ciently

ciently to admit highly interesting views of its hallowed arches, and venerable towers. The mind infenfibly retraces the long lapfe of ages, and imagination repeoples the fcene with its former inhabitants. Although thefe abodes were often the refidence of indolence, fuperftition, and vice, yet they doubtlefs were fometimes the refuge of refinement, and the fanctuary of piety, from the pollutions of a wicked world, and fancy whif

pers,

Here the ftill dead their holiest hours have given.

A long range of the New Foreft extends on the oppofite fide with its little towns, and villas dimly feen, the whole form ing a grand boundary to the view. The profpect of Spithead and Portsmouth excites, as we approach nearer the island, a different intereft, and the little chear ful town of Cowes, with its bufy harbour, is to the fresh-water failor, arriving from the continent of Britain, a novel and pleasant scene.

while the ftately brocaded dames are
employed at their looms, and the puif-
fant knight and efquires are recounting
their valorous exploits. Alas! the fpruce
beau of modern days would with dim-
culty throw open the matfive doors, and
the delicate goflamir-clad belle could
fcarcely endure the fatigue of afcending
one of the turrets, to look out at her
window. When the owner of every man-
fion expected a ficge, it was natural that
he fhould erect a fortrefs; but when fo
total a change of time and manners has
taken place, why we fhould again refort
to habitations only fuited to the feudal
fyftem, is an enigma not easily solved.
Fine woods floping to the fea, greatly
enrich this fcene; and should the planta-
tions flourish which are now ftruggling
for victory against north-weft winds, the
approach to the cattle will be rendered
main confiderably enriched.
ftill more interesting, and the whole do-

Ryde had been recommended to us as an agreeable station, and thither we bent our courfe. The roads through this lovely ifland are fweetly varied, and in fome parts highly interefting. They are not open and fpacious like thofe of the mother kingdom, but are narrow, winding, and often fhaded; fometimes leading through foreft fcenery, and affuming the appearence rather of a path to a private dwelling, than the mediums of pub

The magnificent caftle of Lord Henry Seymour, recently erected, near Eaft Cowes, is a very prominent object, and powerfully arrests the attention. It is fituated on a confiderable elevation; its tall towers, and embattled walls, have a very grand and striking appearance, and in a few years, when time and tempeft have tinged the ftone with a fombre grey, and the ivy, which is rapidly creeping up the fides, fhall have fhrouded fome The writer of the present article, would of its angles, and fhaded parts of its be gratified by feeing the reafons affigned, windows, it will affume additional in- why our nobility chufe to erect caftles for tereft. Eaft Cowes was prefered by our dwelling-houfes. They were appropriated to party as a fleeping place, and here we the times of danger in which they were forfound an excellent hotel, clean and merly built; the dungeon had its victim, quiet, commanding a good view of the and the fubterranean paffage its efcaping fuocean, and of the neighbouring harbour, of these receffes fhould be made merely to gitive but why imitations to the entrance without being incommoded with its bufcover a duft-hole, or to conceal a pump, is tle. Lord Seymour's is the most intereft- unaccountable. One of thefe fortrefs abodes ing object in the vicinity of Cowes; the is now building by a nobleman in the midft folemn fhades of the evening were draw- of a confiderable town; it is on the fcite of ing around us when we approached to an old caffle, but the ground is fo circumtake a nearer view, and confiderably fcribed, that there is not room to plant 2 heightened the effect of this novel cu- fingle tree around it, and the eye is obliged to riofity, a modern cattle. This building, look down on all the chimneys of the place! although not completed, has an air of Vaulted roofs, and gothic windows, ought grandeur, and produces a fentiment of to be appropriate to the apartments with awe, and of durability, which it is in- which they are connected. Large folding gopoffible for manfions built in the tale of thic doors, maffy, and thickly studded with modern times to awaken. But the minded with intereft; but what is the refult, iron, muft excite attention, and will be openwants fome connecting link between the paft and the prefent, it reverts to diftant ages; we listen to the bard, we contemplate the tournament, and fancy the lofty halls to be hung with armour, and the long galleries clothed with tapeftry,

when they difclofe only a fcullery? Perhaps no object ought to be fo conftructed, as intentionally to excite falle ideas. This is ne ver the plan of nature, and whenever it is adopted in works of art, disguft fucceeds to difappointment.