name, was CLAUDE LE JEUNE. This musician was in great favour in the time of Henry the Third and Fourth, when his music was much admired. It is described by French writers, as having rivalled, in its effects, the music of the ancients. In a curious work,-Histoire de la Musique, et de ses Efets, published at Amsterdam in 1725, we are told, that, when this musician, at the nuptials of the Duke de Joyeuse, was performing one of his airs at a concert in the royal chamber, a young nobleman was so transported with passion, that he put his hand to his sword, and insisted on fighting with the persons about him; which extravagance surprised the king exceedingly, but Claude told his majesty that it was merely the effect of his music, and that he would calm the young gentleman in a moment, by playing an air in the hypo-phrygian mode. He did so, and the subject of his experiment immediately returned to his senses, and begged pardon of the king, who only laughed at his vivacity. This piece of exquisite pedantry shows us that one feature in the character of that first of pedants, CORNELIUS SCRIBLERUS, is not exaggerated. When this learned person was declaiming with enthusiasm on the marvellous effect of the ancient music, his brother showed him two apple-women scolding in the street, and advised him, as he was a performer in the ancient style, to try his skill upon them. "With that, Cornelius, undressed as he was, jumps out into the balcony, his lyre in hand, in his slippers, a stocking upon his head, and waistcoat of murrey-coloured satin upon his body: he touched his harp with a very unusual odd sort of an harpeggiatura, nor were his hopes frustrated. The odd equipage, the uncouth instrument, the strangeness of the man and of the music, drew the eyes and ears of the whole mob that were got about the two female champions, and, at last, of the combatants themselves.

They all approached the balcony, in as close attention as Orpheus's first audience of cattle, or that of an Italian opera, when some favourite air is just awakened. The sudden effect of his music encouraged him mightily; and it was observed he never touched his lyre in so truly a chromatic and enharmonic manner, as upon that occasion. The mob laughed, sung, jumped, danced, and used many odd gesticulations, all which he judged to be caused by the various strains and modulations. ' Mark (quoth he), in this the power of the Ionian; in that you see the effect of the Eolian.' But in a little time they began to grow riotous, and threw stones: Cornelius then withdrew, but with the greatest air of triumph in the world. 'Brother, (said he,) do you observe I have mixed unawares too much of the Phrygian; I might change it to the Lydian, and soften their riotous tempers; but it is enough. Learn from this sample to speak with veneration of ancient music. If this lyre, in my unskilful hands, can perform such wonders, what must it not have done in those of a Timotheus, or Terpander!' Having said this, he retired with the utmost exultation in himself, and contempt of his brother; and, it is said, behaved that night with such unusual haughtiness to his family, that they all had reason to wish for some ancient tibicen to calm his temper."

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CHAPTER III.

MUSIC IN ITALY DURING THE SEVENTEENTH

CENTURY.

ORIGIN OF THE MUSICAL DRAMA.-STRADELLA.-CARISSIMI. CESTI.-SALVATOR ROSA.-ALESSANDRO SCARLATTI.

-ALLEGRI.

THE beginning of the seventeenth century may be considered as the era of the origin of the musical drama in Italy. The union of poetry and music, for the purpose of dramatic representation, includes the sacred drama, or oratorio, and the opera. Both these kinds of musical drama, like theatrical performances of every kind, appear to have taken their rise from the Mysteries and Moralities which formed the amusement of most nations of Europe, during the middle ages. Dramatic representations of incidents taken from the Scriptures were introduced, at a very early period of the Church, in religious festivals, with the intention of impressing on the minds of the rude and ignorant multitude of those days, the principal characters and events of Sacred History. That the design of those entertainments was pious, cannot be doubted, notwithstanding their absurdity, buffoonery, and grossness, the burlesque language used by the characters, and the ridiculous situations in which they were placed. This apparent inconsistency is accounted for by the general want of refinement and taste;-qualities, the absence of which disfigures the literature, and fine arts of Europe, till within a comparatively recent period. The prevailing coarseness of the times contaminated the sublimest conceptions of the greatest painters of the fourteenth and fifteenth century, with grotesque, disgusting, and

indecent figures, filled the most elevated poetry with mean and gross expressions, and made the dramatic entertainments of princes and ladies such as would shock the delicacy of an audience at Bartholemew Fair. An acquaintance with ancient literature gradually changed the form of dramatic compositions; they were moulded, in some degree, after the models of Greece and Rome, though they still retained much of the wildness and irregularity of their origin. This double line of ancestry is strongly apparent in the older English dramas; and, indeed, is perceptible on the English stage to this day. The same thing is the case with regard to Germany and Spain: but the French and Italians have, for a long period, endeavoured to approach the ancient models as nearly as modern manners and the genius of modern languages would permit.

It thus arose that music was first made use of in dramas on sacred subjects. These were followed by operas, or dramas on subjects of fabulous or profane history. After a time, the performance of sacred dramas in the theatre was gradually felt to be indecorous; and oratorios, though consisting of various characters, came to be performed in churches, and without theatrical action. In England, this is now universally the case ;and it is generally so in other parts of Europe. Of these productions, the Messiah, Sampson, Israel in Egypt, of Handel; the Creation, of Haydn; the Mount of Olives, of Beethoven; and the Last Judgment, of Spohr, are illustrious and well-known examples. On the Continent, however, musical dramas on sacred subjects are still produced on the stage; of which the more recent example is the Mosè in Egitto, of Rossini; the subject of which when it was performed in England, was, in conformity with the feelings entertained among us changed to that of Peter the Hermit, the celebrated

mover of the Crusades, who is represented, with his followers, as being captives of the soldan of Egypt.

Sacred dramas, containing music, seem to have been represented in Italy at a very early period. One, on the subject of Abraham and Isaac was performed at Florence in 1449; and there are records of many others, on such subjects as Cain and Abel, Abraham and Sarah, the Prodigal Son, &c., being performed during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. These, however, were not regular musical dramas; but the dialogue was intermixed with chorusses and hymns, and with instrumental music between the acts.

The first sacred drama that was entirely sung, is agreed to have been an allegorical production entitled Rappresentazione del Animo e del Corpo, by Emilio del Cavaliere, which was performed at Rome in 1600. This drama is of the nature of a morality; and its characters are the Body, the Soul, Pleasure, the World, and Time. The dialogue is sung in Recitative, then first invented; and is intermingled with chorusses; and the singers were accompanied, behind the scenes, with instruments known at the time-a double lyre, which Burney conjectures to have been a viol-da-gamba, the precursor of the modern violoncello, a harpsichord, a large guitar, and two flutes. There is no appearance of any Air in this opera; the music consisting entirely of the recitative which has been mentioned, and of the chorusses. The recitative, though stiff and formal, is the groundwork of that musical speech which the Italians have gradually brought to its present perfection. The chorusses are in four parts, in plain harmony, and resemble exactly modern psalmody. The singing of the chorusses was accompanied by dancing, which must have been of a very grave character, to correspond with such music.