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1818.]

Memoir of her Majesty Queen Charlotte.

expedients were resorted to, to alle viate her pain, and to add to her means of comfort. Among other things, carriages of a peculiar and ingenious construction were prepared to enable her to take exercise in the open air; but of most of these she was unable to avail herself. A chair, made under the direction of the Prince Regent, afforded her most relief while confined to her chamber.

The medical attendants of her Majesty were Sir Francis Millman, Sir Henry Halford, and Mr. Brande, apothecary, of Arlington-street. In addition to these, Mr. Robert Keate, surgeon to the Queen, was in attendance, and he performed the only operations which took place. Dr. Baillie was on one occasion called in, but no alteration in her treatment took place in consequence. To follow the various stages of her Majesty's disorder, from its assuming a dangerous aspect to the termination of her existence, would afford little gratification. It is sufficient to say, that as the disease advanced in virulence, each interval of repose became shorter than the preceding one; each succeeding paroxysm more acute; each struggle more nearly mortal, till the hand of Death put an end at once to her misery and life.

We shall now proceed to describe the circumstances which immediately preceded her Majesty's death. Throughout the afternoon of Monday, (Nov. 16,) she remained in a lethargic state; and so little was any immediate change expected, that at six o'clock Sir Henry Halford's carriage was ordered to convey him to Windsor, and the first messenger from Carlton House returned without a report. The carriage of Sir Henry, however, had scarcely drawn up to the door of the palace, when her Majesty manifested such an increase of restlessness, that he was induced to delay his departure; and eventually, in about three quarters of an hour, the carriage was ordered back, and the journey postponed for the night.

At half-past seven, the second messenger from Carlton House was dispatched with letters to the Prince Regent; the consequence of which was, that between nine and ten, his Royal Highness, accompanied by the Duke of York, arrived at the palace, and had an immediate interview with the physicians. After their conference, his Royal Highness accompanied the Princesses to the

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chamber of her Majesty, and remained there a considerable time.

From nine o'clock all the worst symp toms of her Majesty's disorder developed themselves in succession, with alarming rapidity; and the most serious apprehensions as to the result being entertained, his Royal Highness determined to spend the night at Kew. In consequence, orders were given to prepare apartments for the accommodation of his Royal Highness, in the mansion of the Duke of Cambridge, on Kew-green; but soon after twelve o'clock, so material an abatement took place in her Majesty's sufferings, that this arrangement was abandoned, and about midnight his Royal Highness left the palace for Carlton-house, accompanied by the Duke of York.

The relaxation in the symptoms of her Majesty's disorder, however, was but temporary. They shortly returned with increased severity, and throughout the remainder of the night she was in almost continual pain. Sir F. Milman, Sir H. Halford, and Mr. Brande, remained in the ante-chamber nearly the whole night and the Princesses did not retire till between two and three o'clock in the morning.

Between eight and nine o'clock on Tuesday morning, the physicians, as usual, prepared to issue the bulletin, which was as follows:

"Kew Palace, Nov. 17.-The Queen's state last night was one of great and imminent danger. Her Majesty remains very ill this morning. F. Millman.

H. Halford."

At half past nine, this was forwarded to town. The messenger had not left the palace more than three-quarters of an hour, when her Majesty became so much worse, that a second messenger was dispatched to Carlton-house, to request the immediate attendance of his Royal Highness. Couriers were also sent off at the same time to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Baillie, Mr. Robert Keate, and Lady Halford. Shortly after twelve o'clock, the Prince Regent and the Duke of York arrived. By this time, all hope of her Majesty's surviving the paroxysm was at an end: her respiration was most laboriously performed; the tension on the side was painful almost to suffocation, and symp. toms of mortification had begun to manifest themselves in the lower extremities. Every possible mode of attempting relief was resorted to, but it became

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History of the Rise and Progress of Music.

more and more evident, that a fatal termination of her Majesty's sufferings was at hand. Immediately on the arrival of the Prince Regent and the Duke of York, Sir Henry Halford had an audience of their Royal Highnesses, in the great drawing-room; the Princess Augusta and the Duchess of Gloucester were also present; when Sir Henry announced, that there was no longer any hope of their august parent surviving the paroxysm. Their Royal Highnesses received the melancholy information with the most poignant affliction.

At this time the Royal sufferer appeared free from pain, but she was nearly exhausted, and was supported on the one side by the Prince Regent, and on the other by the Duke of York, the Princesses kneeling by her side. She knew them all, looked on them with affectionate regard, and would have spoken, but death had closed her powers of voice though not of expression, and she went off without even a sigh or a struggle, exactly at twenty minutes after one o'clock.

For some time after her Majesty had ceased to breathe, the Princesses continued absorbed in grief, when Sir H. Halford announced that the mortal existence of her Majesty was at an end, their Royal Highnesses were so much affected, that they wept audibly. At length, the Prince Regent, exerting himself to calm

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History of the Rise and Progress of Music, theoretical and practical. By G. Jones.

(Concluded.)

IT has been imagined, with much appearance of probability, that the occupation of the first poets and musicians of Greece resembled that of the Celtic and German bards, and the scalds of Iceland and Scandinavia. They sung their poems in the streets of cities, and in the palaces of princes. They were treated with high respect, and regarded as inspired persons. Such was the employment of Homer. Music is always named throughout the Iliad and Odyssey with rapture; but as in these poems no mention is made of instrumental music, unaccompanied with poetry and singing, a considerable share no doubt of the praise is to be attributed to the poetry. The instruments most frequently named are the lyre, the lute, and the syrinx. The trumpet appears not to have been known at the siege of Troy. The flute, in Greece, was long an instrument in high fa

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his own feelings, took a hand of each of his sisters, and gently withdrew them from the mournful scene. Their Royal Highnesses, followed by the Duke of York, retired to the drawing-room; and it was nearly three-quarters of an hour before any interruption was given to their sorrows.

Immediately on the decease of her Majesty, the royal standard, which, since her residence at Kew, had been. constantly flying on the tower of the chapel, was lowered half down the staff; and, in the course of the evening, a detachment of sixty men from the 1st regiment of guards, under the command of Colonel Barrow, arrived from the Horse Guards, at the temporary barracks on Kew-green.

The first communication which arrived in town of the melancholy tidings, was about half-past two o'clock, addressed to Viscount Sidmouth; at three the following notification was issued to the nobility and others who were anxiously inquiring:

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Carlton-house, Nov. 17.-Her Majesty expired at one o'clock this day without pain."

Thus died in her 75th year, and the 57th of her marriage, this most excellent Queen, to whom may be applied, the language of holy writ," the hoary head is a crown of glory, when it is found in the way of righteousness."

MUSIC.

celebrated Theban musician, cost at Corinth three talents, or 5811. 5s. The ancients, it appears, were not less extravagant in gratifying the ministers of their pleasures than ourselves. Amoeboeus, a harper, was paid an Attic talent, or 1931. 15s. per day for his performance. It is proper to observe, that the celebrated musicians of Greece were of both sexes; and that the beautiful Lamia, who was taken captive by Demetrius in the sea-engagement in which he vanquished Ptolemy Soter, was a public performer. This will not so much surprise us, when it is added, that in modern times, at the musical schools in Venice, of which there are four, the performers, both vocal and instrumental, are all females: the organs, the flutes, and French-horns; the violins, violoncellos, and even the double-basses, are all played by

women.

Among the Romans the minstrels had the privilege of eating in the temple of Jupiter; they wore a long gown as the badge of their profession, and claimed the liberty of walking in procession through the streets of Rome in their robes, three days in every year, exercising their art, and indulging themselves in the most extravagant excesses.

1818.]

History of the Rise and Progress of Music.

Princes and great men, when they went
from home, always considered the honour of
their wives secure when under the protec-
tion of a bard. Egysthus could not triumph
over the virtue of Clytemnestra till he had
removed the bard who was the guardian of
her morals. It is however remarkable, that
in the space of twenty-nine years, the fa-
vourite bards or musicians of three queens
belonging to this island fell sacrifices for de-
parting from the ancient character. Mark
Smeaton, musician and groom of the cham-
ber to Anne Bullen, was accused of being too
great a favourite of the Queen, for which he
Thomas
was executed, May 12, 1536.
Abel, musical preceptor and grammarian to
Queen Catherine, wife to Henry VIII., was
hanged and quartered, July 30, 1540, for
having written a treatise against the divorce.
And David Rizzio, secretary to Mary, Queen
of Scots, on suspicion of an improper cor-
respondence with her, was murdered in her
presence, March 9, 1565. Charity may
perhaps attribute their unhappy exits to the
turbulence of the times in which they lived;
"but," says Mr. Jones, "we certainly do
not set musicians to guard the chastity of
women in the present day." Henry III.
in the twenty-sixth year of his reign, gave
forty shillings and a pipe of wine to Richard,
his harper, and likewise a pipe of wine to
Beatrice, the harper's wife. Edward I., his
son and successor, a short time before he
ascended the throne, took his harper with
him to the Holy Land; and when Edward
was wounded by a poisoned arrow at Ptole-
mais, the musician rushed into the royal
apartments and killed the assassin. But we
have not many instances of fighting musi-
cians: their business in war seems to be to
make others fight. John of Gaunt granted
a charter to the minstrels, giving the gover-
nor the title of King of the Minstrels. He
held court, and had power to apprehend and
arrest; to impannel juries, hear plaints,
and determine controversies between the
members of his society. New charters were
granted by successive kings, both in Eng-
land and France. In the year 1401, Charles
·VI. of France granted the minstrels another
charter; but at length their insolent de-
meanour degraded them in the public opi-
nion, and they sunk into total neglect; and
from being seated at the tables of kings and
heroes, were necessitated to become compa-
nions of the lowest orders of the people.

About the end of the reign of Charles II. a passion seems to have been excited for the violin, and for pieces composed for it in the -Italian manner. This, we agree with Mr. Jones, may be pronounced the most powerful, the most perfect, and the most useful instrument that ever has been invented. It is in the power of this sovereign of the orchestra to make the intonation of all keys equally perfect. Before this, viols of various sizes, with six strings, and fretted like the guitar, were admitted into chamber-con

447

certs; but the performance was public; these instruments were too feeble for the obtuse organs of our Gothic ancestors; and the low state of our regal music in the time of Henry VIII. (1530) may be gathered from the accounts given in Hall's and Hollingshed's Chronicles, of a masque at Cardinal Wolsey's palace, Whitehall, where the King was entertained with "a concert of drums and fifes." But this was soft music compared with that of his heroic daughter, Elizabeth, who, according to Hentzner, used to be regaled during dinner "with twelve trumpets and two kettle-drums; which, together with fifes, cornets, and sidedrums, made the hall ring for half an hour together."

The account of Pietro della Valle of the first opera or musical drama exhibited at Rome, is extremely curious and amusing. "Though no more than five voices or five instruments were employed, the exact number that an ambulant cart could contain, yet those afforded great variety; as besides the dialogue of single voices, sometimes two or three, and at last all the five sang together, which had an admirable effect. The music of this piece, as may be seen in the copies of it that were afterwards printed, though dramatic, was not all in simple recitatives, which would have been tiresome, but ornamented with beautiful passages, and movements in measure, without deviating, however, from the true theatrical style; on which account it pleased extremely, as was manifest from the prodigious concourse of people it drew after it, who, so far from being tired, heard it performed five or six several times; there were some even who continued to follow the cart to ten or twelve different places where it stopped, and who never quitted it as long as we remained in the street, which was from four o'clock in the evening till after midnight."

There

In 1680, the opera of Berenice was exhibited at Padua with such astonishing splendor as to merit notice. There were choruses of one hundred virgins, one hundred soldiers, one hundred horsemen in iron armour, forty cornets of horse, six trumpeters on horseback, six drummers, six ensigns, six sackbuts, six great flutes, six minstrels playing on Turkish instruments, six others on octave flutes, six pages, three sergeants, six cymbalists. were twelve huntsmen, twelve grooms, six coachmen for the triumph, six for the procession, two lions led by two Turks, and two elephants; Berenice's triumphal car drawn by four horses; six other cars with prisoners and spoils drawn by twelve horses; six coaches. Among the scenery which we had not time to enumerate, was the royal dressing-room completely furnished, and stables with one hundred live horses, &c. Thus much of the historical part.

After the usual routine of musical instruction relative to thorough bass, composition,

448

Varieties-Proceedings of Universities.

and fuging, we have some curious remarks on the construction of canons, which we have not met with in any other book in the English language. A canon is a melody performed by two or more parts of a score; one of which must begin before the other has finished. Canons were the last compositions which masters condescended to publish in score. They were regarded as enigmas, which required the deepest sagacity and science to unfold. All the several parts were written on one staff, frequently without specifying when, where, and in what interval the other parts came in. Modern times have furnished us with some jeux d'esprit of this kind. When Haydn was to receive his doctor's diploma at Oxford, he addressed to his judges a sheet of music so composed that whether read backwards or forwards, beginning at the top, the bottom, or the middle, it always presented an air with an original accompaniment. But the most tremendous of all canons is the Canon Polymorphus, a kind of sacred music composed for several choirs. There is a canon of that kind composed by Valentini for ninety-six voices and twenty-four choirs! This canon is called by Berari, Solomon's Knot, and by Kircher, the Labyrinth. The solution is very intricate. Marpurg has exhibited one by the same author, susceptible of 2,000 solutions; and upon which Valentini himself has written a large folio volume, under the title of Canoni Musicali, which was printed at Rome in the year 1655. The specimens and examples of canons

Dec. 1.

given in Mr. Jones's work (plate xii) are not sufficiently distinct; the parts should have been printed in separate lines.

After the scientific part of music is concluded, the historical part may be said to begin again; for under the head of " Musical Instruments," very many pleasing anecdotes of musicians and poets will be found. The plates of Musical Instruments amount to nine, which are extremely well engraved. On that entitled "Egyptian Instruments," we have the ancient Theban harp, and its (supposed) scale. Among the "Hebrew Instruments," we have the trumpet of the jubilee from authority, and a conjectural David's portable harp. As to the instruments figured 10, 11, and 12, on that plate, Mr. Jones has not undertaken to inform us in what part of the Holy Land they were played upon. Among the "Grecian Instruments," we were at first rather surprised to find a common bagpipe; the evidence for its authenticity, however, is sufficiently strong; but for this we must refer to the work, p. 366, having already far exceeded the limits we usually devote to a single article. The contents of this plate are chiefly copied from Burney. The "Modern Instruments," which follow, are all accompanied by their scales, either on the plate itself or in the letter-press. Upon the whole, we consider this as a work which the musical student may consult with advantage; and which, from its variety of historical anecdotes, will be not uninteresting to the general reader.

VARIETIES.

CAMBRIDGE, Nov. 13.-The subject of the Norrisian Prize Essay for the present year is-No valid argument can be drawn from the incredulity of the Jews against the truth of the Christian Religion.

The Seatonian Prize for an English Poem has been this year adjudged to the Rev. A. Dicken, Fellow of St. Peter's College. The subject is-Deborah.

Government has sent two ships on a voyage of considerable importance, under the command of an able officer thoroughly skilled in hydrography. This expedition is conjectured to have for its object an establishment on the eastern coast of Africa, or probably in the Straits of Babel Mandel.

Welsh Literature and Music.-A public meeting was held at Carmarthen, on Wednesday week, the Right Hon. Lord Dynevor in the chair, which formed itself into a Society for the Preservation, of the remains of ancient British Literature, Poetical, Historical, Antiquarian, Sacred, and Moral; and for the encouragement of the National Music. At

an adjournment of the meeting to the Palace, at Abergwilly, letters from the Right Hon. Lord Kenyon, the Right Hon. Lord Cawdor, the Right Rev. the Bishops of St. Asaph, Bangor, and Landaff, from Sir W. W. Wynn, Sir Thos. Mostyn, Sir Robert Vaughan, Sir Edw. Price Loyd, Sir Charles Morgan, J. W. Griffith, Esq. the Rev. Archdeacon Jones, the Rev. Edw. Davies, and the Rev. G. Strong, were read, containing the most cordial assurances of co-operation in forwarding the views of the society. A committee was at the same time appointed, to propose prize subjects for the ensuing year, and other papers to be produced at the next meeting; and the Rev. D. Rowland was appointed secretary to the Society. It was also proposed and agreed to, as expedient for promoting the objects of the Society, that the members and others who may be possessed of Welsh manuscripts, be solicited to transmit to the secretary notices or lists of them in writing, specifying their titles, with particular descriptions. Mr. Edward Williams, the bard,

1818.]

New Fisheries-Reigning Families of Europe.

was appointed by the Society to superintend the printing of the Society's publications, and to give instructions to young students in Welsh poetry and literature. The Society look forward with great interest to the establishment of a committee in the metropolis, to co-operate with the general Cambrian Society, in forwarding its designs, and extending its connexions. We devoutly wish it success; and we hope that the Welsh scholars in the vicinity will promptly afford their assistance.

New Fisheries.-If the present modes of fishing, so limited in their powers, are of old standing, can none better be discovered in this age of general improvement? Suppose, as in agriculture, premiums were offered to excite ingenuity and stimulate to experiments. Within the last year or two, a new rendezvous of soles has been discovered by the Plymouth trawlers, on banks lying between the Dodman and the Manacles, which turned out so abundantly, that for a while they ceased trawling; and the Brighton fishermen lately discovered, for the first time, a new oyster bed off their coast, said to have been ascertained, within the passing summer, to extend seventy miles, by seven in breadth. Can nothing new be struck out in the way of change of ground, or kind of fish, or mode of catching, or of curing, by the patronage of those high and benevolent characters who have now come forward, so much to their honour, to rescue the Scilly Islanders from starvation?-To these it may afford encouragement to know what has been done within a short time, in the cold and stormy extremity of Scotland. Two or three years ago the newspapers were filled with complaints of the distressed state of the working classes in Sutherland, where nothing was thought of but starving, or emigration to America. The Inverness Journal lately exhibited the following agreeable contrast: " Nothing can more distinctly mark the rapid improvement in this quarter than the following facts respecting Helmsdale, a fishing station established by the Marquis of Stafford, at the mouth of the river of that name upon the coast of Sutherland. In this port, where six years ago there was not a but nor a fishing boat, there are now erected several curing-houses, on the most approved and extensive scale, with about 140 boats belonging to them; and so general has the desire of settling become, that nine additional sites for similar establishments have been lately NEW MONTHLY MAG.-No. 59.

449

taken, and most of the best stations are already occupied. There has been already cured, this season, more than 1400 barrels, besides a quantity of redherrings smoked; and before the end of the season above 20,000 barrels will be cured, producing, at 30s. a barrel, and 4s. of bounty, 34,000/. in this lately established port alone. An excellent pier has been constructed by Lord Stafford; a town also has been begun."

Reigning Families of Europe.-There áre at present twelve families in Europe that are dignified by the possession of Royal Crowns, and eight that reign under the titles of Grand Dukes, Dukes, and Princes, making altogether twenty reigning families. Of the twelve Royal Families, there are two French, eight German, one Italian by descent, but German by patrimony, and one Asiatic. We shall name them in their alphabetical order :

1. The Family of Alsace, descended from Etichon, Duke of Alsace. This Lord is the common stock of the Houses of Hapsbourg and of Lorraine, now confounded in the House of Zaringen, whence that of Baden is derived. The House of Lorraine reigns in Austria, Tuscany, and Modena. In this latter country it has, within our time, taken the name of Este.

2. The Family of Bernadotte, that reigns over Scandinavia.

3. The House of Capet, or of France, is continued in the family of Bourbon, which reigns in France, Spain, Naples, and provisionally in Lucca, until it recovers the State of Parma. There is another Capetian branch, which, however, is not the issue of legitimate marriage. From this bastard scion springs the House of Braganza, that reigns in Portugal.

4. The House of Guelfe, originally of Italy, where, however, it has no possessions. It is the younger branch of the ancient and real House of Este. The Guelfes are divided into two branches, the younger of which bears the crowns of Great Britain and Ireland, and Hanover; while the elder, less favoured by fortune, but not less illustrious by the merit of its princes, reigns under the name of Brunswick.

5. The House of Hohenzollern experienced a similar fate as that of the Guelfes. The elder branch of this family has preserved its modest patrimony in Suabia, while the younger branch, transplanted to the north, has founded the Prussian Monarchy. 3 M

VOL. X.

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