FACSIMILE, REDUCED, OF "THE SPECTATOR,"
No. 405, SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1712.
The type page of the original is 94 inches high, 64 inches wide; the paper itself is 124 inches high, 8 inches wide.
Οἱ 3 πανημέριοι μολπῇ θεὸν ἱλάσκοντο, Καλὶν αείδοντες παιώνα κῦροι Ἀχαιῶν; Μέλποντες Εκάεργον. ὁ ἢ φρένα τέρπετ' ακέων.
Am very forry to find, by the Opera Bills for this Day, that we are likely to lole the great- elf Performer in Dramatick Musick that is now living, or that perhaps ever appeared up- on a Stage. I need not acquaint my Reader, that am fpeaking of Signior Nicolini. The Town is highly obliged to that Excellent Artift, for having ewn as the Italian Malick in its Perfection, as well as for that generous Approbation he lately gave to an Opera of our own Country, in which the Compofer endeavoured to do Juftice to the Beau- ay of the Words, by following that Noble Exam- ple, which has been fet him by the greatest For- reign Maflers in that A.t.
I could heartily with there was the fame Appli- cation and Endeavours to cultivate and improve our Church-Mufick, as have been lately beftowed on that of the Stage. Our Compofers have one very great Incitement to it: they are fure to meet with Excellent Words, and, at the fame time, a wonderful Variety of them. There is no Paffion that is not finely expreffed in those parts of the Infpired Writing, which are proper for Divine Songs and Anthems.
There is a certain Coldness and Indifference in the Phrafes of our European Languages, when they are compared with the Oriental Forms of Speech; and it happens very luckily, that the Hebrew idioms run into the English Tongue with a particular Grace and Beauty. Our Language has received innuine. rable Elegancies and Improvements, from that In- fusion of Hebraifras, which are derived to it out of the Poetical Paffages in Holy Writ. They give a Force and Energy to our Expreffions, warm and animate our Language, and convey our Thoughts in more ardent and intenfe Phrafes, than any that are to be met with in our own Tongue. There is fonicthing fo pathetick in this kind of Diction, that it often fets the Mind in a Flame, and makes our Hearts burn within us. How cold and dead docs a. Prayer appear, that is compofed in the most Elegant
and Polite Forms of Speech, which are natural to our Tongue, when it is not heightened by that So- lemnity of Phrafe, which may be drawn from the Sa cred Writings. It has been faid by fome of the Ancients, that if the Gods were to talk with Men, they would certainly speak in Plato's Stile; but I think we may fay, with Jaftice, that when Mor tals converfe with their Creator, they cannot do it in fa proper a Stile as in that of the Holy Scrip
If any one would judge of the Beauties of Poetry that are to be met with in the Divine Writings, and examine how kindly the Hebrew Minners of Speech mix and incorporate with the English Language; after having perufed the Book of Pfalms, let him read a literal Tranflation of Horace or Pindar. He will fiod in these two laft fuch an Abfurdity and Confu- fion of Stile with fuch a Comparative Poverty of Imagination, as will make him very. fenfible of what I have been here advaucing.
Since we have therefore fuch a Treafury o Words, fo beautiful in themfelves, and fo proper for 'the Airs of Mutick, I cannot but wonder that Per fons of Dillination fhould give fo little Attention and Encouragement to that kind of Musick, which would have its Foundations in Reafon, and which would improve our Virtue in proportion as it raised our Delight. The Paffions that are excited by ordi- nary Compofitions, generally flow from fuch filly and abfurd (:cations, that a Man is athamed to re fc& upon them fcrioufly, but the Fear, the Love, the Sorrow, the Indignation that are awakened in the Mind by Elynms and Anthems, make the Heart better, and proceed from fuch Caufes as are sito gether reafonable and praife-worthy. Pleafare and Duty go hand in hand, and the greater our Satis faction is, the greater is our Religion.
Mufick arnong thofe who were filed the chofen People was a Religious Art. The Songs of Sion, which we have realon to believe were in high re
pute among the Courts of the Eastern Monarchs, were nothing elfe bat Palins and Pieces of Poetry that adored or celebrated the Supreme Being. The greatest Conqueror in this Holy Nation, after the manner of the old Grecian Lyricks, did not only compafe the Words of his Divine Odes, but gene- rally fet them to aufick himself: After which, his Works, tho' they were confecrated to the Ta- bernacle, became the National Entertainment, as well as the Devotion of his People,
The first Original of the Drama was a Religious Worthip confifting only of a Chorus, which was no- thing elfe but an Hymn to a Deity. As Luxury and Vo- luptuoufr fs prevailed over innocence and Religion, this form of Worship degenerated into Tragedies; in which however the Chorus fo far remembered its first Office, as to brand every thing that was vi- cious, and recommend every thing that was landa- ble, to intercede with Heaven for the Innocent, and to implore its Vengeance on the Criminal.
Homer and Hefiod intimate to us how this Art fhould be applied, when they reprefent the Mufes as furrounding Jupiter, and warbling their Hymns 2- bout his throne. I might fhew, from innumerable Pallages in Ancient Writers, not only that Vocal and Infrumental Mufick were made ufe of in their Religious Worthip, but that their most favourite Diver@ons were filled with Songs and Hymns to their refpe&tive Deities. Had we frequent Enter- tainments of this Nature among us, they wou'd not
little purifie and exalt our Paffions, give our Thoughts a proper Turn, and cherish thofe Divine Impulfes in the Soul, which every one feels that has ot fufled them by fenfual and immoderate Ples fures.
Mafick, when thus applied, raifes noble Hints in the Mind of the Fearer, and fills it with great Con ceptions. It frengthens Devotion, and advances Praife into Rapture. it lengthens out every act of Worfaip, and produces more lafting and permanent Impreffions in the Mind, than thofe which accompany any tranfient Form of Words that are uttered in the ordinary Method of Religious Worship.
ADVERTISEMENTS.
For the Benefit of the Box-Keepers. At the Defire of feveral Ladies of Quality. By Her Majefty's Company of Comedians, AT the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, on Tuesday
next, being the 17th Day of Jane will be Reviv'd, a Crady called, The Jovial Crew: Or, the Marry Baggers. With fees at B terminments of Singing and Comic-Dancing proper to the Play. To which will he added. A Farce of uge Anly, call. The Stage. Coach.. By Her Majesty's Command, no Pesfons are to be admitted behind the Scenes. And on Thursday next will be prefented Play call'd the Indian Emperor, or the Co quf of Mexico by the Spa niards, for the. Deacht of Mr. Bickerfaff and Mr. Newmin.
A Quay bathe 14th bay of Signor Cave T the Queen's Theatre in the Hay-Market, this
liera Nicolino Grimaldi will take his lease of England, in the Opera of Agrecur. And by reafin of the Hot Weather, the Ware Fall will Play all the time. Bxes 8. Pic 5s. Firth Gallery 23.6 d. Up- per Gallery 1.6 d. Boxes upon the Stage haft a Guines. To begin skaaly at seven,
The third Vol. of the Iliad of Homer, with Notes by Madam Dacier, done from the French by Mr. Brome of &. John's Colledge in Cambridge, and by him compared with the Greek. Illdrated with Cut. Note, The 4th and 5th Vol. with a compleat Table to the five Vols, are in the Prefs, and will be Pub- lifhd in July next by Bernard Lintou at the Crofs Keys between the two Temple Garcs in Fi edtreet: Of whom my be had the fiac Mif cellany lately Publifhed. This Day is Published,
The whole Works of that excellent Practical Phy fician Dr. Thomas Sydenhan, whereis not only the Hiftory of acute D.frafes are treat d'ef after the muft accurace Method; bur alfo the faleft way of curing moft Oaron el D feafs, The 5th Edition, by
Pechey of the Colledge of Phyficiaus, price 5. The Works of
Ermullerus abridg'd, or a compleat syften, of Phyfick, being a De fcription of all Difeafes incident to Men, Women and Children, with mal Fund ans, with an exas Cizes of Medicines, price 6s. Princed for R. Wellington at the Duphin and Crown in St. Paul's Ceurch yard.
the Method of Curr. To which is diet a fhort account of the Ani
Whereas John Prince, John Sadler, and William Jodrell, Mercers, at the black Lyou in Kingstreet Cavant Garden have refoved to leave off the Mercers Trade, Thefe are to give No- tice, That at the faid Shop are to be fold at very low Prices, all Sru of the peweft Fahion Gold and Silver Silks, and Acciaffesp Flowered and plain Velves. Silk Brocades, f wered and plain Sacrino Daerks, Watered Tabi, Farendines and M hairs, Shigreens, serfa nes, Peiliaus, Silk Night Gowns, Thread Sattins, Puplies, Nurwich Crapes, Bilk and other Druggets, Hair and Worfied Cables, Hair Shags and haloons,
Juft Publish'd, The Second Edition of Creation. A Philofophical Peem. Demonstrating the Exiflence and Providence of a Ged. In Seven Books. By Sur Richard Blackmore, Kor. M. D. and Feli w of the College of Phyliciausio London. Frinted for 9. Buckley, at the Dolphin in Little Britain and J. Topa, at Shak Spear's Head over against Catherine Adet in the Strand.
A very neat Pocket Edition, in two Vols. 12mo. of the Wrot Mr. Thoms Owny, containing. Alcibiades, D.-0 Care los, Trus and here..ico, Friendship in Fashion, Bouldie's Frtune in wo Parts, Orphan, Caius Marine and Venice Preferved. With mis Poems and Lwe Laters. To which is added fume Acc unt of the Lite and Writing of the Acknor. Primed for J. Tonfon at Shakespear's Head in the strand; sad Sold by W. Tayixac the Shipin Paer nofter row. The Retir'd Gardner, or, Dialogues between • Gentleman and a Gard'ne: Coping the Me beds of Makings Odering and Improving Fruit and Kitchin Garden, together with the Marger . izbring and Cultivating Flowers, Plants, Shrubs, and Under-Shrubs, neceflary for the Adming of Gard ns &c. In which is explain'd, the Art of Making and Difpofing et Par- tetres, Arlours of Greens, Wood-Works, Arches, Columns, and other Fees and Compar menis ufually found in the muß Deep tinal Carders of Country Seats. The whole corich'd with Variety of Figures being a Tanation from the Sieur Louis Liger. To which is add d, a Defcription and Plan of Count Tallard's Garden Nottingham The whole Revird, with fevral Alterations and Additio, which reader it proper for our English Culture, By Gorge London, and Henry Wife. Printed for jacob Toulod 0: Shakspear's Head over again Catherine Street in the Strand.
The Works of Mr. Francis Beaumont and Mr. John Ule:ches, y Vella. Sve. adorn'& With Cars, Plutarch's Lives ios volia, roared by levond ads, Seneca's Morals tralated by Sir Roger Edrang: The Satyrs of Decimur Janius Juverdia &c. translated into English Verfe by Mr. Dryden and feveral other eminent Hands. The Works of Mr. Congreve in 3 Volls.confi@ing of his Plays and Poems, For on feferal Occante written by Mr. Frior. Paradife lod, a Foera, in 12 Bocks, by Mr. John Milcoti. The Choftem Hero, writed by Mr. Sidele. N; B. The three lift are prisited with a reer Dever Letter in mall Pocket V lanes: Al Printed for Jao b`Topfon Shakespear's head over-again Catherine fire in the Strand.
Letters and Negotiations of the Count D' Eftrades Ambellador from Lewis the Foureenth to the States General of the United Provinces of the Low Countries: From the Year 1663 to the Year 1569, Conúfling chiefly of Original Letters and Infracti fons trom the French King and his Minifters, to the faid Count: with his Anfwers. When ate feveral fecret Tranlations between the Con n ve England and France during that time. Trandated by Several Hand. In Three Volumes. Printed for D. Brown, J. Ton- on, A. and J Chorchil, J. Kompton, R. Koaplock, G. Strahan, Banger, J. Pemberton.
LONDON: Printed for Sam. Buckley, at the Dolphin in Little-Britain; and. Sold by A. Baldwin in Warwick-Lans'; where Advertisements are taken ins as alfo by Charter Lillie. Perfumer, at the Corner of Beauford, Buildings in the Strand
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