Many persons write overtures, who cannot write

overtures.

... Universality of talent is the rarest gift of nature. Taste and judgment are gifts, not acquirements. 00 There is not (strictly speaking,) any pathetic or comic character in English music; nor (strictly speaking,) is there any national character in it.

There is a national character in the Irish music, which further possesses one amazing peculiarity, viz. that the deepest woe and the wildest mirth are discoverable in its strains.

TASTE has more to do with the general compositions of Italy and France, than JUDGMENT.

Sweetness and science are two extremes in music-both are not often combined in an eminent degree in one person.

There is no music which reaches the heart, like the Irish; other music catches the ear and fancy; sports round the imagination, and pleases it for a moment; but the pathetic of the Irish music "melts to the heart."

A medley overture is not an example of genius. Original graces and original turns, are extremely hard to introduce, either in composing or playing; but

It is possible to introduce a common grace or turn (with great skill) in an original manner.

No person should be considered a legitimate judge of music, who is not a composer.

In painting, this last rule should not be considered strictly arbitrary.

In poetry, no person should be considered a legitimate judge, who cannot write either prose or poetry.

Would-be critics are very common-true critics very scarce.

Gracefulness is the motion of taste. This

(Gracefulness) is essentially necessary in dancing -in entering a room-in riding-walking-in sitting on a sofa-addressing a superior-making a bow-placing the body in a proper attitude, either in the pulpit, on the stage, or in the forum --and in any action of a finished gentleman. Dancing, is the music of motion.*

* I have heard somebody remark, that "Dancing is the poetry of motion !" Now this remark of the aforesaid somebody is infinitely too refined and metaphysical for me. I can conceive music in motion; but I never could conceive poetry in motion. The legs that could form poetry, must have been cleverer than even Mademoiselle Mercandotti's, which said legs shot the heart of the hospitable BALL-lover, while other people use their eyes for this kind of storming. Perhaps Madame Vestris, Miss Foote, Miss Tree, the Opera dancers, cum multis aliis, could kindly inform the

Painting, is poetry embodied in colours.
Statuary, is life unanimated.

Music, is eloquent poetry in sounds. And
There is no art which speaks like music.

Acting and oratory are the language of the hands, lips, and eyes.

Poetry, is music, painting, and sculpture combined.

Prose, is the repose (I use the word as a painter,) of poetry.

Amatory poetry is the metrical music of love." Singing, is speech in sound.

author whether they ever felt poetry in their pretty feet. I have seen all the above performers dance in different shapes, modes, and attitudes; but dash my buttons, (as gay old Fawcett jocosely hath it in Copp,) if I ever could perceive (sharp as my eye is) the divine and ecstatic art denominated poetry, in their feet. Perhaps the word feet, in the metre of poetry, suggested the idea to the somebody. I must here, however, remark, that an objection might be raised against me. I stop it by saying, that I have given a different and more suitable definition; and conclude by quoting the beautiful expression of an Irish peasant to a friend of the author's who danced most gracefully

"She shook the very music from her foot."

I

In all the above, I find TASTE and JUDGMENT to be pre-eminently necessary.

Thus, my Lord, I have given you a large number of critical definitions. As a few minutes has written the entire, I am not prepared to enter into a minute or circumstantial enquiry as to the appropriate merits of each. It is relevant to you, to point out to me the defects of any, or all of them, and to furnish me with better or more suitable ones, when you next address me. I consider that taste and judgment must be united-and not only united, but united, in an eminent degree, to form a great poet, painter, actor, and musician. There are other grades of life-such as the statesman, the warrior, the accomptant, &c. where their junction and effect, are not so completely necessary. But in the other four, I consider them sine qua non's. It is the want, or the separation of them, which gives us such lamentable instances of false talent; and which at present inundates the world with the swarms of productions of books, paintings, compositions, and the vile rantings of the mock actor. Both the qualities I speak of, must act in conjunction. They cannot be separated without detriment: for their action is reciprocal; and though

a large share of judgment, and a large share of taste is desirable; yet if they are not equally balanced, and largely distributed, the possessor never can attain to an eminence in those arts which I have above enumerated. And yet, my Lord, I must here also remark that, perhaps 'tis well they are not common. Were genius common, it would not be prized. Were beauty common, it would not be valued.

If every one was a hero, a statesman, an actor, a poet, the world would not care about them. Genius must be rare, to make it genius. It must be left solely to that pre-eminent but wayward goddess NATURE, to distribute her precious gifts as she chooses. She will not be constrained. Her dowers cannot be bought. With the wayward fantasy of a beautiful woman she is wafted along this world (her dominion) on the buoyant and magic wings of Fancy; and just as the happy freak enters into her impartial head, she selectsowns-adopts. Her favourites (and how few are they!) are never neglected by her. They are ever and always her supreme and sovereign delight. When she does get into this happy mood, she never does her work by halves. When she does wish to make a poet, (witness the bard of Avon,) how complete is her work. When she does wish