harmony and the simplicity of its entire structure. "Vidi aquam" is perhaps the most striking if not the most effective of the whole. The strain beginning" Hæc dies fecit Dominus" is elevated and animating, while the bold changes of key in the Allelujah add to the natural spirit of the fugue, and render it grand and nervous. The subject of" In manus tuas" is scarcely inferior to any motivo MR. N. has given us, and the continued motion of all the parts, makes it full and complete. "Tantum ergo" in both major and minor keys are two sweet pieces of melody, finely combined with rich and various harmony, and they form the able conclusion of the thirteen pieces MR. NOVELLO has inserted into his six numbers.

Upon reading over our remarks, it seems to us, that they who have not seen the book will conceive we have given a too partial description of its merits; but we can truly assure our readers that amidst the multitude of music that falls under our inspection, there are very few works we can so conscientiously recommend for general desert. They will not forget that a selection implies in itself a probability of superior excellence, and in this instance the selector had a reputation to lose as well as to confirm. He has not been unmindful of his former credit nor of the requisites for his present undertaking, and in recommending the whole six numbers to the public, we are alike supported by the suggestions of what we esteem to be generally sound and good taste, and by the influence of the particular beauty which appertains to almost every single specimen in the collection.

A Selection of popular National Airs, with Symphonies and Accompaniments, by Sir John Stevenson, Mus. Doc. The Words by Thomas Moore, Esq. London. Power.

This is a truly elegant little book in every sense; and we know not when we have been so gratified by music and words of such a kind. We cannot so well describe its scope and intention as by a quotation from MR. MOORE's preface, which it is the more neces-. sary to do, as this number is the first of a scries. "It is CICERO, I believe, who says "natura ad modos ducimur;" and the abundance of wild indigenous airs, which almost every country except England possesses, sufficiently proves the truth of this assertion. The. lovers of this simple, but interesting kind of music, are here presented with the first number of a collection, which I trust their contributions will enable us to continue. A pretty air without words, resembles one of those half creatures of PLATO, who are described as wandering in search of the remainder of themselves through the world. To supply this other half by uniting, with congenial words, the many fugitive melodies which have hitherto had none, or only such as are unintelligible to the generality of their hearers, is the object and ambition of the present work. Neither is it our inten tion to confine ourselves to what are strictly called national melodies; but, wherever we meet with any wandering and beautiful air, to which poetry has not yet assigned a worthy home, we shall venture to claim it as an estray swan, and enrich our humble Hippocrene with its song.

"It is not, indeed, without strong hopes of success that I present this first number of our miscellany to the public. As the music is not my own, and the words are little more than unpretending interpreters of the sentiment of each air, it will not, perhaps, be thought presumption in me to say, that I consider it one of the simplest and prettiest collections of songs to which I have ever set my name."

The author of the poetry has here given us one clue to his fertility in the production of words which speak so deliciously to the heart, and too often so voluptuously to the senses, while they are in the finest accordance with the melodies. Hitherto the ideas of composers of vocal music have been elicited by words. In this case (as

in the general) MR. MOORE's most felicitous productions have been inspired by music. It had often struck us that the English words to HAYDN'S canzonets, (by MRS. JOHN HUNTER We believe) breathed more of the conjoined spirit of music and poetry than it was usual to find in mere translations; and we had in our own minds accounted for their superior expressiveness, by assuming the influence of the composition. From the aggregate mass of beautiful song. writing by MR. MOORE, we are further confirmed in our opinion previously formed, that words written to music were more likely to embody and unite and as it were to exalt the perceptions derived from the combined expression, than music written to words. But why should this be so? We think we can supply the reason. When a Poet sits down to his work, his imagination is commonly excited and occupied by some one leading idea; and the thoughts, which fill up and beautify the outline, are struck out as he proceeds; many arise from the mere friction and collision which he encounters in his search after syllables of the proper quantity, after words that will stand in his verse, as well as after epithets, images, and rhymes. He warms as he brings his fancy into fuller exercise, and perhaps the happiest pictures are those which, in the outset, were the farthest from his conceptions. He is therefore indebted to the process itself, in a great measure, for the power which produces his success. If then a new agent be brought to his aid-if he be first roused and melted by the touching notes of impassioned melody, he is stimulated by a fresh impulse, and by one too that has been admitted since the world began to be potent above all others over those affections moved by and employed in the labours of the muse.

What passion cannot music raise and quell!

When Jubal struck the chorded shell,

His listening brethren closed around,

And wond'ring on their faces fell,

To worship the celestial sound!

Less than a God they thought there could not dwell,
Within the hollow of that shell,

That spoke so sweetly and so well."

MR. MOORE certainly rises from listening to the sound of music "full of the God." No Poet has hitherto blended classical imagery with a tenderness that never fails to melt the soul away, so uniformly, so felicitously; and although he is responsible for more

moral injury than can be passed over or forgiven, we hope and trust that the hours are coming fast upon him which will chasten and redeem (would they could obliterate'!) his former errors. The poetry of this collection is much of such a cast. Its delights are princi pally those of reflection, and even the anticipations and descriptions are laid in with colours drawn from the past. The coming on of age begins to be visible in the calmer fires of the modera Anacreon, and the par awaits him. But we admire the more "That farewell of daylight more precious,

γέρων

More glowing and deep as 'tis nearer the set."

Perhaps there is nothing particularly new-perhaps there is a great deal of what is absolutely old in these verses, but nevertheless they are so full of elegance and feeling that they are irresistible. As an example of this peculiar effect of sensibility, we may quote the Indian air, “All that's bright must fude," one of the most captivating things we ever met with. Nothing can be more hacknied than the thoughts; nothing more common place than the expression; but in the measure and the melody taken together there is something so exquisitely touching, that dull indeed must be his soul and rigidly severe his cast of thought, who can bar the passage to his heart against their combined insinuations. Those evening bells" is of the same family. Indeed there is scarcely a line in the whole book that does not carry along with it the trembling light of a tenderness too melting to leave our critical austerity its perfect and proper tone of self-possession. To confess the truth, we at all times are apt to perceive that the sounds of a pianoforte (a necessary symbol of our art and mystery,) and the dulcet notes of well formed voices, (the demonstrators of our dissections) are marvellous softners of judicial asperity. Rejoice therefore, O all ye sons of song!

So much for the verbiage of the collection, and the verbiage, be it remembered, is the twin-brother, youngest born, of the melodies. Those selected are certainly very sweet, pathetic, and pleasing; we think the Portuguese the best except the Indian air "All that's bright must fade," which is the better still. They are all full of graceful simplicity, and while their performance will alleviate the study of a graver, and we may be permitted to say a sounder style of composition, they will neither injure the taste, nor corrupt, though they will scarcely fail to soften the heart.

* "Poor Anaereon, thou grow'st old.”

The concluding Russian air, harmonized upon the same plan with Dr. Crotch's sublime " Methinks I hear the full celestial choir," aims at lighter effects, and succeeds in producing them. The melody steals upon the ear and upon the fancy with sweetness beyond description, while the hymn sustained by the under parts is in the finest style of such compositions, particularly the passage added by SIR JOHN STEVENSON. We should, from its internal evidence, rather have given the melody to Sicily than to Hyperborean Russia— another proof that the language of music, as an interpreter of the feelings, is universal.+ We must, however, see more of such airs to enable us to estimate and class the general and specific characteristics of national music.

SIR JOHN STEVENSON has adapted the symphonies and the accompaniment with taste and judgment. The English ear is now so accustomed to hear the voice supported by arpeggios in modern ballads, that such blandishments are become almost indispensable. These accompaniments are of that description. But they rarely, if ever, interfere with the main purpose the display of national melody, and in general serve to set off and heighten its natural beauty by contrast. This is certainly the case in the accompaniment to the Portuguese air, "Flow on thou shining river." To" The bells of St. Petersburgh" is appended an upper part, which carries the words, while the accompaniment takes the originalthus giving life, sense, and being to an air which would hardly by any other contrivance have borne words-certainly not such words. If we are disposed to object to any part of the publication, it is to the reduplication of the airs in the form of duets. None of the

*There appear to be some conflicting interests in the property of this melody. Mr. W. KNYVETT has published a glee, as his own composition, which begins note for note with the Russian air, and little notes thrown into the accompaniment bear the same similitude. The coincidence between the first strain of "Hark to Philomela singing," and "Hark the vesper hymn is stealing," is too great to have been the mere effect of similarity of thought.

+ Since the above was written, we were present at a public concert where this harmonized air was sung, amidst the finest specimens of HANDEL, MOZART, CIMAROSA, PAER, and other Composers of great celebrity. The audience, which happened to be exceedingly select and critical, were more affected by this simple strain, than by any other part of the performance. It was done by the same singers who had sustained the other pieces. One hearer, not less eminent in science than warm in feeling, as he wiped the tears from his eyes at the conclusion, whispered to the writer-" this, after all, is the music of the heart."