IMPORTERS OF FOREIGN MUSIC, HENRY SCHRIMPF will resume his lessons

GIVES INSTRUCTION ON THE PIANOFORTE, SINGING SCHOOLS AND CONVENTIONS,

ORATORIOS. proved German edition. Used in the Conservatorium of Leip

Musicians are invited to call and examine the important improvements in Mason & Hamlin's Cabinet Organs

75 placing them FAR IN ADVANCE of other instru

Music Publisher and Dealer, appeal to the feeling, surprise by their unexpectedness, fasci

BOSTON, SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1863.

In what has just been said the characteristic quality of Robert Franz's songs is already expressed; he would give us more than good or bad sounding music, he would reproduce to us the poem in its depth and to the life. In the quiet, dreamy element he succeeds best; yet we find also some things charmingly naïve, such as The Songs of Robert Franz. the first song ("Ihr Auge," or Burns's "Blue[From ROBERT SCHUMANN'S "Collected Writ-eyed Lassie"); and then the "Tanzlied in Mai” ings" we translate the following notice of the set of twelve songs (Op. 1.) with which FRANZ began his remarkable career as a song composer.] About the songs of Robert Franz much may be said. They are no isolated appearance, and they stand in intimate connection with the whole development of our art during the last ten years. [This was written during, or shortly after, the year 1843.] It is well known, that from the

beginning of the 7th and 12th songs ("Sonntag" and "In meinem Garten die Nelken"); for instance, the oft recurring E natural in the last. One of them, the 7th, I could wish entirely left out of the collection; it seems to me in melody and harmony too far-fetched. All that remains is interesting, significant, and often singularly beautiful. To the "Slumber Song" of Tieck I could wish a more musically rich conclusion; but in spite of this it is one of the most felicitous.— Were one to begin citing individual fine traits, there would be no end; persons who are deeply and truly musical will find them out themselves.

These songs then are distinct enough from others. But one, who has made such a beginning, must not wonder if the future makes still higher claims on him. Successes in small genres often

lead to one-sidedness, to mannerism. Let the
young artist defend himself against that by seizing
hold of new Art forms; let him try to express
his rich inward wealth in other ways than
Our sympathy will surely
through the voice.
follow him throughout.

will fill the larger portions of the succeeding pages.

rick the Great, but the family 'tradition is not likely to be unfounded, and as the battle of The harpsichords made in England during the Prague was fought in 1757, the date is evidently sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, were chiefly erroneous. For 1765 read 1758. Ten or twelve imported from Antwerp, the manufacturers being years ago, the harpsichord sent as a present to John and Andrew Ruckers. At the end of the the king was still at Potsdam, together with last century many of these instruments, in thor- some original Silbermann pianofortestt, small obough preservation, still existed in London, bear-long "squares" developed from the old spinet, just ing dates from 1569 to 1620. They were in ja- as the grand pianoforte, to which the German panned or painted cases, with gilded ornaments, title "Flügel" has descended, was, as will presand emblematic devices under the covers. Their ently be shown, developed from the grand harp. tone was sweet and silvery, their mechanism sichord. The German square is denominated simple. Two strings were tuned in unison, Tafelformat, “table-shape.' Near the middle of while a third-attached to a separate bridge on the eighteenth century, others took to the busithe sounding board—was tuned an octave above. ness of harpsichord-making in London; but all In three pieces of wood (technically denominated including Baker Harris, Faulkner, and the "jacks") were inserted quills, resting on one rest-were, more or less, imitators of Kirkmann and the same key, the key, when pressed down, and Shudi. Baker Harris was especially fortucausing the strings to be " twanged" by the nate with the spinet, a kind of diminutive harpquills, and producing the combined sound of uni- sichord. sons and octaves. These harpsichords had generally two rows of keys, the upper row communicating merely with a single unison string, the lower with the three strings simultaneously-the only method at that time invented for augmenting and diminishing, ad libitum, the volume of

tone.

The first who made harpsichords in London was supposed to be a Fleming of the name of Tabel, who had practised at Antwerp with the successors of Ruckers. and resided in England between 1680 and 1720. To this Tabel were

apprenticed Jacob Kirkman, a German, and Burkhardt Tschudi, a Swiss, who, at the decease of their patron, established two manufactoriesKirkman, one in Broad-street, Golden square; and Tschudi § (now writing his name Shudi), one in Great-Pulteney-street, at the house subsequently occupied by his immediate successor John Broadwood, and at the present time by the said John Broadwood's grandsons, actual repre

sentatives of the firm.

Both Jacob Kirkman

and Shudi did much towards the improvement of the harpsichord, the chief aim of the latter, however, being to carry out those principles which the Ruckers had given to their instruments that peculiarly free vibration and silvery tone for which they were renowned. A mechanical appliance was invented about 1750, by means of which a diminution of two-thirds of the full force of the instrument could be obtained at the discretion of the performer; but it was not till 1770, when John Broadwood patented his so-called "Venetian Swell" which gave to the foot of the player a power of modifying the intensity of tone somewhat similar to that appertaining to the swell of the organ-that any intermediate variety was obtained. Many amateurs and professors of the pianoforte will doubtless remember the performances of Herr Moscheles, in 1837,at the Hanover-Square Rooms and elsewhere, on a grand harpsichord, made by Burkhard Shudi in 1761,¶ to which the "Venetian Swell" of John Broadwood was attached. This instrument, and another-inscribed "Burkhard Shudi e Johannes Broadwood, 1773" ** both in excellent preservation, may still be seen at our manufactory in Great Pulteney-street.

For many years Kirkman carried all before him in London, as harpsichord-maker, Burkhard Shudi being somewhat too independent and unaccommodating to make his way so readily. A powerful friend, however, a constant guest at his table, and a staunch admirer of his instruments -no other than the immortal Handel himself stood the latter in good stead; and chiefly through the patronage of that great man, Shudi's business gradually began to increase, snd soon became considerable. His fame as a manufacturer ultimately spread over the continent; and a picture (in our possession) attributed to Zoffany, represents him tuning a grand harpsichord, which he actually sent over to Berlin as a present to Frederick the Great, just after the battle of Prague (Shudi being himself a zealous upholder of the protestant cause in Germany, and believing that the King of Prussia was one of its most earnest and powerful champions). The Schweizerische Lexicon (see note to page 8) gives 1765 as the date of the instrument forwarded to Frede

of the "grand" (owing to its wide scope and particular conformation) was a manifest advantage, in the comparatively diminutive "square" was as manifest a deterioration, only partially remedied when one William Southwell (of Dublin) increased the dimensions of the "sounding board," and invented the "damper," since in general use. To this William Southwell we owe the "vertical" or "cabinet" pianoforte, constructed after a sketch presented to him by James Shudi Broadwood, in 1804.*** To Broadwood's sketch, and Southwell's application of it, all the modern upright pianofortes, both of foreign and English manufacture, are mainly indebted; and although at the time, Southwell could not succeed in disposing of the patent he had taken out, the new instrument, partly owing to its peculiar quality of tone, partly, when compared with the square, to its superior advantages as a piece of furniture for a drawing room-obtained universal favor, From the spinets came the square pianoforte, "bidding fair" (employing the precise words of at one time generally in use, at present-for evi- James Shudi Broadwood), "to generally superdent reasons (being as unsightly in frame as it is, sede the present small or square pianoforte"-a and must inevitably remain, meagre, and other- prediction triumphantly verified by the subse wise unsatisfactory in tone)-going out of fash-quent popularity of the earlier oblique, as well ion. The first square pianoforte ever seen in as vertical-stringed "cottages," of which (among this country was brought over from Germany, by others) the long-defunct houses of Tomkinson a well-known harpsichord-maker, named John and Wilkinson produced such generally admired Zumpe, about 1768 or 1769. Specimens of specimens. these instruments were multiplied by Zumpe, on his return to England, after a visit to his relations in Germany; but his principal object-notwithstanding the new mechanism, which pointed towards material progress-was still to imitate the tone of the harpsichord. The origin of planatory remarks and illustrative plates and diagrams. the name "pianoforte" (or, as it was first styled, "Forte-piano") is derived from Zumpe's instruments, the construction of which differed essentially from that of the harpsichord-the uniform and unmodifiable "twang" of the "plectrum" being replaced by a device of percussion, in the shape of a "hammer," which, however rude in its appliance, for the first time enabled the performer to play loud and soft, at discretion. Notwithstanding this advantage, however, the square pianoforte, and even its subsequently illustrious and usurping cousin, the "Grand," were for a long period regarded as of so little importance ancient manufacturers of the clavecin, harpsichord, or spinet by musicians, that the half of the lower bass octave which-ordinarily embracing five octaves and a half from C:

to F.

(To be continued).

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION, 1862. List of Pianofortes, and of various samples and models, intended to illustrate the principles of their manufacture, exhibited by Messrs. BROADWOOD & SONS, London, with an historical introduction, ex

†The supplement to the Schweizerische Lexicon (Zurich, 1795), in a general account of the Tschudis (originally a noble Swiss family), contains the following about Burkhardt, or Burkhard. Tschudi: "From the Schwauden brauch also descended Burkhard (Tschudi), a poor journeyman cabinet maker, who came to England and became famous at the Court in London as a harpsichord maker. Among other beautiful things, he made for the king of Prussia, in 1765, an elegant harpsichord with two manuals. Burkhard Tschudi married in London, where he died in 1773." The harpsichord mentioned in the above extract was, not many years since, in the palace at Potsdam, where, in all probability, it still remains. After working for a time with Tabel (an esteemed pupil of the celebrated Ruckers) Burkhard Tschudi (in 1732) established himself as a manufacturer, at 33, Great Pulteney Street, Golden Square, the business-residence of the present firm of John Broadwood & Sons.

John (Jean, or Hans) Ruckers, the most renowned of the (épinette), lived at Antwerp at the end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth centuries. A son-Andrew (André), born at Antwerp, at the commencement of the seventeenth century, and who lived till about 1670-made great improvements on his father's work, both as regards tone and finish. The most celebrated Flemish painters used to ornament the instruments of Andrew Ruckers with devices, the value of which was esteemed so highly that when the pianoforte had thrown the harpsichord into disuse, many of the finest specimens were destroyed for the sake of the panels. About 1770, a good harpsichord of Ruckers used to fetch as much as 3,000 francs (£120). Handel's harpsichord. now in possession of our house, was made by Andrew Ruckers, in 1651.

As early as 1782.

Of works by Domenico Scarlatti, and other old masters. The identical instrument played upon by Herr Ernst Paner, this year, at his recent concerts (in Willis's Rooms), in illustration of the History of Pianoforte Composition.

** Broadwood married Shudi's daughter in 1769; and, at the death of the latter (in 1773). entered into partnership with the son and successor, who styled himself Burkhard Shudi.

tt The Pianofortes manufactured by Silbermann (of Frei

burg) pleased Frederick the Great so much that he resolved to buy them all up at once, and was soon in possession of fif teen of them. Upon every one of these the celebrated John Sebastian Bach was invited to play, when (in 1747 at Potsdam-three years before his death)-at the request of Charlez Philip Emanuel Bach, who had been for some years in the Royal service-he paid his first and last visit to the King. It was here that Bach received from the King the subject for a fugue, which was subsequently amplified into an elaborate dedicated to His Majesty. A detailed and interesting account of this is given by Bach's biographer, J. N. Forkel, who adds that (even in his time) the whole of Silbermann's pianofortes remained in the palace, unfit for use.

was considered indispensable to the harpsichord,
used to be altogether omitted, the scale almost
universally adopted for the instrument being five
octaves-F to F. When, some time later, John
Broadwood applied a thicker covering of leather
to the hammers of the "Square," through which
means a softer and sweeter tone was produced-
so fixed was the prejudice in favor of the crisp,
wiry sound of the harpsichord, that the most
practised players of the day condemned the in-
novation, pronouncing the new tone "wooden,
flat, and dull." Contemporary makers, how-
ever,§§ enlarging the dimensions of the piano- piece, entitled Musicalisches Opfer Musical Offering"), and
forte, gradually enriched its tone. But the most
striking improvement at that period was furnished
by John Broadwood, whose "brass dampers" and
"new modeling" (for which he took out a patent)
laid the foundation of a complete and salutary
revolution in the mechanical construction of the
instrument. The "brass dampers" have long
gone into disuse; but the "new modeling" has
been since adopted by all the most noted Euro-
pean manufacturers.

Meanwhile, the grand pianoforte (to which, further on, we shall more directly allude) had come into vogue; and much of its brilliancy was attributable to the extra keys, which (at the suggestion of his friend, J. L. Dussek)¶¶ John Broadwood had introduced. This invention was greedily seized on by the manufacturers of the "square"; but, unhappily, what in the instance

The French Plano a queue, like the German Flügel, or "wing-instrument" equivalent to the English "Grand") and the French Piano carre, like the German Tafel-format, or "Table-form" equivalent to the English Square," were gradually developed from these instruments--not by Frenchmen, but by the apprentices and followers of Silbermann, at Strasburg and Freiburg-to which fact the Als tian Ehrhardt (Erard), and Pleyel, the German Herz, &c., bear witness.

In some imperfect remains of old books connected with the transactions of our house, we find allusions to a small F F

(five octave) Square Pianoforte, dated 1760.

Beyer, Buntebart and Schöne (all Germans as may be guessed from their names.)

A device by which the wrest (or tuning) pins were placed at the further extremity of the keys, instead of, as before, in a block to the right af the sounding-board-a modification of the first importance, whether its influence upon the tone of the instrument or iLs capacity for keeping it in tune be taken into consideration.

¶¶ Born at Czaslau )Bohemia), Feb. 9. 1761; died at St, German-en-Laye (near Paris), March 20, 1812.

*** The upright grand pianofortes, which had existed many years in advance of this, were merely instruments erected vertically on a box with four legs. The upright "Cabinet" of Southwell differed from these in certain mechanical arrangements, unnecessary here to describe.

A Catalogue of Great Composers.

BY CHARLES LAMB.

Some cry up Haydn, some Mozart,
Just as the whim bites. For my part,
I do not care a farthing candle
For either of them: nor for Handel.
Cannot a man live free and easy,
Without admiring Pergolesi?

Or thro' the world with comfort go,
That never heard of Doctor Blow?
So help me heaven! I hardly have;
And yet I eat, and drink, and shave
Like other people, if you watch it,
And know no more of stave or crotchet
Than did the primitive Peruvians,
Or those old ante queer diluvians
That lived in the unwashed world with Tubal,
Before that dirty blacksmith, Jubal,
By stroke on anvil, or by summ'at,
Found out, t' his great surprise, the gamut.
I care no more for Cimarosa
Than he did for Salvator Rosa,
Being no painter and bad luck

Be mine, if I can bear that Gluck.
Old Tycho Brahe and modern Herschel
Had something in 'em; but who's Purcel?
The devil with his foot so cloven,
For aught I care, may take Beethoven ;
And, if the bargain does not suit,
I'll throw him Weber in, to boot.
There's not the splitting of a splinter
To choose 'twixt him last named and Winter.
Of Doctor Pepusch, old Queen Dido
Knew just as much, Heaven knows, as I do.
I would not go four miles to visit
Sebastian Bach—(or Batch-which is it?)
No more I would for Bononcini.
As for Novello and Rossini,

I shall not say a word to grieve 'em,
Because they're living-so I leave 'em!

English Vocalists.

I. MR. BARTLEMAN.

James Bartleman, the finest and most intellectual bass-singer of his own, or indeed, any other time, was educated as a chorister in St. Peter's, Westmin ster, under the celebrated Dr. Cooke, and maintained his place before the public in the Ancient and Vocal Concerts, of which latter he was, together with Messrs. Knyvett, Harrison, Vaughan, and Greatorex (the conductor), one of the original proprietors, as well as at the Lent oratorios, and all private concerts, for a period of nearly thirty years. Bartleman was a man of an original and enthusiastic cast of mind, which undoubtedly would have enabled him to excel in any walk of art he undertook. By his powerful talent he contributed to keep alive the passion for Purcell's and Handel's music, which at that time, together with the great Italian masters, Pergolesi, Jomelli, &c., almost exclusively enjoyed the favor of the musical public. With a low barytone voice not of great power, not remarkable either for sweetness or roundness of tone, this highly-gifted singer produced effects by mental energy and a just conception of the characters he for the time represented in his songs, that made a lasting impression upon his auditors. His style was at once bold, commanding, and illuminated whatever it glanced upon. With a fancy lively to an extreme degree, and a chastened temperance which he derived from his education in the church, the dramatic effect, visible in all his efforts, was refined and rendered fit for the more polished singing of the chamber and concert room. The songs he made his own were, “O ruddier than the cherry" in Acis and Galatea, which before he sung it was always considered a rude and unmanageable composition; those who had the good fortune to hear him, cannot, even at this distance of time, (1838) forget the highly dramatic and spirited manner in which he delivered that remarkable song. "Thus saith the Lord to Cyrus his annointed," was another of his chef-d'œuvres; here the magnificent

conception of his author kept alive the interest to the
very last note of the song. But, perhaps, his great-
est triumph was in Purcell's music; the enormously
difficult phrases in "Let the dreadful engines of eter-
nal will" he so alternately elevated and subdued,
according to the sentiment so powerfully embodied
by our native composer, blending the several grada-
tions of passion with delicacy and precision, while, at
the same time, his whole strength was tasked to the
utmost that the effect upon the auditor, it is no exag-
geration to say, was perfectly astounding.

The frost scene in King Arthur was another of
those pieces in which his just and bold conception of
the dramatic effect which ought to attend the Cold
Genius-

"Rising unwillingly and slow,

From beds of everlasting snow,"
produced a freezing sensation on the hearer. His
tremulous tones seemed actually to issue from some
ice bound cavern, where lay the shivering, slumbering
Genius. If Bartleman had sung this on the stage, it
would have been referred to as one of those efforts of
his art that would have taken rank with Pasta's per-
sonification of Medea; for no one who knew him
could doubt that his acting would have been as fine as
his singing.

Dr. Callcott, one of the first glee writers of his
day, was a personal friend of Bartleman, and wrote
for him " Angel of life," "These as they change,"
and one or two other songs now forgotten, which, in
his hands, retained their places in public estimation
for many years. The glees"Peace to the souls of
the heroes," "Who comes so dark," "Red cross
knight," all owed their great success principally to
Bartleman's singing; although due merit must be
accorded to the vocal party who constantly sang with
him, and contributed to the unity of effect so indis-
pensable to this style of vocal composition, as yet
unrivalled by foreign composers. Horsley's fine
glee, "Cold is Cadwallo's tongue," was another of
this mentally-gifted singer's favorite specimens, ex-
hibiting the power obtained by superior reading of
his poetry. For him Stevens composed "Some of
my heroes are low," a work conceived in the true
Ossianic spirit of the poem.

There is another fine glee now seldom or never heard, "Mona on Snowdon calls," written by Dr. Crotch, in which both expression and effect were considerably enhanced by the superior style in which Bartleman led the principal bass part.

As, in point of science, few singers ever attained to the knowledge he possessed of the business of an orchestra, in drilling and training the vocalists for the madrigals and other full vocal pieces, then forming the principal attraction as concerted music, at the original Vocal and other concerts, it might be imag ined that in singing the more simple style of English ballads Bartleman would not succeed, because of the danger arising, as the vulgar suppose, from too much learning; but, happily, such was not the case; for, among others, in the pure and beautiful little song written by Robert Cooke, "Farewell to the nymph of my heart," the utter abandonment of grief from constant separation was so strongly portrayed by the singer, that we well remember on one occasion several ladies were taken out fainting from the concert room at the close of the song. Neither time nor space will allow of our enumerating all the beauties that this eminent artist created; neither should we condescend, but with the utmost contempt, to notice the party formed against him in his latter days of public exertion, at the head of which was a provincial critic, who prided himself upon discovering the mare's nest, that Bartleman had faults in his singing! Now his greatest admirers never denied this fact, which applies equally, as a blot of human imperfection, to most of the greatest men who ever lived; and without the malice which swayed the aforesaid narrow-minded and self-sufficient person, candor will readily acknowledge what these faults were,-too great a breadth in pronunciation upon certain words, maan, for man; luard for lord, &c.; and too great a propensity to open the mouth in the contrary manner to what the Italians term "bocca ridente." These errors, if persons came purposely to watch for them, were easily discovered. In the same manner, in viewing one of Claude's pictures, we may notice how inferior are his oxen and sheep to all other parts of his landscape; but we contend that these by no means destroy that great master's productions as works of high art. So Bartleman's faults were forgotten by all unprejudiced persons when he was sing ing. They only heard his energetic style, his bold conception of his anthor, his complete identification with both poet and composer, and the unabating spirit which carried him on, even while suffering the severest torture from a painful internal disorder which afflicted him for years, exercising his great talents, and keeping the English professors together by his zeal and attainments. as well as by his integrity and

kindness to all who required either advice or assistance from him. It does not appear that any particular incident occurred in his life of alternate suffering and study, that could interest the reader, excepting one, which showed his independent spirit.

During a rehearsal at the Ancient Concerts, Lord Darnley (a proud, haughty nobleman, who was one of the directors), made a remark, in his dictatorial manner, that something was wrong while Bartleman was singing, and intimated that he (Mr. B) was the perpetrator of the erroneous passage, Bartleman, who not only knew his business eminently well, but was also aware of the total ignorance of his rebuker, said a few, not the most placable, words in his own peculiar way, to the effect that perhaps his lordship would condescend to take his place in the orchestra and perform it more to his own satisfaction, instantly quitted the rooms in a towering passion, "being so pestered by a popinjay," and went home, leaving the rehearsal of onerous pieces for the principal bass unfinished. He declared he never would utter another note there again; and it was only by the mediation of friends who persuaded my lord to make the amende honorable, which, after a week had elapsed, he did in a very handsome and satisfactory manner. In this litlle fracas was exhibited the value this great singer set upon his own exertions; and although on the score of politeness, perhaps, the action is not to be imitated, still it serves to show how powerless are even rank, wealth, and influence, against determined talent, energy, and consummate skill; for had he then left the Ancient Concerts, they must have dwindled into utter insignificance for want of his powerful aid.

It is not known that Bartleman ever composed either song or glee. He was a good performer on the violoncello, and possessed a large and valuable library of music, which after his decease was sold by auction, and the respectable auctioneer ran away with the proceeds, which thus became lost to his two sisters who survived him.

In summing up the merits of this great English singer, we may say that the chief points he made were a poetical reading of his author, without affectation or bombast, a never tiring energy of style, resulting from his strong feeling of the situation in which the person represented was supposed to be placed, and to which the mere musical notes were always rendered subservient, both in time and style, a true devotional sense of the high class of composition* he spent the greater part of his life in illustrating, and a determination always to support the interests of his art, and of his brother professors to the utmost.

This reminds us of that lovely song by Pergolesi, “O Lord have merey upon me. Can any forget who heard it, the slow melancholy shake upon the words, My strength faileth me," and the electrical burst of tone in the last movement, "But my hope hath been in thee, O Lord""

Moritz Hauptmann.

(A Memorial, written for the celebration of his seventieth
birthday, October 13, 1862, by OSCAR PAUL.)
(From the Musical Review and World.)
Translated by FANNY M. RAYMOND.

Continued from page 401, vol. XXII.

The abundant and useful instruction which the student of art may gain from the study of Hauptmann's polyphonic and fugued themas, will be still further increased and more easily attained by an acquaintance with our author's theoretical writings. They are peculiarly adapted to assist the learner towards an independent judgment as to works of art and artistic forms. His deep, inclusive criticism on the works of Bach and Klengei; his clear explanaion of Bach's "Art of the fugue;" his grounding in those rules that step forward, one after the other through the history of art, according to natural laws; excites the student to careful observation, and a lofty, clear understanding of all artistic inventions and phenomena.

From the introduction to the review of Klengel's fugues and canons, many musical critics may learn that modesty, which is so much needed in a portion of the musical world. Such criticisms as Hauptmann has written, might be taken as a pattern by some of our musical writers; and from them they would learn that truthful opinions and criticisms can only proceed from a perfect understanding of theory, and an entire mastery of practice. How admirably Hauptmann places Klengel's value in the right light, adding to his analysis a view of Klengel's life that puts it clearly before the reader, while in a few words he brings forward his most distinguished qualities, and points out to the student all that is most valua ble and useful in them. In the preface to John Sebastian Bach's Masses in F, A, G, and G minor, our

The gift of imparting knowledge is not granted to all great men. But all who had the good fortune to know Hauptmann as a teacher, acknowledged that a better instructor for cultivated circles could not be found. Our master developed the talent of his scholars with equal carefulness both in general and in detail; while in that grounding which is notably the most difficult task of the teacher, he especially excelled. His amiability and kindness were so remark-poetry. able, that among the immense number of his pupils, not one has been found to make the slightest complaint of his failure in this respect. And, full of humanity, he was always ready to assist others where it was possible to him.

To the Editor of the (London) Musical World.

SIR,-I have tried my hand at some poetry, of which I beg the immediate insertion. I entitle it (see title further down), and am Sir, yours, &c. DILETTANTE CURTAIN LIFTER.