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1st. Sublime, as the noise of torrents, the hollow ru-hing of stormy winds, the rolling of thunder, the roar of wild beasts, &c.

2nd. Pathetic, as the whine of young animals, the notes of the nightingale, the distapt sound of bells, &c.

Sd. Harsh and discordunt, as the grating of wheels, the notes of the peacock and guinea fowl, the sharpening of instruments, braying of an ass, &c.

&c.

4th. Pretty and melodious, as the notes of singing-birds, the soft tones produced by the wind through an aperture, &c.

But let me not dismiss the subject of natural sounds, without adverting to the great variety so remarkable in the human voice under the many circumstances of anger reproof, tenderness, exhortation, &c. Nay, we find that in some persons, and in some countries (as for instance in Wales, Languedoc, &c.) the common course of conversation runs in a kind of continued melody, more or less pleasing, according to the affectation predominant in the mind of the speaker. Nor does it seem improbable that the same effect would be observable in all human beings, but for the restraint of habit and reûned intercourse. At the birth of music, this may have been universal. Uncivilized nations are still notorious for it; in their expression, though there is said to be little of what is pleasing, yet there is a perpetual change of tone, now high and accented, at other times low and plaintive; loud and accelerated when they are angry, yet seldom distinguished by a slow and dignified intonation under any impression. There is sufficient in all this to prove, that nature has connected peculiar conformations of sound with certain habits of mind; and that these, whether simple or compound, can be readily referred by all reasonable creatures to the feelings in which they originated.

Having thus briefly dispatched the subject of what may be called primitive sounds, let us observe how they may have contributed to the formation of music, and musical genius. When the effects of particular sounds were ascertaised; and the means of producing artificial imitations of them had been invented, the only difficulty to the first performers must have been the collecting a sufficient number of musical expressions of the same character, and of increasing their effect by a proper contrast. The mere appeal to his own bosom, woul!

have been a sufficient test of the fitness,
By this they would know what succession
or impropriety of the tones employed.
of sounds would best rouse or appease,
appal or inspirit, enliven or soothe.
For the affections are moved not so much
by introducing learned analogies or dis-
cordances, as by perspicuous, and natu❤
ral combination. In the infancy of mu-
sic, therefore, when it is probable the
height of the art amounted only to the
practice of it was extremely rare, its
employment of unisons, and when the
effects on the hearers must have been
very extensive. Of its influence, indeed,
on those who had never before experi-
enced it, we can at this day have no ade-
quate idea. Their souls, if I may so ex-
press myself, must have been wholly at
the disposal of the performer. His
ers must have appeared miraculous, and
pow-
sent by heaven for the purposes to which
he chose to apply them. In this view of
the subject we may read with patience,
the strange stories of antiquity, of As-
clepiades, Empedocles, &c, or the feats of
Linus, Orpheus, Timotheus, and Am-
phion. Nor shall we be surprised at the
address of Pindar to his Lyre.

τ ̓ ἀιχματὰν κεραυνον σβεννύεις
Λενάκι πυρός.
And again,

Καλαδὲ κα

Δαιμόνων θέλγει φρένας.

Musical Genius then, in the early stages of the art, was the power of selecting, and a facility in arranging, the several sounds of nature, for the purpose of exciting in the hearer correspondent sentiments or affections, whether immediately, or by association. And to this, if I am not mistaken, must we look, even at the present day, for all that is truly desirable in music. assertion, we always find men of real As a proof of the science delighted and still dwelling with pleasure on simple melodies, and those old national airs which were dictated by nor pampered with false embellishments. a taste, as yet not depraved by luxury, They breathe indeed a spirit of genuine simplicity and feeling. Their excellence is likewise proved by the universality of their effects. No man whose organs are perfect, can hear with indifference the tunes of many old Scotch ballads. Or, to be particular, who will ever listen to the old air of Gilderoy, or to the sad Welch air, which records their defeat in Rhudd lan Marsh, without a degree of melancholy? It is of no avail to urge, that it owes its effects to a minor modulation;

since

since this modulation is not the invention of art, but the pure, unsophisticated voice of nature, the voice of agony, wretchedness, and supplication. Let any person, a complete stranger to music, hear the Kupi ngon, or Lord bave mercy upon us,' as chanted in our cathedral-choirs, and presume to say, that it is not the expression of nature. It would be as absurd to deny it, as to pretend to feel cheerful at the pathetic songs of Handel, “Ye sons of Israel, now lament," "Total eclipse," &c. &c. To produce these effects, is to feel the full force of every note; for they are in fact the best evidence, that,

"Art is Nature to advantage dress'd." When any imitative art, however, has attained to a great degree of perfection, it is usual for its votaries to lose sight of the original prototype in the contemplation of illustrious copies. Nature, the great, best source, at length appears poor and exhausted, and her magazines all plundered. Under these sceming disadvantages, the only resource for the candidate for fame, is thought to be in the study of former excellence; and to this must be attributed the degeneracy of all arts, and particularly the extinction of all genius in music.

Should it be asked, in what way can the sounds of nature be rendered serviceable to the musical composer? I an swer, by a careful attention to his own feelings, upon which no melody or harmony will have a just effect, unless they are such as nature herself suggests. Of these simplicity is the striking feature; and wherever adopted, they will be sure to please. To these, then, let him pay particular attention, neither anxious to astonish by a display of the mysteries of bis art, nor intent only upon rapidity and difficulty of execution, both of which, however useful in contrast, must, if contiued excite suspicions of mere technical artifice. No man seems to have made nature his principal study more than Haydn, in whom, perhaps, are united all the excellencies of the art, and whose works are unpleasant, or at least, indifferent to us, only where he is contented with quaintness, obscurity or conceit, instead of his usual unlaboured simplicity. Indeed, if we take a survey of the respective merits of old, and modern composers, we shall observe them popular, and in request, only in propotion to the stock of nature to be found in them.

Having then insisted thus far, that mu

sical genius is distinguished by a close
attention to the effects of primary natu-
ral sounds, I cannot help adverting to
the music of the present day. The mo-
dern taste in this art has, it is to be fear-
ed, prevented many composers of consi-
derable talents from perceiving, that they
fly from the great object of music, when
they tire and distract the ear with long
and rapid passages without meaning,
cumbrous or irregular harmony, and
frequent chromatic cadences. This is
perhaps no where to be lamented more,
than in the treatment of little pathetic
airs, which are often introduced into
concertos, only to be crushed under a
heap of chaotic rubbish, or to be weigh-
ed down by a superfluity of ornament.
This is to dress a venerable matron in
the foppery and tinsel of a courtezan;
and all forsooth, that we may admire
the science and execution of some popu-
lar performer. But why this sacrifice
of taste and judgment to the idol of
fashion; and why this advance to a
more than Egyptian darkness? It is high
time to bid adieu to such frivolities. It
is high time to look back to the works
of composers, which are still the admira-
tion of men not callous to the beauties
of a simple and nervous style; and if
it be too irksome to contemplate the ma-
tural dignity of many old pieces, the
works of such men as Byrd, as Peter
Philips, or Luca Marenzio; let us at
least not altogether lose sight of such
authors as Handel and Corelli.

If it should be objected, that the above
observations are confined to the earliest.
history of music, let it be remembered,
that the same natural principles exist,
however obscured by subsequent refine-
ments. It is only a more improved me-
chanism, which distinguishes the carriage
of the moderns from the car of our ani-
cestors. The same laws of construction
affect both; and to these must recourse
be had for future improvements. Music,
which in its infancy was nothing more
than a pleasing succession of melodies,
must have acquired almost impercepti
bly the conjunctive passages, and idioms
of the art, which it still possesses. It
was gradually discovered, that the sim-
plicity of the ancients would admit of a
modern character by variation and peri-
płírasis, and that there were scarcely
any four successive notes, which could
not receive some embellishment that
might heighten the beauty, while it pre-
served the character of the expression.
Besides these were inserted sentences of

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an expletive nature, that tended in a great degree to remove the abruptness of ancient composition, and to reconcile the ear to any requisite changes in the modulation. In this manner, the art advanced, receiving in its progress the additions and improvements of numberless composers. These are now, how ever, so closely amalgamated with its very existence, that it would be impossible, completely to separate and decompose thein. Were it feasible to affix dates and authors to the first use of every one of these, and to reduce the body of music (if I may use the expression,) to its primary skeleton, we might ascertain, with the greatest precision, the progress and history of musical invention. But this would be rather curious, than useful. One advantage, however, it would carry with it, that we should be enabled to strip of their attractions a number of authors, whose works would then appear more glaringly than ever, a string of dried sentences, or a mass of well-concealed plagiarisın. Great Marlow.

March 15, 1807.

Your's &c.

A. R. E.

For the Monthly Magazine. WARRATIVE of a TOUR through BENGAL, BAHAR, and OUDE, to AGRA, DELHI, and other PLACES in the INTERIOR of HINDUSTAN, undertaken in the YEARS, 1794, 1795, 1796, and 1797.

(Continued from p. 123.)

A strong corps of native infantry was wild beasts on the defenceless villagers. stationed at Baugilpore, to repel their incursions, and to protect the *ryots: but notwithstanding the vigilance of the Seagovernment, they were but seldom able poys, stimulated by offers of reward from to apprehend any of these desperate the trackless wilds of the jungle, would marauders; and to follow them through have been certain destruction. At length Mr. Cleveland was appointed Chief of Baugilpore, about the year 1778. This gentleman was by nature humane, mild, and conciliating; the manners and customs of the natives had been his particular study; and experience in his dealings with them, had taught him that a free and unreserved confidence, tended more to establish a friendly intercourse, and capacious mind embraced the idea than any other method; his benevolent of converting this lawless race of people into useful citizens, and establishing them as barriers against the attacks of the remoter and more ferocious tribes. With this philanthropic intention, he issued orders to the Seapoys, when next they took any of them prisoners, to use them kindly, and bring them to him; this with Cleveland, instead of ordering them to be some difficulty was done, when Mr. hung up, as had been the general custom, treated them with the greatest mildness and humanity, expressed his desire to be on terms of friendship with all their peo ple, and finally dismissed them with handsome presents, and a message to their

the scene is enlivened, and the eye relieved, by the appearance of a range of lofty hills, on the south side of the river; but they lose much of their beauty by being thickly covered with jungle to the very summit, which in some measure hides the undulations that render mountah landscapes so peculiarly picturesque. These hills are inhabited by a singular race of people, totaily different in person, manner, and language, from the inhabitants of the plains below; they are short in statue, seldom exceeding five feet faur inches, and of a very dark colour, but muscular, lively, and active; they have no distinction of casts like the Hindus, but resemble in that respect the Paralis of Coromandel; their civilization is of a late date; for several years after the English became sovereigns of the country, these mountaineers lived like savages in the recesses of their hills and jungles, whence they used to sally like

Raaj Bausilpore, chief, his wish to have an

terview with him, to treat about affairs that would tend to their mutual advan tage; and to remove all cause of apprehension on their part, he proposed going amongst them into the remote and intricate recesses of their native hills, atnished mountaineers, who expected notended only by an interpreter. The astothing but death, regarded him as a being of a superior race, and departed with a promise of returning with the answer of bringing his assent to the proposed in their Rajah, which they did in a few days, terview.

proceeded, notwithstanding the earnest.
Mr. Cleveland accordingly
advice and remonstrances of his friends,
to the foot of the hills: he ascended with
a large party of whom accompanied him
confidence, and was conducted by his
guides through various turnings and wind-
ings, to the presence of the Rajah. After

• Peasants.

the

the usual introductory compliments, he opened the cause of his visit, and expatiated in a forcible manner on the advantages the mountaineers would derive from the friendship and protection of the English. The Rajah listened to binn with attention, the language and manners of Mr. Cleveland: the confidence he reposed in trusting himself alone and unarmed amongst them, and above all, an ancient tradition which had been handed down from father to son, that they were to derive some great benefit from the visit and consequent friendship of a stranger, carried conviction to the mind of the Rajah, and induced him to enter into Mr. Cleveland's views, without further hesitation. That gentleman, taking advantage of the superstitious ideas the tradition had inspired them with, proposed immediately to cement their friendship by the solemn ties of religion. The Rajah, with all the ardour and joy semibarbarism feels in the expectation of possessing some new, and as yet unappreciated gift, summoned the priests to his presence, and without further delay ratified the treaty with all the solemnity and awe the most sacred rites of religion are capable of inspiring. Mr. Cleveland returned to Bangilpore, attended by several of the mountaineers, who became so attached to his person, that he formed them into a corps, which was soon augmented by fresh recruits from the hills. Their fidelity and activity in protecting the villagers from the depredations of their countrymen, became so conspicuous, that it was thought prudent by government to entrust them with firelocks, and discipline them in the European manner. The experiment succeeded admirably; applications for admittance into the corps became so numerous, that a battalion of one thousand men was soon formed, under the appellation of Hill Rangers; the constant intercourse between these people and their bethren in the hills, brought about general habits of civilization and friendly intercourse; and at this day, scarcely thirty years from the first formation of the corps, the British government in India does not possess more peaceable and loyal subjects than the mountaineers of Baugilpore.

with trophies, will sink into oblivion, amids; the civilized world, save in the nemory of the humane philanthropist, who can duly appreciate the value of his labours in converting a lawless race of savages into useful and peaceable citizens, without the effusion of blood, by the mild but certain method of reciprocal benefit.

Raaje Mahul is in Bengal, but Baugilpore is in the province of Bahar; the distance of one from the other, is about fifty miles by land, and seventy miles by water. About sixteen miles from the former place, is the celebrated pass of Sickry Gully, which, with Tina Gully, twelve miles further, form the western boundary of Bengal. The road from the upper provinces to Culcutta,leads through these passes, which were formerly strongly fortified, and deemed by the natives to be impregnable; but since the British government has been so firmly established in India, they have been disinantled and suffered to decay; some of the arches of the gateways are yet standing, and an old cannon, formed of iron bars, hooped round, still remains, but buried under a heap of rubbish. The situation of these passes, in the sequestered bosom of a range of hills, covered with forest trees and underwood, which extends to the edge of the river, is extremely romantic; the ancient and dilapidated state of the building, the solemn stilluess that prevails, and the rude and rugged appearance of the scene, inspire an awe not untinctured with fear and apprehension. Murders were formerly very frequent here; and it became proverbial in the neighbouring districts, that the life of a man who was obliged to travel through the Sickry Gully pass, was not worth a day's purchase. There certainly never was a situation better calculated for scenes of villainy, than the road between the two passes; for the space of ten or twelve miles, not a vestige of a human being was to be seen; the voice of dis tress would have been lost in the hollow murmurs of the forest, and the sanguinary Thug might have destroyed and plundered his victim, without any apprehension of being interrupted. But the danger is now comparatively trifling; the active benevolence of Mr. Cleveland, caused a village to be erected in the very bosom of the pass, which he peopled with an industrious set of Bunneahs and

Statesmen and warriors, who study how to enslave and slaughter mankind, have their names banded down to posterity by the pens of historians, while the modest virtues and more essential scrvices of such a man as Cleveland, unemblazoned with titles, and undecorated plunders his victim,

* A robber who first assassinates and then

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Gwaleahs; it has since been considerably increased, and tends greatly to the security of travellers.

I cannot pass the boundaries of Ben gal, without making a few observations on the inhabitants. I may perhaps be accused of prejudice by those who have formed their opinions of them from books, written by the re-side in England, or from the warm eulogiums on their virtue and innocence, so repeatedly made during Mr. Hastings's trial; but such as from observation, local knowledge, and extensive dealings with the innocent tatives of Bengal, are the most competent judges of the justness of my observations, will, I think, generally allow that the picture is not over-charged.

The Hindus, if not the aborigines of the country, have certainly inhabited it from a very remote period of antiquity, and compose at this day full nine-tenths of its population, which the lowest calculation estimates at sixteen millions. They are in general weak and effeminate; the rice and vegetables on which they principally subsist, give a delicacy and suppleness to their frames, which admit ably adapts them for the easy labours of the loom, but render them very unfit for the purposes of war. Nature and education seem to have joined in making them effeminate, timid, and patient; polite, crafty, and deceitful. A Hindu, when transported with passion, vents bis rage in a truly feminine manner; the tropes and figures of a Billingsgate nymph, would appear courtly language, when compared with the foul and ob scene reproaches that issue from his lips; but he is quickly silenced if a disposition appears of resenting his insolence by force. He is totally devoid of all sentiments of active humanity to his fellow creatures, but remarkable for his tenderness to animals of every description, Thas however does not proceed from any principle of compassion, but from super stitious motives arising from his belief in the Pythagorean system of transmigra tion: their want of humamty to their own fellow crentures, frequently amounts to passive cruelty; for they will pass by a man with the greatest indifference who has just fallen into a fit before their faces, or is perishing through the extremuty of want, without the least attempt to assist lus distress. They affect to be very charitable, but real charity occupies

art of their cold bosums; their du

nations are confined to their priests, and to those holy impostors who, under the appellations of Sunassies, Burraghees, and Jogees, impose on their credulity through the terrors of superstition. When the European inhabitants of Calcutta set on foot a subscription towards erecting and endowing an hospital for the relief of the sick and indigent natives, the Hindus, among whom are some of the wealthiest individuals in the world, were very backward indeed in their contributions; and the few who did subscribe from motives of shame, on being urged and ridiculed by their European connections, did it in so pitiful a manner, that it was a matter of surprize their do nations were accepted. Their conduct on this, as well as on many other occasions, placed the humanity of the British inhabitants in a more conspicuous point of view: this they themselves acknowledge, and profess the highest veneration and respect for the nobler feelings by which we are actuated; but the example is too bright for them to follow, and meek-eyed charity too liberal an inmate to find room in their sordid bosoms; they are fonder of imitating the follies of Europeans, than their virtues. Near the seat of government they affect the same freedom of betaviour; but it descends into rudeness and licentiousness, without the generosity and independence of spirit. They are more eager in the pursuit of wealth than an European, but in the acquirement, they neither possess his activity nor his honesty. Their ideas of meum and tuum are very lax, consequently they are not very delicate in the means they make use of to increase their riches; they seem to have no sense of the moral turpitude of the action, and if they avoid detection, they avoid disgrace. Previous to my arrival in India, I had heard and read so much of the innocent and oppressed natives, that I was prepared to behold, a virtuous race of people, sinking under the cruelties of foreign invaders, and appealing in vain to British justice, and British laws; but a residence of sixteen years amongst them, enabled me to develope the fallacy of such reports, and to observe the case, comfort, and security, which they derive from the protecting influence of the British government, when com pared with those who reside under the dominion of their own princes.

(To be continued. )

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