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assemblage of strained and refined sentiments, derived from every artifical cal light in which the passion and its objects could be viewed, and entertained rather as an exercise of the wit, than as a concern of the heart. This mode of treating it was copied by other nations as they advanced in lettered politeness; and the poems of which love was the subject became tissues of singular and far-fetched thoughts, often highly ingenious, but very remote from the suggestions of real passion. Songwriters commonly took up one of these thoughts, which, after some turning and twisting, and perhaps adorning with a simile, they brought to a kind of epigrammatic point, Such is the idea of this composition inculcated by Ambrose Phillips in the Guardian, N° 26, and illustrated by two specimens. For the perfection of a song he requires "an exact purity of style, with the most easy and flowing numbers,

be

numbers, an elegant and unaffected turn of wit, with one uniform and simple

design;" and he further says that it "should be conducted like an epigram; and that the only difference between them is, that the one does not require the lyric numbers, and is usually employed upon satirical occasions, whereas the business of the other is to express

"Love's pleasing cares, and the free joys of wine." To the French, Phillips assigns the reputation of surpassing all nations in the excellence of their songs, though he intimates that they are apt to confound song with epigram. A similar confusion Congreve, in his "DoubleDealer," attributes to the lively coxcomb Brisk, when he repeats a piece which he calls "an epigrammatic sonnet."

Now, although I cannot but be of opinion that song composed upon this principle deviates from the original model,

and

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and is less adapted to that union with music which enhances the power of both in exciting emotions, (for musical notes seem to have no correspondence with intellectual notions,) yet it must be acknowledged that many very pleasing productions have been the result of this idea of song-writing; and that, in a collection for reading, the class of ingenious and witty songs would be found peculiarly attractive.

In an arrangement of songs according to their subjects, a place would be claimed by the lovers of the chase for Huntingsongs, than which none are actually sung with higher glee, though their merit often arises more from the musical composer than the writer. Some of these are in the narrative strain, and rather belong to the ballad class. Many have a bacchanalian close, which, doubtless, contributes to the animation with which they are

rehearsed

rehearsed by the convivial party, relaxing: from the fatigues of the day, rode since It appears very strange that one of the divisions in English vocal compositions should be that of Mad Songs. I suspect these to be entirely national, correspond ing to the mad characters which are, so Common in the dramatis personæ of our plays. The songs under this title are.. generally distinguished by an incoherent. rant, which costs much less to the inven tion than the development and decoration of a rational idea. If a song can with any advantage be framed upon the supposed conceptions of a lunatic, it, must. be one in which some prevailing idea, the cause and essence of the madness, is pursued in a wild but not unconnected strain, with varied and fanciful imagery... The effect of such a piece, aided by suitable music, may be singularly touching; of which an example is given by.

the

the song of The Maid in Bedlam." Some short, but very sweet and characteristic songs of this kind are assigned to the Bertha of Miss Baillie's "Ethwald."

It remains to add a few words on the sources whence the best English songs are to be derived.

It might be expected that the writers who have best succeeded in other poetical effusions would also excel in this; for taste and genius are not confined to particular walks in the same art, but display themselves in all that they attempt. And in fact, when great poets have chosen to unbend in these minor exertions, they have generally exhibited the master-hand. Among the occasional and miscellaneous poetry which forms a department in the works of our most eminent writers, are generally found some pieces of the song kind, not unworthy of their reputation. A greater number, however, are to be met

with