compofer, or called for by the imagination and taste of the finger.

Here it were easy to exercife the fevere and juft fcourge of criticism upon performers, fome even of the first class, vocal and inftrumental, who introduce beats, trills, shakes, turns-into pathetic, lulling airs, and spoil neat fimplicity with illplaced brilliances, fo much, that Handel, were he alive to hear, would fay one while, Madam, another while, Sir, "That is not my moofick:" A hint to the wife is enough.

The drag or dragging, called in Italian lo ftrafcinare, or frafcino, is done in much the fame manner as gliding, only with inequality of motion, retarding fome notes in the middle, or hanging as it were upon them, descending, and hastening the others, yet fo as to preserve the time in the bar, with the forte and piano artfully mixed to render them more lulling and exquifite.

"The ftealing of time in the pathetic, says Tofi, is an honourable theft in one that fings better than others, provided he makes reftitution with ingenuity; and

whoever

whoever knows not how to fteal the time in finging, is deftitute of the best taste and greatest knowledge."

The oppofite to dragging in flow movements, is hastening in lively airs and divifions.

The appogiatura, from appogiare to lean or rest upon, is alfo done in the fame manner as the glide, infomuch, that it feems difficult to determine which is the fimpler motion, and ought to precede.

The only difference between them is, that the glide is equal, tying that note, from which the finger paffeth, with that to which he paffeth, and is applicable to notes at any diftance; whereas the appogiatura is unequal, and is applicable to a note in immediate fucceffion.

The appogiatura is twofold, preparative to a note afcending, which call the lower or rifing appogiatura, and to a note defcending, which call the upper or falling appogiatura, fimilar to a preparation of a step in the minuet, by beginning with the toe. This is a natural beauty in speaking,

as well as artificial in finging, playing and dancing.

The appogiatura is unequal, because the voice is made to lean the least time imaginable, and almost imperceptible to a common ear, on it, when the ftrefs is made on the compofer's note, (the appogiatura being a little quaver, femiquaver, or femidimiquaver, properly of the finger, not of the compofer, which he takes in his way as a graceful approach or prepare to the written note) but to continue the appogiatura three parts or more of the time, when the ftrefs is laid upon it, quitting the compofer's note inftantly in the remaining fourth: Let the first be called the close or quick appogiatura, and 'the fecond the leisure or protra&ed.

1

I have ventured to diftinguish the appogiatura from the glide by its inequality, and application to a note in immediate fucceffion, contrary perhaps to Tofi, who feems to describe it as applicable at any distance, from a third, or fourth, below the given note, and even through the octave; but this may be called rather a rebound

rebound or elastic leap, to be made ascending only, than an appogiatura; however, I am ready to fubmit, if it fhall be thought otherwife.

Observe, a rebound is a beauty, which the finger should study to obtain neatly.

The upper appogiatura made quick and close hath generally a good effect in falling to a third, and to a sharp.

Many compofers infert appogiaturas and mark graces, as the ancient grammarians did the Hebrew and Greek words with accents and points; which indeed may affift the learner, but not a performer well educated and of a good tafte, who may omit them, as he shall judge proper, vary them, or introduce others from his own fancy, imagination, and inftantaneous feelings.

Purcel hath writ most of his fongs with graces, according to the taste of his time, and fo hath Weldon his anthems.

The business of a composer is to give the air and expreffion in plain notes, who goes out of his province when he writes graces, which serve for the most part only to stop and confine the invention and imagination

gination of a finger, if not to give him a false taste.

The only excufe a compofer can plead for this practice, is the want of qualifications in the generality of fingers.

Some judgement of harmony is neceffary to guide where to introduce the glide and appogiatura, as well as which kind, and very great care is necessary in the manner of making them, that is, perfectly fmooth, leifurely and tenderly on pathetic expreffions, hastily and closely on lively, perfectly fmooth, remember, without any the leaft jerk, or to make use of vulgar allufions, ftabbing, stamping, and barking the notes, according to an exceeding vicious tafte, introduced of late years from the ftage into the chamber and the church, and which is guarded against in the manner of articulating the confonants, p. 11, and in the ornaments of the fwell and striking the notes plain.

The method of ftriking the confonants and notes with a kind of jerk, hath been adopted for an animated and emphatic manner, but is in reality fierce, the ex

treme