Hopkins and others, and the whole Book of Psalms in metre, with appropriate tunes-some of continental origin, some of English composition-was printed in 1563. These tunes were published without harmony; but in 1564 another edition was printed, in harmony for four voices, by various composers. The love of psalm-singing grew more and more general, as is proved by the many collections of harmonized tunes that followed this, and by Bishop Jewel's statement, that four or five thousand persons, assembled to hear the preaching at Paul's Cross, would all join in the hymn or psalm at its conclusion. The word anthem is substituted for hymn in the later Prayer Book of Elizabeth. This term is, by many writers, derived from Antiphone, somewhat anomalously, since it is the only part of the service that is not usually antiphonal. Dr. Johnson, more plausibly, traces it to Antihymnus; but the etymology of the Rev. J. P. Metcalf is to be preferred, which assigns its origin to Antithema, implying that it at first denoted free counterpoint against a given theme-the harmony to the psalm tune-analogous to Motet, the motettus or moving part against the Cantus Fermus of the Roman Church. Several illustrations of this definition prove the concise character originally purposed for the anthem, and point to the dereliction from this in the lengthy and complicated compositions of later times.

The corruption of English church music had its root in the retention of the precentorship as a priestly office at the time of the Reformation, the period at which the study of music, like all other civil studies, first became common among the laity. When music, the most modern of the arts, was in its embryo, the mastery of its few dogmatical rules was easily compatible with the study of theology, and hence it was as proper for the precentor to be a clerical officer as for the dean, his only capitulary superior; but, now that the resources of this art are seemingly unlimited, now that the discovery of the natural principles which govern it has given it a scientific basis, its full comprehension engrosses the labour of a whole life, and the exceptions are most rare of persons who can attain to its knowledge as a relaxation from the pursuit of another profession. The effect of this great fundamental evil was not felt till much later but there can be now no question of the impropriety of committing the entire control of the singers, the choice of the music, and every arrangement and responsibility of this highly important element of the church service, to an officer who is not compulsorily acquainted with music. That some few precentors have a knowledge of the subject which it is their duty to direct, only aggravates the ill-working of the system; since it gives countenance to the very many more who are equally ignorant and either indifferent or prejudiced. The result of this much to be regretted system is the official neglect of cathedral music, the reduction of the numbers in the choirs, the ill esteem and consequent degradation of the choristers, the often slovenly and always meagre performance of the service, andworst of all-the frequent aggravation of the evil by ill-directed designs to remedy it.

The music in parochial institutions has suffered, in proportion, from the control of non-musicians; and, though measures be taken for its improvement, no measures can be efficient that are not confided to persons whose education has qualified them for their fulfiment.

The contributions to psalmody by persons with little musical education, or with none, began early in the last century, and have tended seriously to vulgarize and emasculate this noble branch of church music. The misappropriation of the glee style of writing to church composition has done equally much to deteriorate the music special to the cathedral. The admission of solo anthems has tended to make the church an arena for the display of the singers and for the indulgence of the audience, who have attended service more for the amusement of criticism than for the edification of prayer. The adaptation of irrelevant words to music from the florid masses of composers of later times, from oratorios and from instrumental works, has perverted the composer's designed expression, which is the highest quality in music, and has thus degraded the art and its influences. The adaptation of secular melodies as hymn tunes cannot be too strongly deprecated, since they are never divested of their secular associations. The introduction of compositions by clerical amateurs or their friends, whose social position has commanded attention to their productions, has often made the church a medium for the gratification of vanity, at the expense of genuine artistry. The attempt to revive the use in the church, of the Greek system of music-which Ambrose introduced and Gregory continued, because there was then none other accessible, produces, if not an affectation of sanctity, at least a pedantic assumption of antiquarianism that is as remote from devotion. Moreover, this is in direct contradiction to the principle of the Reformation, since the Greek, or as it is called, the Ecclesiastical modes are not "understanded of the people," and it would not be more opposed to the spirit of the Church of England to make the people pray in Latin, than to make them sing in the dead language of a musical system that is wholly superseded.

The capabilities of church music, for the attainment of its two great objects, are only to be limited by the genius and artistic cultivation of the musicians who may devote themselves to its production and performance, where these are not thwarted by the non-musical authorities. When either of the fine arts is admitted into sacred uses, the utmost possible endeavour should be made to present that art at its best. The ambition of the ablest composers should therefore be stimulated to seek their highest distinction in writing for the church, not in an assumed manner that was once general for all subjects, and is now conventionally considered as sacred, but in the style characteristic of their own time, which, as such, will naturally best express their own emotions and best appeal to the emotions of others, and distinguished from their own secular music by its greater elevation of purpose and earnestness in the fulfilment of this; such has been the case with sacred music from the madrigal era to our own time;

and the examples of Orlando Gibbons, Purcell, Bach, Handel, and Mendelssohn, are safe precedents. Notwithstanding very strong prejudice to the contrary, the fitness for oratorios for performance on particular occasions in sacred edifices, merits earnest consideration, if not their unfitness for performance elsewhere; it being remembered that the oratorio, in one of its forms, was originated by Giovanni Animuccia, for performance at the oratory meetings of S. Filippo Neri, in the church of S. Giovanni Laterano, A.D. 1556; and in its other form by Emilio Cavaliere, for performance in the church of Santa Maria, in Valicella; that the master-pieces of Bach were written for the celebration of the Passion in the Lutheran church, and that the oratorios of Handel were first given in public with apologies for their performance in a secular building. Every pains should be taken to promote choral singing among the laity, but no person should be permitted to participate in congregational singing who had not joined in a periodical practice for the same, or given proof of qualification. The perfection of the plastic arts in Greece was attained by the endeavour to do honour to the national religion; the perfection of Gothic or Christian architecture resulted from the same purpose: be the hearts of artists attuned to this glorious task, and the music of the Church of England may approach that perfection towards which musical art at present seems to need some such stimulating impulse.

[G. A. M.]

WEEKLY EVENING MEETING,

Friday, April 27, 1866.

HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES, K.G. F.R.S. Vice-Patron, in the Chair.

THE VERY REV. ARTHUR PENRHYN STANLEY, D.D. F.R.S.
DEAN OF WESTMINSTER.

On Westminster Abbey.

"Like some tall palm the noiseless fabric sprang,"

was the well-known line of Reginald Heber, describing the rise of Solomon's temple.

"Like some tall palm" not only the Jewish temple, but many a Grecian temple, many a Roman basilica, has sprung into existence. The growth of Westminster Abbey requires a more complex figure to do justice to its formation-a venerable oak, with gnarled irregular growth, and spreading roots, and decaying bark, and twisted branches,

and hollow trunk, and feeble shoots English history in Church and State.

the very counterpart of our

There is one point in which, without any false pride, I may say that Westminster Abbey stands alone amongst the buildings of the world. There are of course many which surpass it in beauty or grandeur, many which surpass it in the depth or sublimity of trains. of association; but none have been entwined by so many long continuous threads of diverse elements with the history of a whole nation.

It is obvious that this complexity of interest makes it impossible in any single lecture to do more than treat one single part of the subject. I might trace its gradual origin, from its geographical situation in the Isle of Thorns; from the charm of the name of St. Peter; from its neighbourhood to the palace of Westminster; from the strange enthusiasm of Edward the Confessor. I might show how architecturally it represents the three great epochs of our national buildings; how under its first founder it was the earliest monument of Norman, European civilization planted on our barbarous Anglo-Saxon soil; how under its second founder it was intended to be, and was, the most complete and beautiful specimen of the most beautiful style that the middle ages produced; how under its third founder it exhibits the last magnificent decay of medieval art, in the Chapel of Henry VII. I might describe its close connection with the whole course of English history, how it has witnessed the coronation of all, the burial of far the larger number, of our sovereigns from the Conquest downwards; how, whilst it has been the seat of royalty, it has been the cradle of liberty; how out of its erection directly sprang, and within its precincts was first sheltered, that great assembly which at this very moment concentrates on itself the thoughts of the whole nation.

I might describe all the various assemblies and institutions which it has thus guarded under its wings, not only the House of Commons, but the ancient Treasury of England; the first English printing-press; the early Councils of Westminster, the Westminster Assembly of Presbyterian divines, the Convocations of the province of Canterbury. I might show how it is the seat of the great school which has endeared the name of Westminster to the earliest years of so many illustrious Englishmen; how it has been the seat of the most honourable, the most ancient, and the most meritorious order of English knighthood. I might describe its peculiar jurisdiction-its venerable sanctuary, the refuge of kings as well as of outlaws; its political position and its religious functions as the metropolitan church of the great city of Westminster; the long succession of abbots and of deans, with the privileges and exemptions which render them and the institution over which they preside one of the most peculiar in the Church and State of England.

I might follow the kind hint thrown out to me by a well-known Gazette yesterday evening, and lay before you for the consideration of the Government and the public-what I fear would be somewhat more dry-Mr. Gilbert Scott's estimates for the restoration of the

great northern porch, the restoration of the Chapter House, and the building of a magnificent cloister at the south-east corner of the Abbey ; or a statement, drier still, of what the Dean and Chapter have been doing and are doing, with all the means in their power, for the preservation, reparation, and adornment of what already exists; or the assurance, driest of all, that they have taken every precaution which the highest professional authorities can advise to ensure the venerable Abbey against the slightest danger from the subterranean Metropolitan Rail

way.

6

I have thought it best, however, to take one other single aspect of the whole subject: its importance as the burial-place of our celebrated men. It is this aspect, more than any other that I have named, which most endears it to the mass of our countrymen. It is this that, more than any other, won for it the delightful visits of Addison, in the 'Spectator;' of Steele, in the Tatler;' of Goldsmith, in the Citizen of the World;' of Charles Lamb, in Elia;' of Washington Irving, in the 'Sketch-book.' It is this which intertwines it with so many eloquent passages in the writings of Macaulay. It is this which inspired the saying of Nelson-"a Peerage or Westminster Abbey." It is this which has twice within the present year given point to the speeches of one of our statesmen least likely to draw his illustrations from ecclesiastical buildings. It is this which still gives most promise of vitality and immortality to the whole institution. Kings are no longer buried within our walls; even the splendour of pageants has ceased to attract; but the desire to be commemorated amongst the dead in Westminster Abbey is still as strong as ever.

And yet, on the other hand, this very peculiarity is the one which exposes the Abbey to the most severe criticism and attack. There are not a few who would wish, as the first step to any restoration, to clear out from its venerable walls the strange pile of heterogeneous monuments which disfigure its beautiful architecture; who complain, not without reason, of the unequal value and unequal fame of the monuments themselves; who protest against the intrusion into a Christian church of grotesque forms and inappropriate inscriptions, such as exist in no like degree elsewhere.

It is to meet these conflicting tides of emotion, to act partly as a guide through this interesting and intricate labyrinth, partly as an apologist for these monumental stumbling-blocks and stones of offence, that I propose to give a brief history of the growth of this part of our institution, and to show that if ever it is to be cleared, it must be touched with the tenderest care; if it be a parasitical growth, it is one which has struck its fibres so deep into the building, that if you tear it rudely out you will perchance bring down the entire edifice with it. Sooner or later the pruning must take place; but for that very reason let us well consider the whole relation of this sacred mistletoe to the parent tree.

In taking this subject, "I have left," if I may use the words of Addison, "the repository of our English kings for the contemplation